The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-11

against Clara and the others than he
intrinsically was. But these moments
when she was obliged to defend him
to herself were always when he was
not with her. Even in the duslxy car
riage she had been as aware OF the
splendor of his attraction as now when
they had stopped between the high
lamps of the club entrance. and she
saw clearly the broad lines OF his
shoulders and the stOOp OF his square
set head as he stepped swingingly to
the pavement. After all. she ought to
be glad TO think that he was
going to stand up as tall and
protectingly between her and the
world. as now he did between
her and the press OF people which.
like a tide OF water. swept them for
ward down the hall. sucked them back
in its eddy, and finally cast them. ruff
fed like birds that have ridden a
storm, on the. more generous space OF
the wide. upward stair.
From here. looking down on the
current sweeping past them. the little
islands of black coats seemed fairly
drowned in the feminine sea around
them-the flow of white of pale blue
and rose. and the high chatter, like
cage of birds. that for the evening
held possession.
Ladies nightr' Harry Cressy mop
ped his flushed face It's awfulr'
of her spirits. She wanted to know,
teasingly, as they mounted. il this
were why he had brought two more TO
add to the lot. He only looked at her,
with his short note OF laughter that
made her keenly conscious of his right
to be proud of her. She was proud OF
herself inasmuch as herself was
shown IN the long trail Of daring blue
her gown made up the stair. and the
powdery blue of the aigrette that shiv-
cred in her bright. soft puffs and curls
proud that her daring. as IL ap-
peared in these things. was stiu dis
eliminating enough 10 make her right
She could recall a time when she had
not even been quite sure OF her
clothes. Not Claras subdued rustic at
her side could make her doubt them
now; but her security was stin recent
enough to be sometimes conscious OF
itself 1t was so short a time since all
these talking groups, that made a per-
sonage of her. had had the power to
put her quite out OF cOuntenance. xhe
women who craned over their shoulders
to speak to her-ho~ hard she had had
to work to make them see her at ALI
And now she did not know which she
felt more like laughing at, herself or
them, for having taken 1t so sert-
ously. For. when one thought Of 1t.
wasn't 1T absurd that people out OF
nowhere should suppose themselves
exclusive? And people out OF nowhere
they were. herself and all the rest OF
them. From causes not far dissimilar
they had drifted or scrambled to where
they now stood. 1t was a question OF
squatter right The first on the
ground were dictators. and how long
they could hold their claim against
invaders a dubious cast Of fate. For
there were for ever fresh invasions
! and departures; swift risings from OBJ
scurity sudden fallings back into
oblivion, brilliant shoOtings through OF
/, strange meteors; and IN the tide OF
. fuctuation the things that were sstab-
lished or traditional upon this coast OF
, chance were mere Islands In the wash
. of ocean. 1t was amazing. It was al
, most frightening. the fluid. unstable
: quality of life; the rapid, inconsequent
changes; yet 1t was also this very quail
ity Of transformation that most stirred
I and delighted her.
And tonight IT was not the picture
l exhibition, nor the function itself that
r elated her. but the fancy she had as
she looked over the moving mass be-
l low her that the browning excitement
= of the day, the vanishing mystery, how
? cred over them all IT was fantastic.
J but IT persisted; for had not the Chat
2 worth ring itself proved that tbs most
4 ordinary appearances might cover IN
r imagined wonders? Which OF those
: bland, satisfied faces might not change
D shockingly at the whisper "Chatworth"
3 in it's ear? She wanted to confide the
/ naughty thought to Harry But no,
: he wasn't the one. II Harry were ap-
prehensive of anything at all It was
only of being caught in too hot a crush.
: He saw no possibilities in the mob be-
low except boredom. He saw no pos
: sibilities in the evening but his con-
ventional duty; and Flora could read
in his eye his intention Of getting
through that as comfortably as pos
j sibIe His suggestion that they have
$ a look at the pictures brought the two
? women's eyes together In a rare CLEAN
4 of mutual mirth. They knew he sus-
pected that the picture gallery would
be the emptiest place IN the club. since
TO have a look at the pictures was what
they were all supposed to be there for
That was so infallibIy the note Of their
: life. Flora thought, as she followed up
?, the wide sweep OF the middle stair.
and along the high ceiled, gilded hall
whose open arches overlooked the
rooms below.
The picture gallery was new, an
: addition; and the plain. narrow. unex-
: pected door in this place. where all
: was high. arched, elaborate and -four
: ished, was like a loophole through
= which TO SIP INTO q foreign A1uOSpHoAo .
: This atmosphere was restnous OF fresh
wood: the light was thick with drift
. ing notes; the carpets harshly new.
!, slipping beneath the feet on the too
polished floor; the bare bones OF the
place yet scarcely covered But its
! quiet was after all comparative. There
were plenty Of people lingering In
: groups in the center Of the gallery.
! which was dusky, eclipsed by the great
! rehectors that circled the room. throw
ing out the pictures IN q bright band
!. of color around the walls. People lean
ing from this border OF light back
into the dusk to murmur together.
vanished and reappeared with such
fascinating abruptness that Flora
caught herself guessing what sort OF
face, where this nearest group stood
just on the edge OF shadow, would
/. pop out Of the dark next
: She was ready for something extra
, ordinary. but now. when 1t came. she
: was taken aback by IT. 1t gave her
>. start. that toss OF black hair, that
. long. irregular, pale face whose scin-
q tillant. sardonic smile was mercilessly
g. uDOn the moor fna6eouate pfcture face