Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1904-01-21
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|: IN THE WAKE OF A
!: SIDE COMB
= BY SYLVIA LEE
D CopBriJlt, 1908, by 7. c. Mcclure
Copyright, 1908, by I. c. Mcclure

never !oyed before throws her arms
about ones neck and says, "And
think it would be SO lovely to have
diamond side combs instead OF q soil.
taire, IL you don't mind, dear" and
bushes
Well, one buys the side combs with
out question, and later perhaps one
reflects. But then it's too late
1t thus befell with Hardness, and
Leda wore the two starry bands SO
deftly posed amid the knotted tangles
Of her sunny curls that they suggested
a diadem and in nowise led any man
to the conclusion which time honored
custom has drawn from the solitaire.
In fact, before the betrothal was a
week old Hardness himself began to
wonder.
And when, at n dance at the Lake
side club, young Wrycroft, the very
famous half back, invited Leda to &c
out for q moonlight row around the
pier with him and Leda accepted and
grit his teeth as well. No man who
has spent ten years dancing attend
ance on other mems tiancees and other
mems wives is going TO enjoy life
while bis own personal fiancee and
future wife is off with fellow whose
name has headed newspaper columns
and whose chest can hardly find space
for all his medals. The couple were
gone an hour and seven minutes by a
watch which had come down through
three generations OF the darkness fam
lily. and when they did rcappear the
owner of the watch stood at the head
of the wide stair and claimed the
young lady for the next waltz. Wry-
croft, happily obivous to his crime,
strolled off, and Hardness led the girl
around the wide promenade to place
which was quiet and retired enough
for private conversation. He was boil
ing within, but nothing could have
in which he put his arm about her and
asked with careless placidity:
Did you row far, dearT
Il didn't row at ALL" said Leda. Gle
rowcd"
Hardness kissed her with exceeding
gentleness. did you land anywhere,
darlington the Point for instanceT
"Nu-u-o" said Leda.
Hardness passed his finger over her
pretty hair in silence for n few min
utes, and then he suddenly gave a
sharp exclamation;
Good God, Leda, you've lost one of
your combs"
almost shrieked as she realized the
truth
perhaps you forgot to put one in?"
said her lover.
mo; | had them both, I'm sure
She began to cry. Hardness scratched
ma tches. and they both looked all over
the floor, but not diamond glittered
in the general gloom Of the hour,
Very much later in the evening while
Hardness was twostepping with Mrs.
Lancaster sudden turn showed him
Leda speaking earnestly to Wrycroft,
Wrycroft looked terribly used up, and
Hardness smiled grimly
"Oh. what Il smilen said Mrs. Ian
caster. ITS both impressive and
frightening You make me afraid of
you. and yet admire the smile"
Hardness wondered il he wasn't q
fool to be contemplating the addition
of another wife to the assemblage.
"You look like cross between Meph-
istopheles and Machiayelll" went on
Mrs. Lancaster, who was slender and
never lost her breath. (Which do you
favorT
a can't spell either" replied Hank
ness shortly. He felt inclined TO join
the next expedition to the north pole.
The dance endured exceedingly late.
1t was quite 3 when the last woman
retired and half dozen men were
still lounging on the piazzas when the
first gray streaks of dawn appeared
above the Point. Hardness sprang up
when he perceived them and yawned
vigorously.
am going to bed" be declared, ''and
| shall not tarry long upon the order
or my sleeping, either.
Young Wrycroft stood up, too, and
passed his hand over his forehead.
II don't feel very fit" he said slowly.
II believe I'll go for n little row and
maybe take a dip from the Point
lie went down the steps rs Hardness
entered the house, Later curiosity led
the latter to wander to the window and
look to see if Wrycroft was really car
rying out his purpose.
4 rowboat lay on the sandy stretch
opposite, and the rosy light OF the ris-
ing sun llumiued a figure which paced
restlessly up aud down the rustic paths
skirtinE the shore.
Il shouldn't call that exactly swim
ming" said darkness to himself lit
tie grizzly. lie pulled down the shade
with q violent JERK and got Into bed
1t was quite noon when he awoke,
The day was glorious and the bosom
Of the lake was dotted with sailing
parties He gave the bell two punches
for hot water and twisted the dressing
case toward the window as a prclimi-
nary to shaving The mirror reflected
the Point, and as Hardness started to
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