The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-05

tently and shook her head. The hard lines in her
face became more rigid.
Cowles reached for his glass She stopped him
NO she said, Tets all start even. want to
know your friends troubles"
"Never mind about mine" said Roberts looking
away from them both He was almost, but not quite,
surly. Cowles shook his head at her surrepttiousy
Don't be afraid" she muTmured. 81 won't make
any breaks. And he needs help more than you do"
She turned to Roberts again. Married." she asked
him.
How did you know that?" he asked his face stil
turned away.
"Oh, knew" she said There's things about you
that-oh we'll know. And III tell you some more
about yourself This is the first time you've been
out on the town since. Fellows who look white
and clean you do don't housing around joints
like this-and keep looking clean and white. Now
don't want you think I'm buttin-sky, but really
I wish you'd tell me about it." She glanced over her
shoulder Il know it isn't the place the crowd to
talk about anything like this But honest, l wish
you'd tell mel" There was a compelling ring of
nearly mothering kindness in her voice. Roberts
bowed his chin almost sulleny on his chest.
"Weu?" he said
you've been having trouble at home?"
Roberts nodded
Tell me! What about?" She leaned across the
table toward him, speaking very softly with misty
eyes. Roberts did not raise his head.
Christmas presents" he said.
She threw back her head and laughed, just three
of four pearly notes and then became grave again
sincerely grave.
Now, see here?' Roberts blurted out looking
straight into the woman's plying eyes. Il am going
to tell you about it. I know It isn't decent. But
haven't told anybody and know I'm right-anyway,
more right than she island you've been up against
things lot-and I want to tell you about it."
That's right" size whispered as gently as though
she had been petting a curly head at her knee.
We'll" he rected in a monotone, "she asked me
to meet her at Tihany's today and did. And she
picked out a ring and I told her I couldn't come
within five hundred dollars of paying for it unless
unless broke my promise to increase my brothers
college allowance And she hurt and then she
was angry and she said things You don't know
but there was q mana rich man--an old man
over in Brooklyn and-when she first met me she
had almost made up her mind to marry him. Any
way-she said things and I said things and both OF
us were nasty-and bitter. This all going up
town in a cab. And when we got to the door she
said she wasn't going to get ou-that she was going
back to her own people in Brooklyn-and l said
didn't care. And I DON'T" His voice broke, even
on the defiant note. But it hurts and don't
you think 1 right?"
Cowles was staring at him somewhere between
amazement and amusement.
"And is that all?" he began that
enough! Let me tell you two something. Now this
isn't to print" She looked at Cowles. He nodded
that simple nod of the genuine American reporter
which is worth all the gold bonds of Wall Street
1T never got out why left the Casino. But it was
because I was married on the sneak She looked
up and saw the waiter standing near. She pluckeH
a pencil from Cowle's wastcoat, tore the margin
from newspaper sticking out of his pocket and
wrote it.
Married to him." she said. showing the slip to
Roberts and Cowles in turn. COwes whistled in
establishment. Roberts stared at the paper with
dimmed eyes; they cleared and he looked up quickly
1T didn't get out" she explained, because really
cared I didn't want any press agent fooishness
about hin Besides was going to quit the business
anyway I did, all right, all right" She laughed
sourly and went on. He just out of college,
and was a lot younger than am now and different
i was sort of different from anybody around the
Casino, guess" Her voice caught but she tossed
her head and continued: "And that made him like
me- And l liked him and we were married and went
away. But soon as he came to know me better
he found Cwhat I'd known all aOng) wasn't up to
his family standard. He knew he would have to
tell them about our being married, and that when
the time came and they looked me over l wouldn t
exactly stack up with his people - manners you
know, and when to do things and how to do them
and the sort of people liked. And he tried to tell
me. And 1 got mad-and we came back on different
boats And If I'd told him how much wanted TO
learn to be the way he wanted me-if he'd told me
that he wanted me to try-why then-why then il
would have been just of those funny little mar
ried tifs. But I was mad. I said didn't care. Not
even when they came and took my baby didn't
care I've never cared"
She spoke straight into ROberts's eyes.
If 1 were you" she said Il don't care how mear
you think she was or how right you think you were
I'd go find her and tell her that she was right ane
you were wrong and that you sorry. And if
was her I'd do the same thing But it's easer'to say
than to do know But can't yOu?
No" he said. you don't know the things she
said If shed send word that she was sorry---
Poor boy" said the woman. Poor boy and poor
girl You are up against it. bad"
There was silence. It became embarrassingly
long. CoWles broke it.
Its your turn, Miss Cargill," he said.
She shook her head, and brushed at her eyes.
Honest" she said q don't think mine IS worth
telling. It isn't anything either of you would under
stand Mines just sentiment and darn fOolishness.
Let's take this drink"
Cowles reached out to protect the glass.