The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-02-09

would much rather do that than give
you the trouble Of calling"
"All right" said Twombley cheerful
ly. and under his breath he added:
Ashamed OF mamma and the little
fat, suppose. You can't exactly
blame her when she's made something
Of herself"
At o'clock she met him at the park
entrance, and just for an instant
Twombley felt actually dazzled. Her
statuesque figure was draped in some
soft. billowy gray stuff He knew
somehow that It took an artist to do
sign and make such dress. Her face
was shaded by picture hat Of softest
gray chiffon clouding pink roses.
Twombley hailed a hanson and
they drove rapidly through the park
to the casino With a thrill Of salts
faction he noticed that as they passed
down the aisle between the lines Of
tables all eyes followed the slender
gray figure and low murmurs Of ap-
proval reached his ear. He wondered
whether this was q twentieth century
Cinderella. this graceful figure at his
side. transformed by shimmerlng gray
silk from the tailor made stenographer
who had worked beside him for the
past few weeks. She was perfectly
self possessed, only q slight flush and
singularly bright light in her eyes
showed that she was excited.
All patronage died out OF Twom-
bley's bearing. He was genuinely anx-
ious now to please her. As for the
girl. she displayed . knowledge Of
books, plays and pictures Of the hour
which astonished Twombley. Wonder
fully adaptive creatures are the Ameri-
can girls, he decided That must be
the reason why It was 50 hard to tell
whether q family had been born TO
money or born to make II. Before
they re-entered the hanson to drive to
the roof garden he had decided that
money really didn't count after all.
The roof garden seemed stupid and
cheap. He looked at the girl at his
side, then at the occupants in the boxes
around hun; then be leaned toward
her and whispered: Let's get out Of
this. l know It's boring you. Wen
60 over to the Beauciaire for a bit OF
supper and hear the mondolin club
play"
She rose With evident relief, and they
walked through the quiet side street to
an odd. foreign looking cafe on whose
roof the mandolin and guitars tinkled
umpldly. Here no lights blazed. for
the moonlight flooded the scene.
The girl leaned back restful!y In her
chair. and Twombley smoked In 81
lence studying her profile the while.
Somehow his fathers brownstone man.
sion on the avenue seemed very fur
away. His austere and critical mother
faded into vague background. 1t
would not be any condescension on his
part, he decided They could slip away
to Italy or Japan or some other far
away place for the honeymoon, and
the world would get through talking
about 1t before they came back A
almy cloud passed over the moon. The
girls hand, white and slender, lay on
the table, tempting1y close within bis
reach. He leaned forward impetu-
ously.
"Hello, Twombley! What are you do
ing in town at this season Of the yearT'
Twombley scowled at tho intruder;
then his face cleared.
Hello, Davidsonl When cid you
landr
The girl had made 4 move as II to
rise: then she sank back in the chair,
her face white and set In the moon
light
Il eame In On the Lucania yesterday
and thought I'd see something of little
old New York before starting for
He had turned slightly toward Miss
Carruth. and just then the moon slip
ped from under the cloud, and the clear
light struck her face.
"Helenl''
He leaned heavily against the table
The girls head was bent 40 low that
he could not look into her eyes.
Jack" she said softly, but not %
softly that he missed either the word
or the tender accent with which she
fingered over his name.
They had forgotten Twombley's ex-
istence. Now the newcomer pulled him
self together.
Il beg your pardon, old man, but
Miss Carruth and l were once-very-
goOd-friends, and
X see." said Twombiey, rising, with
an amused smile, "and IL you'll look
after Miss Carruth for Q moment I'd
like to have a chat with an artist
friend see buried behind q row Of
STEMS"
Without 30 much as a ''thank you"
Davidson dropped into the vacant
chair.
Helen. I've come back to look after
you for always, and, dear. II you'll for
give my selfishness I'll promise you
can study sociology and found work
ing girls clubs and endow industrial
schoois-anything, 80 you will come to
me-"
.
Twombley had forgotten all about
the artist friend. he was leaning over
the parapet looking down on the far
Ing street lamps.
And n fhyob 7 m <roniv.a ho, ooa