Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-01-06

ing into the sacred precincts of the Patroons club q foolish girl disguised in mans evening dress.
 That was bad enough. That some body promptly discovered it was worse. but worst of all was the publicity, the clubs name smirched, the young man expelled from one of the best two clubs in the metropolis.
 To read of such things in the col umns of daily paper had meant little to her except to repel her To hear it mentioned among people of her own sort had left her incurious and indif- ferent, but now she saw 1t in a new light, with the young man who had figured in it seated beside her. Did such men as he-such attractive. we'll bred, amusing men as he-do that sort of thing?
 "Is that the kind of man you are Mir. Siward?" she said impulsively.
 Tt appears that I was. I don't know what am or may be-" 1 '"rhe pity of it." she said still sway ed by impulse. why did you do didn't you know-realize what you were doing-bringing discredit on your own club?"
 "I was in no condition to know, Miss 1 Landis.''
 The crude brutality of the express sion might merely have hurt or dis gusted her had she been less intel ligent, nor, as it was, did she fully understand why he chose to use 1t un- less that he meant 1t in self punish ment.
 Its rather shamefulr' she said hotly.
 "Yes." he assented; tits a bad be- ginning"
 "A beginning Do you mean to go on?'
 i He did not reply. His head was 1 partly turned from her. She sat silent for awhile. The dog had returned to lie at Siward's feet. his brown eyes tirelessly watching the man he had ! chosen for his friend, and the man, without turning his eyes. dropped one hand on the dogs head, caressing the 1 silky ears.
 1 Some sentimentalist had once said that no man who cared for animals i could be wholly bad. Inexperience in- clined her to believe 1t. Then. too. she had that inclination for overlooking offenses committed against precept which appears to he one of those edi- flying human traits peculiar to neither sex and common to both. Besides. her knowledge of such matters was as ] vague as her mind was healthy and 1 body wholesome. Men who dined fin. cautiously were not remarkable for their rarity. The actress habit. being incomprehensible to her. meant noth- ing. and she said innocently: Tt is not for such things that we drop men. Mfr. Slward. You know that. of course"
 "For what do you drop men?
 For falsehood. deception, any dis honesty"
 And you don't drop a man when you read in the papers that one sf the best two clubs in town has expelled himE"
 She EsVe him a troubled glance. and, naively. "But you are still a member of the other. are you notT' Then. hard ening. Tt was common. common. thoroughly disgracefuI and incompre- hensibie-' And with every word ut tered Insensihly warming In her heart toward him whom she was chasten- ing: "It was not even had. It was worse than being simply bad. It was stupid"
 He nodded. one hand slowly caress- ing the dogs head where 1t lay across his knees
 She watched him a moment. heSitat- ed. then. smiling g little. So now know the worst about yOu. do nOt:- she concluded.
 He did not answer She waited. the smile still curving her red mOuih- Had she been too severe2 she wondered ~YOu may belp me to my feet" she said sweetly. she was very young
 He rose at once. holding out his hands to aid her in that pSeasantIy tu1- personal manner 90 suited fo him. and now they stood together in ne purple dusk os the upiandS-two people young enough ts take ore anssher seriously
 Thev walked for awhile. suh<ired. sohprlr riekfnw heir path through the fusk- After few nuoT~nts she bczau to fees dsghffsi. q little u1e1sr. pzrtiy