The San Francisco call., 1910-12-25
CHAPTER XIII


street people and the tumult- MISS
Wayne- stopped again presently and
said "Y ou'd better wash this off some
where--it looks bad. and then-hadn't
you better go home?"
She looked at Nella and the girl
laughed feebly. drawing the veil below
her chin. Home? / want drink.
Let's go in skelly's-I feel like was
going to pieces. Do 1 look white
am 70"
Arnold took her arm and turned to
the side entrance of the cafe. When
the three were in the private box
Nella threw back the veil and rubbed
her cheeks with piece of chamois.
do 1 look pale?-am II"
She stared across the little table at
the man who looked back at her.
Now. don't cryG he muttered. For
Gods sake, Nel--don't"
No" she retorted; you're the one
it's hurting so. We killed him. Ham
my"
Not YOU" he answered. Il got him
in this business long ago--yes.
killed him. But you were with him.
Nel--ten me-"
There's not much The girls eyes
went from Arnold to the woman by his
side in apathetlc ques tioning of her con-
fidenee. 4 was in Harry's place tonight
with another girl. and Eddie came in
through the ballroom and saw us in a
box. After Myrtle had gone he came
to me, He looked terrible, and after
While he told me everything. He'd
lost $500 on the Narcissus-and it
wasn't his"
Arnold stirred restlessly, but his eyes
did not leave her face. GO onl' he
muttered.
20, that's just all" the girl cried.
"He didn't blame any one-he Just said
he was a fool. And he wanted to get
away anywhere with meme! /
laughed, of course, and wouldn't, and
tried to cheer him up-and then, when
| left him for minute. he did it,"
Yes" the young man murmured,
and | might have helped him. and
didn't. l might have saved him, and I
didn't"
Yes, you might" The girl turned to
look out above the curtains to the
hurrying street. 30 God, who cares?
We just mashed him-thats all He
was d hiIlu VI a DOy anu tOOllSn over
me, and he thought you were his best
friend. And we just laughed and
smashed him. o God, sometimes 1 want
to quit 1t ALI"
Yes" he retorted, Tets quit"
He stared unseeing at her as she
rubbed at the lace Of her bodice until
her dreary whisper brought him to the
present. See the blood on u.s. she
said; Just like his souli"
Tho man laid n arra on the hlo
and sank his face into the crook of the
elbow. The girl sprang up and ran to
him; with her arm about his neck she
drew his head back.
Now, look here, Hammy, you
mustn't. You've got to brace--you've
got to go down the street and see all
the boys and sort-a Taught Now, here
here" and she held him tight, chok-
ing desperate sob in his dry throat
let's wash the blood off your collar
you've got to face 'em ALL Here" she
dipped her handkerchief IN glass and
rubbed his collar and the lapel of his
coat. while the other woman sat watch
ing them unheeded. When the waiter
brought the whisky the man and girl
drank it swiftly. but she continued to
clean his coat, and then brushed the
hair from his brow, which was covered
with tiny iridescences of sweat.
I'm all right" Arnold said presently.
you must go home. Nell" He turned
to Miss Wayne Wen take her home,
won't we?' And when Nella protested.
he kept repeating mechanically, You
must go home-you must go home-I'll
get cab and take you home
After he had gone out the girl toyed
listlessly with her glass. She seemed
unconscious of the other womans pres
ence for while. and then turned sud
denly to her
Help him. she muttered. You're
a religious woman, amt you? I've seen
you on the avenue Eddie's gone. and
we killed him. Jack Arnold got him to
the track-and I just laughed
He cared for your
The girl rubbed her rouged cheek
restlessly II wouldn't let him. o, you
know so little, You talk so grand, but
what goods that? Here's Hammyr'
She found a bitter pleading. You help
him or your damned religions no good.
Nothings good that doesn't help"
The preacher of the new thought
sat back in silence. The girl listened
to Arnold's footsteps coming back; she
muttered again: who cares? o, God,
who cares?'
He looked at her and muteiy helped
her with her wraps, and then he said.
in a sort of brothers gentleness: II
care, Mel. He loved you, after all, and
1 pulled him down. And yoli-you were
fine-you kept your word"
She followed, comforted strangely,
to get into the cab. Grace Wayne
went with them and watched with a
sense of failure the man begin once
more his soothings: Now, Kid. don't
cry-don't YOU care-Tve understood it
all, and you've been fine. Now. don't
you cryi'
But on these words. as he was help
ing her from the cab. she did cry. so
that Miss Wayne saw him supporting
her to the elevator, and heard her sobs
and his entreaties.
The woman sat quietly until he re-
turned and got IN the vehicle. II didn't
want to say anything" she began;
shed better be alone and cry it out
She won't kill herself?-it isn't that
bad is it?"
He was the only decent fellow she
ever knew in her life-thats ALL
"She cared" retorted the woman,
"and you killed him. Where are you
going? The girl said you were asfriend
of the family. You ought to see them
If you can say anything to his mother
--anything-''
Yes" She saw his face as the rays
from corner light fell within the
cab; it was breaking with agony
His mother-and Stellar
You must go. and tonight. You
can't explain. but you can do some-
fhinp-vols can inst saw she t,rn1xa