Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-06-21
! THE |
! DELUGE |
BY
DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS
Author Of The Cost. The Plum Tree.
The Social Secretary. etc.

CHAPTER xll-continu,d.

Ellersly sat opposite me, and ! was
irritated, and thrown into confusion,
too, every time | lifted my eyes, by
the crushed criminal expression of his
face. He ate and drank hugely-and
extremely bad manners it would have
been regarded in me had | 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 | found her gaze on
me-and | could say nothing, could
only look away in sort of panic Her
eyes were strangely variable. have
seen them of 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 one think, as
one looked at her, of a fresh violet
frozen in a block of clear ice.
| 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 ever come down town,
but could tell they knew who | was
by the way they ignored me. 1t exas-
perated me to pitch of fury, that
coldly insolent air of theirs-a 1erky
nod at me without so much as
glance, and no notice of me when they
were leaving my box beyond faint,
supercilious smile as they passed with
eyes straight ahead. | knew what II
meant, what they were thinhng-that
the "Bucket-shop King" as the news
papers had dubbed me, was trying to
use old Ellersly's necessities as
Jimmy" and break into society
When the curtain went down for the
last intermission, two young men ap-
peared; | did not get up as | had be-
fore, but stuck to my seat mad
reached that point at which courtesy
has become cowardice.
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
bounder But that disturbed me not
ripple, the more as l was delighting In
a consoling discovery. Listening and
watching as she talked with these
young men, whom she evidently knew
well, noted that she was distant and
only politely friendly in manner habit
uaily, that while the ice might tmcken
for me, it was there always. | knew
enough about women to know that, if
the woman who can thaw only for one
man is the most difficult, she is also
the most constant. Once she thaws
toward mel" l said to myself.
When the young men had gone, |
leaned forward until my head was
close to hers, to her hair-tine, soft, |
abundant, electric hair. Like the in
fatuated fool that l was, tore out ali
the pigeon-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 shiver
visibly passed over that wonderful
white skin of hers.
| drew back and Involuntary said, |
beg pardon" glanced at her mother |
and II was my turn to shudder. can't
hope to give an accurate impression |
of that stony, mercenary, mean face |
There are looks that paint upon the |
human countenance the whole of a
life. as flash of lightning paints upon
the blackness of the night miles on
miles of landscape. The look of Mrs. |
Eliersly'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, said, on impulse.
to Miss Ellersly in low voice, i
shall never try to see you again"
I could feel rather than see the
blood suddenly beating in her skin.
and there was in her voice nervous
ness very like fright as she answered;
s.Im sure mamma and | shall be glad
to see you whenever you come
Your" | persisted.
"Yes," she said, after brief hest
tation.
"Glad?" | persisted.
Che smiIed-the faintest change in