Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-25
The Fighting
Chance. s ss 4; {; ::
copyrgh. by tho Publishing
Copyright, 1905, by tho Curtis Publishing Company.
Copyright, 1908. by Robert w. Chambers

rctte Besides. you didn't expect to
meet me up hcre?"
The trailing accent made 1t near
F., enough question for him to say, Eyes.
| did"
"How could your
| al saw YOU leave the room"
"Ynu were sketching for Marion
Page. DO you wish me to believe that
you noticed me and
And followed you? Yes, l did fol
low you"
She looked at him. then past him to-
ward corner Of the wide hall where
a maid In cap and apron sat pretend
ing to be sewing. Careful she mo-
toned with smiling lips. Servants
gossip. Good night again"
couldn't we have moment
mo"
Zone minute
Flush! must open my door'-lin-
gering, ~ might come out again If
yor have anything particularly i'm
portant to communicate to me"
81 have. There's n big bay window
i nj the end OF the other corridor. Will
you Gomez"
But she opened the door, with light
laugh. saying Good night" again.
and closed 1t noiselessly behind her.
| He walked on, turning into his cor
ridor but kept straight ahead, passing
his own door. on to the window Mt the
end Of the hall, then north along a
wide passa geway which terminated In
a bay window overlooking the roof or
the indoor swimming tank
It appeared that he had cigarettes
enough, for he lighted one presently
and leaving his chair. curled up In the
cushioned and pillowed window seat,
gathering his knees together under his
arm.
The cigarette he had lighted went
out. He had bitten into 1t and twisted
1t so roughly that 1t presently crum-
bled. and he threw the rags OF 1t into
a metal bowl. locking his jaws in 81
lence, for the night threatened to be
bad one for him. A heavy fragrance
from his neighbor's wineglass at din
ner had stirred up what had for time
lain dormant, and by accident some
thlng-some sweetmeat he had tasted
was saturated in brandy.
Now his restlessness at the pros
pect of a blank night had quickened to
uneasiIless with a hint Of fever tinting
his skin, but as yet the dull ache IN his
body was scarcely more than pre-
monitt0n.
He had his own devices for tiding
him over such periods-reading. tobac
co and the long, blind logged tramps
he took in town, but here tonight IL
the rain one stood every chance OF
walking off the cliffs, and he was sick
of reading himself sightless over the
sort Of books sent wholesale to Shot
over and he was already too Ill al
ease physically to make smoking en-
durable.
After awhile he began to walk mo
notonously to and fro the length of the
corridor, like man timing his steps
to the heavy ache Of body or mind
Once he went as far as his own door
entered and, stepping to the wash basin
let the icy water run over hands ant
wrists. This sometimes helped t.
stimulate and soothe him. 1t did nov
for awhile-long enough to change thu
current Of his thoughts to the girl III
had hoped might have the imprudenc'
to return for tryst, innocent enough
. In itself, yet unconventional and un
reasonable enough to prove attractive
to them both.
Probably she wouldn't come. Sh'
had kept her fluffy skirts clear OF hin
since cup day. which simply corrobo
rated his vague estimate Of her. Hat
she done the contrary his estimate
> would have been the same, for uncon
scicusly, but naturally. he had pre-
judged her girl who could captur
Quarter at full noontide and in tn
face Of all Manhattan was girl equip
ned for anything she dared, though sh
was probably too clever to dare to-
. much: a girl to be interested In, t
amuse and be amused by; girl to b.
reckoned with. His restlessness ant
his fever subdued by the icy water, b.
stood drying his hands, thinking cool
" how close he had come to BENZ
seriously in love with this young CIR
: whose attitude was always curiou
temptation, whose smile was charm
ing provocation. whose youth ant
beauty were to him perpetual chal
lenge. He admitted to himself calml.
that he had never seen woman IL
cared as much for; that for the brie
moment Of his declaration he ha'
known an utterly new emotion, which
inevitably must have become the low
: he had SO quietly declared it to be
He had never before felt as he fel