The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1907-08-10
CHAPTER xxI--continued.

SHRf ANt-OOUtiHuCos
The appearance of the man who
,pened the door for Anita and me
suggested that our ring had reused
Aim from a bed where he had deposit
I'd himself without bothering to take
on his clothes. At the sound OF my
voice, Ball peered out OF his private
smokingroom, at the far end of the
hall He started forward; then. see
Ding how / was accompanied, stopped
with mouth ajar. He had on ragged
smoking jacket, a pair Of shapeless old
Romeo slippers, his ordinary business
waistcoat and trousers. He was wear
ing neither tie nor collar. and short,
black pipe was between his fingers.
We had evidently caught the house
hold stripped of "lugs," and sunk in
the down-to-the-heel slovenliness
which is called comfort" Joe was
crimson with confusion. and was
using his free hand to stroke. alter
nately, his shiny bald head and his
heavy brown mustache. He got him
self together sufficiently after few
seconds, to disappear into his den.
When he came out again, pipe and
ragged Jacket were gone, and he
rushed for US In a gorgeous velvet
Jacket with dark red facings, ana
SNOWY pair OF slippers.
"Glad to see you, Mr.. Blackjack
In his own home he always addressed
every man as Mister. just as Mrs
b." always called him Mister Ball"
and he called her Mrs. BALI before
company" Come right into the
front parlor. Billy, turn on the cleo
trio lights"
Anita had been standing with her
head down. She now looked round
with shame and terror in those ex-
pressive blue-gray eyes OF hers; her
delicate nostrils were quivering. !
FASTENED to introduce Ball to her.
Her impulse to fly passed; her life.
long training in doing the conven.
tional thing asserted itself. She low
cred her head again, murmured an In
audible acknowledgment of Joe's
greeting.
"Your wife Is at home" said I. II
one was at home in the evening. the
other was also, and both were always
there, unless they were at some the
ater-except on Sunday night, when
they dined at Sherry's, because many
fashionable people did 1t. They had
no friends and few acquaintance. In
their humber and happy days they
bad had many friends, but had lost
them when they moved away from
Brooklyn and went to live, like un
easy. out-of-place visitors. in their
grand house, pretending to be what
they longed to be, longing to be what
they pretended to be, and as discon
,ented as they deserved.
"Oh, yes, Mrs. BIS at home," Joe
answered. Il guess she and Alva
we're about to go to bed" Alva was
THAR one child. She had been chris
tened Malvina, after Joe's mother
but when the Balls "blossomed out
they renamed her Alva. which the.
somehow had got the impression wa,
smarter"
At Joe's laundering confession tina
The females of the family were in NJ
condition to receive. Anita said to mi
IN low voice: Let us co.
pretended not to hear. "Rout EN-
out" said l to Joe. Then, take m,
electric and bring the nearest parson
There's going to be a wedding RICH
here" And | looked round the loni
salon. with everything draped for tn,
summer departure Joe whisked tn,
cover Off one chair. his man took OF
another. I'm have the women.foll
down In two minutes" he cried. Thel
to the man: Get move on you
Billy. Stir em up in the kitchen. ID,
the best you can about supper--an,
put a lot of champagne on the ice
That's the main thing at wedding
Anita had seated herself listlessl
In one Of the uncovered chairs. Tn
wrap slipped back from her shoulder
and--how proud | was of her! Jo
gazed, took advantage OF her not loos
ing up to slap me on the back and I
jerk his head in enthusiastic approva
Then he, too, disappeared.
A few minutes of silence, and Their
was rustling on the stairs. Sh
started up, trembling looked rounC
as II seeking some way TO escape O
some place 10 hide. Joe was in tn
doorway holding aside one of the cul
tains. There entered In a beribbone
and beflounced tea.gown, a pretty.
rather ordinary, woman of forty, wit
a petulant baby face. She was tryin
to look reserved and severe. Sh
hardly glanced at me before fastenin
sharp, suspicious eyes on Anita.
MRS. Ball" said !, this is Mis-
Ellersly."
Miss Ellersly!" she exclaimed, he
face changing. And she advanced an
took both Anita's hands. Mr.. Ball
30 stupid" she went on, with tha
amusingly affected accent which
the Sunday clothes" OF speech.
Il didn't catch the name. my dear
Joe stammered.
BE off, said |, aside, to him. "G,
the nearest preacher and hustle hi
here with his tools
1 had one eve on Anita all the tim