Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-05-28
CHAPTER xIl.
The Gold BAG.


have always smiled at those cases
OF spontaneous combustion which. like
fuFiug the component parts OF "a seid-
iitz powder. unite two people in bub-
bling ephermoral ecstasy. But sure
surely there SIS possible. with but a
single meeting. am attraction $50 great.
a community off mind and interest so
strong. that between that first meet
ing and the next the bond may grow
Into something stronger This is es-
pocially true. ! fancy. OF people with
temperament. the modern substitute
for imagination. IL is nice Qucs-
ton whether lovers begin Go love
when they are together. or when they
are apart
Not that ? followed any such line
c:-roasonIuE at The time would not
even admit nay folly to myself But
during the restless hours OF that first
night after the accident when my
back ached with lying on 10. and any
other position was torture. found my
thoughts constantly going back TO Ali.
Hon West ] dropped into "a doze. 90
dream of touching her fingers again
90 comfort her. and awoke 60 find Z
had patted "a teaspoonful OF medicine
out o. Mrs Kl0ptous indignant hand.
What was 70 Mcknight had said about
making an egregious ass OF myself?
And that brought me back TO Richey
and fancy ! groaned. There is no
use expauating on the friendship be
tween two men who have gone 20
Gether through college. have quar-
relied and made 10 up. fused together
over politics and debated crecds FOR
years; men don't need 90 be told. and
women cannot understand. Neverthe
less. 4 groaned. IL 30 had been any
one but Rich,
Some things were mine. however,
and I would hold them. The halcyon
breakfast. the queer hat. the pebble IN
her small shoe, the gold bag with the
broken chain-the bag Why, Il was
in my pocket AZ that moment
/ got up painfully and found my
coat Yes. there was the purse. bull
ging with an opulent suggestion OF
wealth inside. / went back 10 bed
again, somewhat dizzy. between effort
and the touch OF the trinket. so lately
hers. held it up by its broken chain
and gloated over Il. BY careful atten-
tion 70 orders. ought 10 be out in a
day or so. Then could return II to
her. really ought 70 do that; II was
valuable. and I wouldn't care 70 trust
u 70 the mail. i could run down 70
Richmond and see her once-the.,e
Eas no disloyalty 20 Rich in that
j had no intention OF opening the
little bag. / put IL under my pillow
which vas my reason for refusing 70
have the linen slips changed, 70 Mrs.
Klopton's dismay. And sometimes dur
Eng the morning. while lay under a
virgin field Of white, ornamented with
strange flowers, my cigarettes hidden
beyond discovery, and Science and
Health on a table by my elbow, as ~
by the merest accident, slip my hand
under my pillow ana touch II rev.
erently.
Mcknight came in about IL heard
his car at the curb. followed almost
Immediately by his slam at the front
door, and his usual clamor on the
stairs. He had a bottle under his
arm, rightly surmising that / had been
forbidden stimulant, and large box
OF cigarettes in his pocket. suspecting
my deprivation.
We'll" he said cheerfully. How
did you sleep after keeping me up half
the night?"
slipped my hand around: the purse
was well covered.
Have IL now. or wait till ] get the
cork out?" he ratified on.
Il don't want anything" I protested.
7 wish you wouldn't be so darned
cheerful. Richey." He stopped whit
Ting to stare at me.
"T am saddest when l sing!" he
quoted unctuously. It's pure reac.
ton, Lollie. Yesterday the sky was
low; was digging for my best friend.
To-dAy-he lies before me. his peevish
self yesterday / thought the notes