The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1905-04-06
REV ARDED
By
CLAIMING POLLOCK
Copyright. 1904. by Claiming Pollock
T'::s.

a'vSv''E ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Sallie Marshall went to Red Bank
for her vacation almost entirely be-
cause Frank Ewing was there. To
her friends in the offices of the Ameri-
can Opera Chair company she said that
she felt the quiet Of the place to be
fact. however, what she most needed
was the love of the young bookkeeper
who had dropped his pen a week be-
fore with the avowed intention of rus
ticating at Red Bank
The ordinary sensible woman of thir-
ty-two, which was the exact age of
Miss Marshall, probably would not
have sympathized with her much con-
cerning this requirement. Ewing was
just twenty-eigLt. and his gray mat
ter was not gray because of maturity
or overelertion. lie was exceedingly
good looking. exceedingly tall and
broad and dcbonair, and these virtues
had appealed at once to little Miss
Marshall. whose eyes were accustomed
to :rrayneSs of mind and of other
things.
Ewing liked Miss Marshall, too, in a
patronizing sort Of fashion, his regard
having been dcepened considerably by
the discovery that she was mistress
of double entry" and not at all averse
to double labor. His affection never
melted into words, and it was suffi-
GENTLY adjustable to permit of being
put quite out of the way when its pos
SCISSOR met 50 fluffy and alluring per-
son as Nellie Carruth.
Frank Ewins's gone with your girl
again." Miss Marshall heard an idler
remark banteringly to another as she
climbed r1!e steps Of the Globe hotel.
She stopped to tumble handkerchief
out of her bag.
"Who? Nellie Carruth:' inquired the
youth addressed. Looks as if I was
cut ont. doesn't it?'
That he was not the only individual
"cut OUT Miss AIashall learned i'm
mediately upon the return of the pair.
FMttering about the piazza. she dis
cerned them at the end of the street.
the bookkecner hanging on the words
of his companion as no amount of mere
appreciation of wisdom ever made man
hang on the words of woman. Ew
ing was greatly embarrassed. too, when
he saw Miss Marshall although she
! tried to seem uninterested alike in his
presence and in his attention to the
blue frocked girl to whom he present
ed her.
Ewing was acting quite within his
rights, she told herself later. obeying
the impulse that bade her justify him
| even to herself. lie had made no pact
with her. at least no verbal pact. and
| she knew that few men recognized the
validity of Enspoken contracts. Why
should fine. strong fellow whose life
was before him be tied to a neutral
| tinted woman who already realized
| that her future was to be only her past
| stripped of its illusions? If Frank
Ewing wanted to marry<Nellie Carruth
! 1t wasn't any of her business.
Nevertheless while presenting an inn
/ perturbable front to that part of the
world located at lied Bank she suffered
keenly the next few days. Miss Car
ruth and her widowed mother occupied
cottage near the river. and between
walking. riding and boating she and
her new admirer We're together almost
constantly. Ewing glanced at Miss
/ Marshall once or twice assured him.
self that she Gidn't care AMI was glad
that he had not committed himself.
Ewing was not bad sort of Il man; he
was just man.
This was the state of affairs when a
fire at the Carruth cottage upset Red
Bank and permitted to the bookkceper
/ display Of courage which seemed to
] write .'finis" to his romance. The blaze
broke out at dead of night and gained
/ such Roadway in the front part of the
dwelling that there appeared scant
probability that the two inmates could
he rescued. Red Banks volunteer fire
brigade nropped its ladders against the
veranda before the bedroom. windows,
but very wisely refused to mount them
| through the blast furnace of the bIaz-
ing porch. Ewing went UP one Of them
like toy monkey on stick and car.
ried both women to places of safety.
Miss Marshall. who thought it risky
to be among the spectators at a fire,
did not witness this deed. but she
heard of it. and her heart swelled with
pride. She had known all along that
:. Ewing was capable of just such hero
ism. Forgetting her previous reserve,
she fastened to congratulate him,
bringing up speechless and fearful be-
fore the couch on which he lay nursing
a bandaged burn on his cheek.
i This burn. the result of contact with
falling brand, kept the bookkeeper
wrapped III darkness and oil silk for a
fortnight. His right eye had been en-
dange:ed and had to be treated care
fully. Miss Marshall forfeited a con.
siderable amount of salary and remain
| ed at Red Bank. She really was need
ed after Miss Carruth. to whom the
fire snon became only an impersonal
occurrence which made good material