The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-05-23

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proper to observe. with polite litter:
"Mr. Louden seems to be geOd /,
while COMM
Have you been waiting very longw
asked the lady.
Ever since o'clockr'
Yes" said the other. that is veryt
long" =
Yes. maam. it cert'nly is" The ice
thus broken. she felt free to useliher
eyes more directly and. after long.
frank stare. exclaimed:
why. you must be Miss Ariel Ia
Dor. amt your
"Yes"-Ariel touched one Of the roses
upon .Joe's desk with her finger tips
! II am Miss Tabor"
We'll. excuse me fer asking: I'm
sure it amt any business Of NINE
said the other. remembering the man.
ners due one lady from another. But
| thought il must be. | expect" she
added. with loud. inconseQuent laugh
| ter. there's not many in Canaan ANT
heard you've come back" She paused
laughed again. nervously, and again.
less loudly. to take off the edge of her
abruptress, gradually tittering herself
down to pause, to I'll which she put
forth. Right nice weather we ben
havin'.'
YES" said Ariel.
1T was rainy first Of last week
though. | don't mind rain so much
this with more laughter-"I stay In
the house when it rains. Some people
don't know enough to, they say.
You've heard that saying, amt you.
Miss TaborY
"Yes." 3,
"Well, tell you" she exclaimed
noisily. there's plenty ladies and gen..
'lemen in this town that's like that"
Her laughter did not cease. 1t be-
came louder and shriller. 1t had been
until now a mere fabrication Of the
conversation. helping to make her
easier in Miss Tabor's presence, but az
It Increased In shrillness she seemed
to be losing control Of herself, as II
her laughter were getting away with
her. She was not far from hysteria-
when she stopped with a gasp, and
she sat up straight in her chair, white
and rigid.
"Therew she said listening intently.l
"Ain't that him" Steps sounded upon.
the pavement below, paused for sec
ond at the foot of the stairs; there was
snap Of a match, then the steps
sounded again, retreating. She sank
back in her chair Imply. 1T was only
some one stoppin' to light his cigar Ina
the entry. 1t wasn't Joe Louden'ss
step anyway"
'You know his stepT Ariel's eyes.
were bent upon the woman wonder
ingly.
I'D know it tonight" was the an
swer, delivered with sharp and pain
full giggle. II got plenty reason to-"
Ariel did not respond. She leaned a
little closer to the roses upon the desk.
letting them touch her face and breath
ing deeply Of their fragrance to neu-
tralize a perfume which pervaded the
room, an odor as heavy and cheap
sweet as the face Of the woman who
had saturated her handkerchief with.
II, a scent which went with her per-
fectly and made her unhappily def
mite; suited to her clumsily dyed hair,
to her soiled white shoes, to the hot
red hat smothered In plumage, to the
restless stub fingered hands, to the fat
plated rings, of which she wore q.
great quantity, though, surprisingly
enough, the large diamonds in her ears.
were pure and Of very clear water.
1t was she who broke the silence.
once more. WELL" she drawled,
coughing genteelly at the same time,
better late than never, as the saying.
Is. l wonder who it Is gifts up all them
comical sayings" Apparently she had
no genuine desire for light upon this.
mystery as she continued Immediately:
II have a gentleman friend that's al
ways gittin' 'em OF. Well be says,
the best of friends must part and;
Thou strikest me to the heafrAah
kinds of cracks like that He's real
comical. And yet" she went on in an
altered voice. II don't like him much.
I'd be glad II I'd never seen him."
The change Of tone was so marked
that Ariel looked at her keenly, to find
herself surprised into plying this
strange client of Joe's, for tears had
sprung to the woman's eyes and slid
along the lids, where she tried vainfy
to restrain them. Her face had altered,
too, like her voice, haggard lines sud-
denly appearing about the eyes and
mouth as II they had just been PEN
ciled there-the truth issuing from be-
meath her plnchbeck simulations ike D
| tragic mask revealed by the displace-
ment of a tawdry covering.
IT expect you think I'm real foolish"
she said, "but ben waltin' so awful
long. and l got good deal Of worry
on my mind till see Mr.. Louden."
II am sorry" Ariel turned from the
roses and faced her and the heavy per-
fume. II hope he will come soon."
"I hone 60" said the other ITS