The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-12-06

country house. And. by the way. he
| showed his limitations by rcmarking. after
| ne had Inspected. II must say. Black
lock. your architects and decorators have
done well by you" As if n mans sur
roundings were not the unfaiilng index To
himself. no matter how much money he
/ spends or how good architects and the like
no hires. As II a man could ever buy good
| taste.
! was pleased out OF all proportion 10 It's
value by what E,lcrsly and hls wife looked
| and sad. but. though watched Miss Ell
lersiy closely. though tried 60 draw from
her some comment on my belongings-on
my pictures. on my superb tapestries. on
tho beautiful carving OF my furniturc-f
got nothing from her beyond that FIRST icok
or surprise and pleasure. Her face re-
sumcd Its ststueiikc calm. her eyes did not
wander: her lips. like n crimson bow
painted upon her clear. white skin. re-
inaincd closed. She spoke only when she
was spoken TO. and then as briefly as pos
sible. The dinncr-and a mighty good din
ncr u was-would have been memorable
for strain and silence had not Mrs. piiers-
~ Kept up her inccssant chatter. I can't
recall n word she said. hut I admired her
Tor being able u talk at all. knew she
was In the same state as tho rest OF US.
yet she acted perfectly as her ease: and
| not until thought Il over aftcrward did
| realize that she had done all the taking.
l except answers to her occasional and cleV-
erly-sprinkled direct questions.
Ellersly sat opposite me. and 7 was irr.-
taicd. and thrown into confusion. too.
every time ! lifted my eyes. by the
crushed. criminal expression OF his face.
~" ate and drank hugciy-and ex-
tr"rely bal manners II would have been
regarded In me had made M much noise
as he. or lifted such quantities at n time
into my mouth, hut through his noisy
n fVNa ~ -sI A..
tain that hang-dog air-iike n thief who
has gone through the house and. on his
way out, has paused ~ the pantry, with
the sack OF plumber beside him, 10 gorge
| himself
] looked ut Anita several times. each
time with carefully framed remark
ready: each time found her gaze on me-
and j could say nothing. could only look
away In sort Of panic. Her eyes were
strangely variable. I have seen them Of a
gray, 30 pale that ~ was almost silver
like the s,eely light Of the snow line NJ tho
edge OF the horizon: again. and they were
so that evening. they shonc with tho
deepest. softcst blue. and made ono think.
az ono looked nj her. OF a fresh violet
frozen In a block os clear Ice.
] sat behind her In the box Mt ,hs
thcaicr. During the first and second inter-
missions several mon dropped In TO speak
TO her mother and hcr-fellows who didn't
ever come down town. hut could tell they
knew who was by the way they ignored
me. IL exaSperated mo to n pitch OF fury.
that coldly insolent air OF thcirs-a jcrky
nod At mo without so much as a glance.
and no notice OF me when they were lcav-
ing my box beyond "A faint. supcrcilious
smile as they passed with eyes straight
ahead. I knew what II meant. what they
were thinking-that the "Bucket-Shop
King" ne the newspapers had dubbed me
Nsa sNxFln 60 oil
AZ Jimmy and break into society
When the curtain went down for the last
intcrmission. two young men appeared:
did rot get up as had before, but stuck
To my seat-I had reached that point at
which courtesy has become cowardicc.
They crancd and strained at her round
me and over me. presently gave up and
retired. Disgusting their anger as contempt
for the bad manners OF a bounder. But
that disturbed me not n ripple, the moro
as / was delighting In n consoling dis
covcry. Listening and watching as she
talked with these young men. whom she
evidently knew well. noted that she was
distant and only politely friendly In man
ner habitualiy. that while the Ice might
thicken for me. II was there always. I
knew enough about women TO know that
II the woman who can thaw only for ono
man Is the most difficult. she n also the
most constant. 'Once she thaws toward
me- said 90 myself.
when the young men had gone. leaned
forward until my head was close 20 hers.
10 her hair--fne. soft. abundant. electric
hair. Like the infatuated fool that I was.
I tore out all tho pigeon holes OF my brain
In search OF something TO say TO her.
something that would start her 20 thinking
well OF me. She must have felt my breath
upon her neck. for she moved away
slightly, and II seemed TO M n shiver
an Phi x.shf
skin Of hers.
I drew back aud involuntarily said, Beg
pardon" ] glanced at her mother and IL
was my turn TO shudder. I can't hope %
give an accurate impression or that stony,
merccnary. mean face. There are looks
that paint upon the human countenancs
the whole OF life. as n fash OF lightning
paints upon the blackness OF the night
miles on miles or landscape. That look OF
Mrs. EIicrslys-stern disapproval Mt her
daughter. stern command that she be
moro civil. that she unbcnd-showcd ma
the old woman's soul. And I say that no
old harry presiding over a dive IL more
full OF the venom OF the hideous calcu-
laiions OF the market for flesh and blood
than II n woman whose life Is wrapped up
Ia wealth and show.
III YOU wish IT, said. on impulse. TO
Miss Ellcrsly Ia a low voice. II shall never
try TO see YOU again"
| could feel rather than see tho blood
suddenly beating In her skin. and there
was Ia her voice "A nervousness very like
fright ~ she answered.: I'm sure
mamma and l shall be glad 10 see you
whenever you come.
"Iou:" I persisted.
Yes" she said. after n brief hesitation.
Glad" I persisted.
She sm!lcd-thc faintcst change In the
perfect curve of her lips. You arc very
persistent, aren't youg"
Very" I answered THAT IN why I
have always got whatever I wanted"
II admire IT, said she.
NO. YOU don't I replied. You think
II is vulgar. and you think I am vulgar
because I have that quality-that and
some othcrs,'
She did not contradict me.
Wei. I am vulgar--from your stand
point" went on. II have purposes and
passions. And l pursue thsm For In
stance YOU.
~" she said TRANQUILITY.
You" l repeated II made up my mind
the first day saw you that I'd make you
like me. And-you will"
Continued Next Wesk.)