The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-02-04
In THE WAKE OF A
SIDE COMB B.
osososOeOeOsOOsOsOsOsoso
BY SYLVIA LEE
Copyright. 1908. BY 4. c. Mcclure

When the girl one loves 40 one has
never loved before throws her arms
about ones neck and says And l
think It would be so lovely to have
diamond side combs instead Of a soil
taire, If 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 i'm 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 wh..u, at dance at the Lake
side club. young Wrycroft. the very
| famous half back, invited Leda to go
| out for a moonlight row around the
| pier with him and Leda accepted and
| went Hardness not only wondered. but
| grit his teeth as we'll. No man who
| has spent ten years dancing attend
| ance on other mems fiancees and other
mems wives is going to enjoy life
while his own personal fancee and
future wife is off with n 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
watch which had come down through
three generations of the Hardness fam
lily. and when they did reappear 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 oblivious to his crime.
strolled off. and Hardness led the girl
around the wide promenade to IL place
which was quiet and retired enough
for private conversation. He was boil
ing within. but nothing could have
been more sweetly calm than the way
In which he put his arm about her and
asked with careless placidity:
did you row far. dear?"
81 didn't row at ALL" said Led:. He
rowed."
Hardness kissed her with exceeding
gentleness. Ibid you land anywhere.
Darlington the Point. for instanceT
"N-u-u-o." said Leda.
Hardness passed his finger over her
pretty hair in silence for few min
utes. and then he suddenly gave a
sharp exclamation:
Good God. Leda. you've lost one of
your combs.'
Leda put both hands to her head and
almost shrieked as she realized the
truth. s..
perhaps you forgot to put one IMP
said her lover. #
mo: | had them both. I'm sure"
She began to cry. Hardness scratched
matches. 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 a sudden turn showed him
Leda speaking earnestly to WrycrOft.
Wrycroft looked terribly used up. and
Hardness smiled grimly.
"Oh. what smiier" said Mas. Lam
caster. IFS both impressive and
frightening. You make me afraid of
you. and yet | admire the smile"
Hardness wondered If he wasn't q
fool to be contemplating the addition
of another wife to the assemblage.
"You look like cross between Meph-
istopheles and Machiavelli." went on
Mrs Lancaster. who was slender and
never lost her breath. (which do you
favorY
~ 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 a 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. .----
''Tm going to bed" he declared. land
Of my sleeping. either"
Young Wrycroft stood up. too. and |
passed his hand over his forehead.
81 don't feel very fit" he said slowly. |
81 believe I'll go for little row and |
maybe take dip from the Point"
He went down the steps as 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.
A rowboat lay on the sandy stretch |
opposite. and the rosy light Of the .ris-
ing sun illumined a figure which paced
restlessly up and down the rustic paths |
skirting the shore.
81 shouldn't call that exactly swim
ming" said Hardness to himself liz
tie grimly. He pulled down the shade
with 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 prelimi-
nary to shaving. The mirror reflected |
the Point. and as Hardness started to
tip 1t he saw girl discriminating alone.
He unhung his field glasses.
Yes. 1t was Leda. t
He threw the glasses on the bed ana |
went on with his toilet. /
Every one was at luncheon when he |
went down. and as he stopped by |
Leda's chair TO remind her that she |
was to drive out with him at he
could not help seeing how wretche0 I
she looked. Her hair bore no sign OF |
side comb.
When they went out later there
seemed to be a species of shadow mix
ed with the preliminary silence.
The man spoke first land he waited |
a good while).
"You haven't found it. have your"
"Oh, dear, no."
Don't you think perhaps it fell out
In the boatY'
why. there was nothing in the boat
to loosen it."