Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-11-16

carelessness that so many women al
low themselves, once they are safely
married to a man they care Tor.
Curious" thought /, that being
married TO him should make her feel
secure enough of him to let herself go,
although her instinct Is warning her all
the time that she isn't in the least sure
OF him. Her laziness must be stronger
thar her love-her laZiness or her van
ity.'
While / was thus sizing her up, she
was reluctantly leaving. She didn't
even give me the courtesy Of a bow
whether from self-absorption or from
haughtiness / don't know; probably
from both. She was a western woman,
and when those western women do be-
cone perverts to New York's gospel of
snobbishness, they are the worst
snobs in the push. Langdon, re-
gardless Of my presence, looked after
her with n family amused, family
contemptuous expression that-well,
it didn't fit in with my notion of
what constitutes a gentleman. In fact,
| didn't know which Of them had come
of the worse in that brief encounter In
my presence. 1t was my first glimpse
OF a fashionable behind the scenes. and
it made a profound impression upon
mean impression that has grown
NitCDSl ~ 4 hoNC lCll iltu HOW Ilutl Oh
the typical there was IN It. Dirt looks
worse in the midst OF finery than where
n naturally expects to find it-lookS
worse, and is worse.
When we were seated again, Lang
don, after a few reflective puffs at his
cigaret, said: S you're about to
marry?'
II hope So" said I. but as I haven't
asked her yet, / can't be quite sure"
For obvious reasons / wasn't so enam-
ored Of the idea of matrimony as 1 had
been a few minutes before.
Il trust you're making n sensible
marriage said he. IF the part that
may be glamor should by chance rub
clean away, there ought to be some
thing to make one feel he wasn't wholly
an ass"
Very sensible" I replied with am
phasis. Il want the oma l need
her"
He inspected the coal of his cigaret,
lifting his eyebrows at it. Presently he
said: "And she?"
Il don't know how she feels about it
as 1 told you" l replied CURLY. In
spite of myself, my Eyes shifted and my
skin began to burn. by the way,
Langdon, what's the name of your
architect"
wilder & Marcy said he. They're
fairly satisfactory, if you tell 'em ex-
actly what you want and watch 'em all
the time. They're perfectly conven-
tional, and so can't distinguish between
originality that's artistic and original
ity that's only bizarre. They're like
most people-they keep to the beaten
track and fight tooth and nail against
being drawn out Of it and against
those who do get out of it,"
"I1l have a talk with Marcy this very
day" said I.
"Oh, you're in a hurry" He laughed.
"And you haven't asked her. You re-
mind me of that Greek philosopher who
was in love with Lais. They asked him:
But does she love your And ne said:
one does not inquire of the fish one
likes whether it likes one"
| flushed. you'll pardon me. Lang
dom said I, "but I don't like that. 1t
isn't my attitude at all toward-the
right sort of women"
He looked half quizzical, half apollo
getic. "Ah, to be sure said he. II
forgot you weren't a married man.
II don't think IN ever lose the belief
that there's a quality in a good woman
to-
II envy you said he. but his eyes
were hooking still. I saw he was a
little ~disdainful Of my rebuking him.
and angry at me, too.
"Woman's Il subject of conversation
that men ought to avoid" said I easily
for, having set myself right. / felt I
could afford to smooth him down.
"Vcll, gooGby-good luck-or. if I
may be permitted to say it to one so
touchy, the kind Of luck you're bent on
having, whether it's good or bad"
IF my luck amt good, I'll make 1t
good" said / with a laugh.
And so l left him, with a look in his
eyes that came back to me long after
ward when 1 realized the full meaning
of that apparently almost commonplace
interview.
That same day I began to plunge on
Textlie, watching the market closely,
that l might go more slowly should
there be signs Of a dangerous break
for no more than Langdon did I van
a sudden paricky slump. The price
held steady. however; but I, fool that
| was, certain the fall must come,
plunged on, digging the pit for my own
destruction deeper and deeper.
Continued Next Weekly
Took Him at His Word.
From the Providence Journal.