Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-06-02
copyrighted by ]. b. Lippincott Coz


The moment / entered my apart
ment on the fourth floor of the AL
gonquin | knew that some one had
been in my rooms, or was still there
hesitated only moment before
lightingIa match. ! have nothing to
fear at such times, since l have no
Jewels and am not at all beautiful.
So lit the gas and as the light
dared into her eyes startled femi-
nine head arose from the cushions of
my couch. admit that my first i'm
preston was distinctly one of annoy
ance. The head belonged to Felicia
Broughton and | knew too well that
when Felicia, came to stay all night
with me 1T meant that was to receive
her confession, losing my best hours
OF sleep as did SO, in order that she,
Felicia, her sin off her conscience and
onto mine, might sleep soundly and
arise the next morning fresh and fair
to gather other scalps for her already
large collection.
1t Is my fate to receive the conf
dences of many people, especially
those OF young girls who have found
that their chums are never to be trust
ed when the condolences concern men
Felicia Is not SO very young. She Is
rather at the between age, which all
men and most women find SO charm
ing. But she. Is old old as heshills-
In the art@'of Irritation Indeed, with
Felicia flirting lis positively a profess
sion. She Is old enough to know bet
ter, too, which makes her. all the more.
dangerous. And then. she lis one OF
those who believe that sin confessed
Is not a sin. 81 .
She had evidently been asleep, for
she blinked at the gas as a cat blinks
at the sun. Indeed, she is not unlike
cat. Her eyes are green-lovely,
shining green. like jewels land her
MAXWELL, of course there are no au-
burn cats, but she reminds one of
cat justine same. have often won-
dered why men never saw this until
they had put up cropping hands to find
that their scalps had been neatly and
painlessiy removed.
I Anyone but Felicia would have
Cooked bloWsy She was merely
'charmingly mussed. with her skin
pink as q baby's from the heat. /
knew that was no more to her than
2 confessional booth, where after con.
Tossing she would have to do no PEN
ance. but ] found myself kissing and
welcoming her just as cordially as If I
I did not know thiB And. as i noted
the pathetic droop to her mouth, I
wondered II for once Felicia herself
were not the sufferer. For this, as for
all my generous impulses toward Fe-
licia, was speedily rewarded and dis
illusioneG.
4 She told me nothing until she had
eaten and we were making ready for
bed. Then, as she braided her hair
into two long and girlish plaits and
rubbed sout imaginary wrinkles, she
began her tale. She was very calm
ct first and ! knew that the weeping
would come later. when not even /, 4
the confessional, could see Redeemed
nose NO But it took her SO long to begin
that once again I thought 1t might be.
her own Heart u
You haven't been beaten, have you,
Felicia 4? asked anxioualy. u
Mercy. no! Whatever made " YOU
think that" she asked In astonish.
ment, her pink fingers suspended in
the air with surprise. her eyes wide
open.
Well. them / answered, snappish-
u, "getIt over with. I'm tired. :.
I'm SO miserable and sort Of fright
ened. she began, reaching for some
more cold cream. 81 Il n
And $50 Is the man, presume.
That is n. isn't 1t !? You have been
obliged through force Of circumstances
md no fault OF your own TO refuse an
other man Who III. he ~ .ss3 ~
Charlie Van Zandt. He s3just
wouldn't take the hint. tried long
lgo to make him see that i never
could care. And he followed me down
q the beach and mad q an awful
Dcene nv. he almost Threatened me.
Men are such Sbrutes. You either, can't
love them or you can z .s ss.s 81
And Ne all know that you can't.
lnelicia Yoii'l cat over the scene.
n vas I'm not worrying
shout y 0l But Charlie Van Zanit is
very young and you are his first ven.
tsiye nd now. tor 4 longer
AZ horier space Of time, depending
IN Just how nnnc of q fool he iii, he'll
make his1 mothe wretched and Il per
felc.t don sey 81 himself because ID
thinks hS has discovered that all wom.,
~ 1Nll 8 are aar less. you had such Il
TIN aSss ednpQ encn Felicia Broush-.
"a Siisli m heart that
xoy he 4 q Il ~ one 81 your;
Sirfsidas Silsirsd fbr YOU could ;flndl
flhS 4 hope. YOU wouldi
~ oId iD flie process. turned "a
p lrosi ne room Tor II mean to
! 3 81 as III she ssit tink room.
sss1ssY u very VIM stopped by
sr ind tlist not seem
III 6i i the
n IN ltat TAsn't