The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-05-04
MISS NORHH'S INDICTMENT. ;...~.
Py WILLIAM FREEMAN.

ten minutes we shall be able to get
away"
He flung himself to his work again,
and Dick waited, motiCnless and pre-
occupied. until it was finished. Jimmy
thrust the manuscript into an en-
velore, hailed cab and drove furious
ly to a newspaper Office, where they
seemed extremely glad to see him.
| Emerging he gave the man an extra
half crown to catch the 6 O'Clock train
home.
Dick abandoned himself amiably
enough to being alternately questioned
and hustled, and yielded still more will
ingly to the almost maternal welcome
Of Mrs. Sullivan. She had laughed
away his apologies, introduced him to
the baby and showed him his room al
most before he had had time to realize
the signs OF increased prosperity on
every SIDE that marked the rising
man. Truly the star of Jimmy Sulli-
van was in the ascendant.
1t was during the long gap that
separated dinner from the arrival OF
the first guests that Colbridge expert
enced wave of something akin to
loneliness ana self-pity. Independence
OF action and absence OF worries SEEM
ed an inadequate compensation for the
things he had missed. 1t dawned up
on him that the servant question,
smoky chimneys and sticky fingered
children were not the only and newt
able sequels to the honeymoon. His
thoughts wandered persistently to days
spent in Belgium when a woman's COM
partnership had filed gap in his life
SO naturally and completely that she
had seemed but the embodiment of an
other side Of his own nature. And, in
his ignorance, he had had visions Of
vaguely beautiful possibility becom-
ing a certainty, which the telegram
that had called her away had not de-
stroyed.
The prospect Of remaining abroad
grew suddenly intolerable, and he had
left for England within fortnight of
her departure.
And now he knew the truth. Idly
and without conjunction the woman
had played with his heart So be it.
II 1t were broken she should never
know the result of the game.
Colbridge watched the dancers drift
into the brilliantly lighted room with
almost pitiful anxiety. His dread of an
encounter was blended with a sharp,
reckless longing. In any case, he would
be almost certain to see her, but he
feared an actual meeting before his
nerves were steady enough to bear the
strain of light talk and laughter.
Fate ordained that he should be call
ed away when at last she arrived, and
1t was nearly an hour later before
they came face to face in set of the
lancers.
Miss North was obviously astonish-
ed. Colbridge thanked Heaven for the
music and the quick movement that
mad helped him to recover his shaken
self-control Each revelation of her
delicate beauty seemed to smite him
like physical blow Her bright little
nod Of recognition carried him straight
back to those days in Belgium when
he had drifted so near to the rapids
OF utter self-abandonrfent, to-
ITO making a fool of himself for
her amusement" added Reason.
The dance ended in the usual laugh
ter and furry. He piloted his partner
"a voluble lady of forty-back to her
seat, and stood talking aimlessly until
Jimmy. who had been lurking in the
distance, swooped down as the music
struck up waltz and freed him.
Look here, old man, you said you
knew the Norths of Walsall Well, why
on earth don't you come and speak to
the girl over there-the one in the
white dress, mean, sitting in pensive
melancholy? Probably her partners
forgotten her! If-as I fancy-he is
young Dowson ploughing his way along
with that Freeman girl, she's had a
lucky escape"
He caught Dick by the sleeve, and
the latter, raising his eyes, could see
the girl was watching them with
amusement. Since there was no es-
cape he crossed to where she was seat
ed alone among half a dozen empty
chairs.
Behold distressed damsel," she
said, gayly, as Dick dropped into the
seat beside her, deserted by both
chaperone and partner. Put not your
trust in gentlemen who won't write
plainly on their programs"
"A young man Of the name OF Dow
son is the criminal, isn't he?" said Col
bridge. I'm which case his present
partner is paying pretty heavily for an
honor unto which she was not born.
How long have you been staying in