Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-12-13
he Spoilers.
BY REX E. BEACH.
> copyrisht zoos by :. :


"I'm having delightful time"
When he came for his third dance
she was more distract than ever. AS
he led her to seat they passed a
group of women. among whom were
Mrs. Champaign and others whom he
knew to be wives of men prominent In
the town. He had seen some of them
| Mt tea in Judge Stillman's house and
therefore WINS astonished when they re-
turned his greeting, but ignored Helen.
| She shrank slightly, and he realized
that there was something wrong He
could not guess what. Affairs Of men
he. could cope with, but the subtleties
Of women were out of his realm.
what ais those people2 Have they
offended your
II don't know what it Is. have
spoken to them, but they cut me-"
"Cut your he exclaimed.
YES" Her voice trembled, but she
! held her head high. ut seems as
!! though all the women in Nome were
here and in league to ignore me- 1t
dazes me. do not understand"
HAS anybody said anything to your"
he inquired fercely. ANY man, I
mean?"
"No, no! The men are kind. It's the
women"
"Come, we'll go home"
! Indeed, we will not" she said proud
". Il shall stay and face it out.
have done nothing to run away from,
and intend to find out what Is the
matter"
! When he had surrendered her. at the
beginning Of the next dance, McNa-
mara sought for some acquaintance
| whom he might question. Most Of the
men in Nome either hated or feared
him, but lie espied one that he thought
suited his purpose and led him into a
corner.
IT want you to answer question.
No beating about the BUSH Under
stand? I'm blunt, and want you to
be-"
| "All right
.Your wife has been entertained at
Miss Chesters house. I've seen her
there. Tonight she refuses to speak
to the girl She cut her dead, and l
want to know what It's about
"How should I kE:w?'
"If you don't know. I'll ask you to
ind out"
The otter shook his head amuscdly
at which Mcnamara flared up.
II say vol will, and you'll make
your wife apologize before she leaves
this hall, too, or you'll answer to me
man to man. l won't stand to have q
girl like Miss Chester cold decked by
bunch of mining camp swclls, and
that goes as 1t lies" In his eXcitemen,
Mcnamara reverted to his western
idiom.
i The other did not reply at once, for II
Is embarrassing to deal with person
who disregards the conventions utterly
and at the same time has the incltno
ton and force to compel obedience
The boss reputation had gone abroad
"Well-er-I know about it in gen
eral way, but of course don't so mucl
on such things. You'd better let i
drop"
"Go on"
"rhere has been lot of talk among
the ladies about-well. er-the fact is
It's that young Glenister. Mrs. Cham
plan had the next stateroom to them
er-him-I should say-on the way VI
from the States anu she saw things
Now, as far as I'm concerned, cir
can do as she pleases, but Mrs. Cham
plan has her own ideas of propriety
From whit my wife could learn
there's some truth in the story, too, s.
you can't blame her.
With a word Mcnamara could hay
explained the gossip and made tlii
man put his wife right. forcing through
her an calculation of the silly affai
In such a way us to spare Helen
feelings and cover the busy tongue
magpies with confusion. Yet he hes
tated 1t is a wise skipper who trim
his sails to every breeze. He thanke
his informant and left him. Enterin
the lobby, he saw the girl hurryin
toward him.
\ Take me away, quick! want to 6
home"
you've changed your mindY'
eyes, let us 60" she painted, an
when they were outside she walked S
rapidly that he had difficulty in keel
ing pace with her. She was silent, an
he knew better than to question, bu
when they arrived at her house
u ~ 60 =.