Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-11-07

"
My dear Lester" he began abrupt
~. in that quick. nervous way of his,
I'm In the deuce of q box. and I'm
going to ask you TO help me out. |
promised Ceoily To take her tonight
to see h c-xtravaganza at the New
fork and have the seats here. but at
the last ! find | can't get
away. I've a business engagement tina.
| can't afford to break. hut Cecily will
never forgive me II I disappoint her.
Have you anything on for tonight"
NO" | answered. looking at him in
some astonishment. for it WAS evident
" ha. was coming
Then perhaps you wouldn't mine
taking Cecily? 1t would be a tremend-
uous favor"
Not at ALL" L assured him,
1t isn't quite c~onvenable?" he FIN
ished. as l hcsitated. Surely. we don't
need to stand Oh ceremony, and &C.
ely doesn't care a hang for conven-
ton. It's a great favor to both of
Us. She'll cry her eyes out if she has
to stay at home. and l simply ant
take her"
Very WE'LL l said. "Ill he glad to
take her" and thanking me again he
hurried away.
She was dressed and waiting for me
when | knocked at her door. and shc
caught me by both hands as ! en-
tered.
This Is good of you" she cried.
"DoudouX has been so busy for many
days that we nave zone nowhere: but
he promised me tonight. oh. l should
not have stayed at home. l should
have zone alone. l care not for the
eyes of the men"
"Oh. I shan't let you go alone" l
protested. and watched her. fascin-
ated, as she put on a little bonnet
and gave her hair two or three final
pats before the mirror.
She was In the highest spirits. sing
Ing to herself-really. l told myself,
only a child-and at last she swung
around and dropped me a courtesy.
How is that. chez" she cried.
smiling up at me. Does that please
you?"
Charming" | cried, gaspins a lit
tie. with a feeling OF giddiness. as 1
looked down into her eyes.
Then in a moment" and turning.
she struck a match and touched 1t
to n wick floating on olive oil in Il
tiny glass before an image of the
virgin. which hung in a little chap
ellie against the wall. She made a gem
Infection and turned back to me Now
l am ready" she said. and tucked her
hand contidingly under my arm.
What is the light for. Cecily?" 1
asked. as we left the room.
oh" she explained. 'faut lime
lampe on pou fai la Verge passe dams
caie-ou. Now the virgin will watch
over me while l am away. But you
are a Protestant. you do not care for
the virgin"
She looked up at me reproachfully.
with a little sigh because l must be
damned.
But Tremaine-is he not a Protes-
tant?" / asked.
..nb \, - =, 49,
head. Certainly not-not at all. He
even at n time thought of becom-
ing a priest"
"A priest!" l repeated. astonished.
Here was news. indeed. and ! WAS so
absorbed in it that 1 did not resent
Higgins stare OF astonishment as we
went down together in the elevator
Tremaine a priest! Yet, why not? No
doubt he woul have made Il most sue
cessful kpne-an ideal Jesuit, for cx-
ample. rising to Il high place.
Then why did he not become one?'
l questioned. when we were seated in
our cab and bowling along toward
Broadway. A sudden fever of eager
ness to probe into Tremaine's past
Took possession Of me.
Il do not know," she answered: then
she looked at me with a sudden quiz
zical narrowing of the eyes. Perhaps
he found the vow a repugnance.'
We swung around into Broadway.
ablaze with light, M Cecily forgot
me In the excitement of watching the
changing crowd. the brilliant shop
fronts.
Here we are 1 said, as the cab
drew up at the curb. and sprang out
and helped her down.
AS we entered the foyer l heard
that murmur of surprise and admira-
ton which I knew my companion
must inevitably call forth. AS for her,
she was interested in everything: the
lights. the color. the movement Of the
crowd. the hustle of the great theater
combined to form an excitant which
brought the deep blood surging to her
checks. She looked our with half
open lips. smiling pleased al a child.
seemingly quite unconscious of the
many curious eyes conferred upon her.
"Oh. it is glorious" she cried. II
have to thank you again. che"
You have nothing like this in st.
Pierre" I questioned. laughing al her
eagerness.
"No." and she shook her head; .ex-
cept. perhaps. the carnival"
I'm enjoying 1t. too" I said: and
indeed l was. for her happiness was
contagious. She seemed charged with
electricity. overflowing. communicating
1t by z look. = word. a smile.
We went up to the promenade after
the hrst act. and ate an Ice together,
The place was crowded. and Cecily
oon ecame again the center Of at
traction. Men strOlled past merely ia
look at her. and from more than one
woman 1 caught a Hash of the eye that
said unutterable' things. The advent OF
new. Incompatible siren could
not pass unchallenged. To them
III. Cecily glanced from time to time
with admirable nonchalance: one would
nave sworn h had been reared In New
York. She chatted gaily. eating her
ice. slipping her wine. looking at nae
with eyes that glowed like stars. Then
suddenly. ~ she looked up. her face
changed. I Glanced up. too. and caught
Jim Godfrey's astontshed eyes liked on
mine. He bowed and passed on.
70 that gentleman?" demanded