Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-05-16
CHAPTER xII-continued.


face. He ate and drank hugely-and
extremely bad manners 1t would have
been regarded in me had l made as
much noise as he, or lifted such guam
titles at a time into my mouth. But
through this noisy gluttony he man
aged somehow to maintain that hang
dog air-like a thief who has gone
through the house and, on his way
out, has paused at the pantry, with the
sack of plumber beside him, to gorge
himself.
| looked at Anita several times, each
time with a carefully-framed remark
ready, each time l found her gaze on
me-and I could say nothing, could
only look away in a sort of panic. Her
eyes were strangely variable. have
seen them of a gray, so pale that 1t
was almost silver-like the steely light
of the snow-line at the edge of the
horizon; again, and they were SO that
evening, they shone with the deepest,
softest blue, and made n think, as
one looked at her, of a fresh violet
frozen in a block of clear ice.
I sat behind her in the box at the
theater. During the first and second
intermissions several men dropped in
to speak to her mother and her--fel-
lows who didn't v come down town,
but | could tell they knew who was
by the way they ignored me. 1t exas-
perated me to a pitch Of fury, that
eoldly insolent air of theirs-a jerky
nod at me without so much as a
glance, and no notice of me when they
were leaving my box beyond a faint,
supercilious smile as they passed with
eyes straight ahead. | knew what 1T
meant, what they were thinking-that
the "~Bucket-shop King" as the news
papers had dubbed me, was trying to
use old Ellersly's necessities as a
Jimmy" and break into society"
When the curtain went down for the
last intermission, two young men ap-
peared; l did not get up as had be-
fore, but stuck to my seat-I had
reached that point at which courtesy
has become coWardlce.
They craned 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 a
ripple, the more as | was delighting in
a consoling discovery. Listening and
watching as she talked with these
young men, whom she evidently knew
well, l noted that she was distant and
only politely friendly in manner habit
ually, that while the ice might thicken
for me, it was there always. l knew
enough about women to know that, If
the woman who a thaw only for one
man is the most diff leu she is also
the most constant, "Once she thaws
toward mel" I said to myself.
When the young men had gone, l
leaned forward until my head was
close to hers, to her hair-fne, soft,
abundant, electric hair. Like the in
fatuated fool that l was, / tore out all
the p~igeon-holes of my brain in search
of something to say to her, something
that would start her to thinking well
of me. She must have felt my breath
upon her neck, for she moved away
slightly, and it seemed to me a SILVER
visibly passed over that wonderful
white skin of hers.
l drew back and in%voluntarily said,
BEG pardon" l glanced at her mother
and it was my turn to shudder. | can't
hope to give an accurate impression
of that stony, m%ercenary, mean face.
There are looks that paint upon the
human co~untenance the whole of a
life, as a flash of lightning paints upon
the blackness of the night miles on
miles of landscape. The look of Mrs.
Ellersly's-stern disapproval at her
daughter, stern command that she be
more civil, that she unbend-showed
me the old woman's soul.
IF you wish It," I said, on impulse,
to Miss Ellersly in a low voice, II
shall try to see you again"
I could feel rather than see the
blood suddenly beating in her skin,
and there was in her voice a nervous
ness very like fright al she answered:
I'm sure m and l shall be glad
to see you whenever you come"
your | persisted.
eyes," she said, after a brief hest
tation.
"Glad?" l persisted.
She smilcd-the faintest change in
the perfect curve of her lips. you
are very persistent, aren't you?"
Very" | answered. "That is why !
have always got whatever | wanted
Il admire it, said she.
mo, you don't" ] replied. "You
think it is vulgar, and you think l am
vulgar because | have that quality
that and some others"
She did not contradict me.
"Well, | am vulgar-from your
standpoint" / went on. Il have pur-
poses and passions. And | pursue
them. For instance, you"
III" she said TRANQUILITY.
"You" I repeated. II made up my
mind the first day l saw you that Id
make you like me. And--you will"
''That is very %fiattering," said she.
"And a little terrifying. For"--she
faltered, then went bravely on
D there isn't anything you'd
stop at In order to gain your end"
Nothing" said ], and ! compelled
her to meet my gaze.
She drew a long breath, and !
thought there was a sob in it-like a
frightened child.
"BHt | repeat" l went on, that II
yol wish 1t, | shall never try to 9
o again. Do you wish it?"
ar aor,t-Lnnw che onauyorad