Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-18
CHAPTER XII.
The Gold BAD.


have always smiled at those cases
of spontaneous combustion which, like
fusing the component parts of seid-
litz POWDER, unite two people in bulb
bling ephermeral ecstasy. But sure
surely there is possible, with but
single meeting, an attraction so great,
q community Of mind and interest so
strong, that between that first meet
ing and the next the bond may grow
into something stronger This is es-
pecially true, fancy, of people with
temperament. the modern substitute
for Imagination. 1t is a nice ques-
when they are together. or when they
are apart.
Not that followed any such line
Of reasoning at the time. would not
even admit my folly to myself. But
during the restless hours of that first
night after the accident, when my
back ached with lying on it, I'D any
other position was torture. found my
thoughts constantly going back tosAli-
SON West. dropped into a .doze, to
dream of touching her fingers again
to comfort her, and awoke to find
had patted teaspoonful of medicine
out of Mrs. Klopton's indignant hand.
What was 1t Mcknight had said about
making an egregious ass of myself?
And that brought me back to Richey,
and I fancy l groaned. There is no
use expatiating on the friendship be.
tween two men who have gone to-
relied and made it up. fused together
oyer politics and debated creeds for
years; men don't need to be told, and
women cannot understand. Neverthe-
less, I groaned. II it had been any,
one but Rich!
Some things were mine, however,
and 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. it was
in my pocket at that moment.
/ got up painfully and found my
coat. Yes, there was the purse, bull
g1ng with an opulent suggestion Of
wealth inside. went back to bed
again, somewhat dizzy, between effort
and the touch of the trinket. so lately
hers. held 1t up by its broken chain
and gloated over 1t. BY careful atten-
ton to orders, ought to be out in a
her. l really ought to do that; it was
va1xsble. and wouldn't care to trust
lt to the mail I could run down to
Richmond, and see her once-there
vas no disloyalty to Rich in that. 4
/ had no intention Of opening the
little bag. put It under my pillow
which was my reason for refusing to
have the linen slips changed, to Mrs.
Klopton's dismay. And sometimes dur
ing the morning. while lay under a
virgin field of white, ornamented with
strange flowers. my cigarettes hidden
beyond discovery, and Science and
Health on table by my elbow, as if
BY the merest accident, slip my hand
under my pillow and touch it rev.
erently
Mcknight came in about II. I 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. /.
Well" he said cheerfully. "How
did you sleep after keeping me up half
the night?"
slipped my hand around: the purse
was we'll covered.
"Have 1t now, or wait till get the
cork out? ?" he ratified on.
II don't want anything" protested.
ri wish you. wouldn't be so darned
cheerful, Richey." He stopped whit
Ting to stare at me.
81 am saddest when sing!'" he
quoted unctuously. TITS pure reac-
ton. Lollie. Yesterday the sky was
low; was digging for my best friend
T>-day-he lies before me, his peevish
self. Yesterday thought the notes
we're burned; today look forward
to good cross-country chase, and
with luck we will draw" His voice
changed suddenly. "Yesterday-she
was in Seal Harbor. To-day-she 10
here,
Here in Washington" I asked, AZ
naturally as could.
yes. Going to stay week or two"
"Oh, I had little hen and she had .
wooden leg
And nearly every morning she used
ss ~ to lay an egg"
Twill you stop that racket. Rich!
It's the real thing this time. sup
poser"
'She's the best little chicken that
we have on the farm 81
And another. little drink won't do 40
any harm"
he finished. twisting out the cork
screw. Then he came over and sat
down on the bed.
81 Well" he said judicially, "since
you drag it from me, think perhaps
It is. You--you're such confirmed
woman-hater that hardly knew how
you would take It"
Nothing Of the sort" 4 denied testi-
~. because man reaches the age
Of 80 without making maudlin love to
every
eve taken to long country rides"
he went on relectively. without listen
ing to me. -and yesterday / ran over
: sheep; nearly went into the ditch.
But there's Providence that watches
S>-y- go