The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-06-23
Fiction
RfDffMlNG Tier SEX.
by VENA KENNEDY WILSON

Are you sure, madam, you bOugh,
nothing in the upholstery department,
on Thursday?"
'Yes; am sure"
'Then this receipt for 1920 was CIV
en- you for five dollar depositY'
Eyes; it must have been. l was here
Thursday and paid S. on rug, and
when l got home found the receipt
was for 1920"
"Well, just take chair. and will
look 1t up"
The head of the department went
through pile of papers before him.
A family amused contemptuous glance
IN his eye told the underclerk that he
had branded her story another lie."
In few minutes he turned to her
and said courteously. but coldly:
Strange; our slip says S.. Now,
will give you duplicate receipt.
will keep the receipt you gave me for
the 1920. 1t is of no value to you,"
looking her in the eye.
mo; oh, no! OF course not Thank
you! I-I--knew had paid the S."
After she had left he took his way,
with a smile, to the upholstering de-
partment. When he returned the smile
was almost a sneer.
SWELL" said the underclerk, with a
laugh.
Same old thing" he said YEARLY.
"The receipt was given for goods
bought by her Thursday. She has lost
or mislaid her receipt for the S. and
judging us by herself, was afraid we
would deny receiving it, so Matched up
that lie. BY heavens, I believe a wo-
man would lie her soul away to save
dollarv
The other man chuckled.
''You think it is funny. Well,
don't"
An hour later he turned to his clerk
again:
"Five more women, five more lies-a
good record for an hour"
A woman stood beside him, and as
his eyes scanned her quickly he smiled
involuntarily
She was not shabbily genteel, but
shabbily grotesque. The skinny CAPE
the threadbare waist, the befowered
bonnet and i'll hanging skirt were Of
all colors and materials. They were
alike only in cleanliness.
She raised her sharp brown eyes,
hesitated and smiled little tremu-
lousy, showing gums entirely devoid
Of teeth. Then, Strengthening herself
up. she said SLOWLY.
"I've come to see If you'd take a rug
back"
"What is the matter with the rug?"
"Nothin', only don't want it,"
"How long have you had it? A cou-
pie Of days, suppose" ironically.
mo; I've had it purity near two
month"
but you have not used it, of
course?"
"Well, it's been OH the floor all the
time, but l only set there when 1 have
company, an l don't have company
very Often" this little apologeticai.
~. "It's a purity rug, an like it, but
l want to send it back"
"Why did you buy it If you didn't
want it?' he asked bluntly.
II do want 1t, but-but I've got to
have some money, an l can't get it
unless l can send the rug back"
"How much was it?'
eleven dollars an forty cents" she
answered dejectedly.
"Are you sure there is nothing wrong
with the rug?" he asked in an insin-
uating voice. IF it is crooked or off
color or not as represented I may be
able to do something for you"
mo-" emphatically, but sorrowfully;
'there amt nothin' wrong with the
rug. It's purity an all right, but it
amt hurt any, an I must have the
money. an'-an' I thought you might
take it back"
"Give me your name and address,"
he said, land l will call tomorrow and
look at it. I will tell you then what
can do" His eyes held smile that
was not amusement or contempt, but a
combination of incredulity and Joy
that made the underclerk wonder.
The next afternoon he climbed five
fights of stairs and was ushered into
the room with the rug.
Its Haunting colors, the glazing chro-
mos, the table with the installment
plan album, the few wooden chairs
and the old cane rocker. even the one
little scarlet geranium. were noted in
single glance. But he looked at the
old woman's face long and steadily. 1t
was such a battered old face, as
though time, sorrow and privation had
fought out their desperate battle there
and left each time traces to tell the
tale.
tits purity rug" was what she
said.
"You don't want to give up the rug
Why do you do SOP
She clutched nervously at her apron
and shrank within herself before the
man who seemed to fill the room with
his dominant, forceful personality. He
was so strong, young, we'll groomed,