The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-07-22

the audacity to grip my arm and
stand me on my feet, like a bad
child-whieh ] was, l dare say.
DON'T" he said in a husky,
very panied voice. you are only
talking: you don't mean it. 1t
isn't you. You know you care, or
else why are you crying up here?
And don't do it again, don't do it
again-or / will"
you will-what?"
MAKE a fool of myself, as I
have now" he finished grimly.
And then he stalked away and left
me there alone. completely bewil-
dered, to find my way down in the
dark.
l CROPPED along, holding to the
rail, for the staircase to the roof
was steep. and / went slowly.
Halfway down the stairs there
was tiny landing, and l stopped.
l could have sworn / heard Mr..
Harbison's footsteps far below,
growing fainter. / even smiled a
little, there in the dark, although
l had been rather profoundly
shaken. The next instant / knew
l had been wrong; someone was
on the landing with me. l could
hear short, sharp breathing, and
then
l am not sure that l struggled;
in fact, ] don't believe did was
too limp with amazement. The
creature, to have lain in wait for
me like that! And he was brutal
ly strong: he caught me to him
fiercely, and held me there, close,
and he. kissed me-not once or
twice, but half dozen times, long
kisses that filled me with hot
shame for him, for myself, that ]
had-like dhim. The roughness
of his coat bruised my cheek:
loathed him. And then someone
came whistling along the hall be-
low, and he pushed me from him
and stood listening, breathing in
long, gasping breaths.
ran: when my shaky knees
would hold me, l ran. l wanted
to hide my hot face. my disgust,
my disillusion: wanted to put my
head in mothers lap and cry; l
wanted to die, or be i'll, so l need
never see him again. Perversely
enough, did none of those things.
With my face still flaming, with
burning eyes and hands that
shook, / made a belated evening
toilet and went slowly, haughtily,
down the stairs. My hands were
like ice, but / was consumed
with rage. Oh, would show
him-that this was New York, not
Iquique; that the roof was not
his Andean tableland.
Everyone deliberately ignored
my absence from dinner. The
Dallas Browns. Max and Lollie
were at bridge; Jim was alone in
the den, walking the floor and bit
ing at an unlighted cigar; Betty
had returned to Aunt Selma and
was hysterical, they said, and
Flanagan was deep in detection
because had missed my dinner.
Betty is making no end of a
row." Max said, looking up from
his game. because the old lady
upstairs insists on chloroform lini-
ment. Betty says the smell makes
her ILL.,"
"And she can inhale Russian
Anne sal denviously,
"and gasoline fumes, without
turning a hair. l call a revoke,
Dial: you trumped spades on the
second round"
Dial flung over three tricks with
very bad grace, and Anne counted
them with maddening delibera-
ton.
Game and rubber" she said.
Watch, Dial, Max; he will cheat
in the score if he can. Kit, don't
have another clam while / am in
the house. / have eaten SO many
lately my waist rises and falls
with the tide"
"You have stunning color,
Kit" Lollie said. "You are really
quite superb. Who made that
gown"
"Where have you bee. nhiding,
du kleine?" Max whispered, I'M
der cover of showing me the even
ing paper, with photograph of
the house and a cross at the cell
lar window where we had tried to
escape. eff one day in the house
with you, Kit, puts me in this
condition, what will month dor"
From beyond the curtain of a
sort of alcove, lighted with a red
shaded lamp, came hum of con-
versation, Bella's cool, even tones
and heavy masculine voice. They
were laughing; / could feel my
chin go up. He was not even
hiding his shame.
Max" 1 asked, while the 9TH
ers clamored for him and the
game, "has anyone been up
through the house since dinner?"
Any of the men?"
He looked at me curiously.
"Only HARRISON" he replied
promptly. Jim has been eating
his heart out In the den ever
since dinner; Dial played the So
nata Apassionata backward on
the pianola--he wanted to put
through one of Anne's lingerie
waists, on a wager that it would
play tune; l played craps with
Lollie. and Flanagan has been
washing dishes. Why?"
Well. that was conclusive. any