The San Francisco call., 1910-11-13

and but a smiling tolerance for either
the self-conscious bohemianism of san
Francisco or its exclusive circles, So
ciety which hung open mouthed on the
club witticisms of one liquor dealer,
and whose season was opened an
nually with the ball given by another,
an occasion which contributed much to
the advertisement OF his wares.
Therefore she resented John Arnoid's
arrogation of an essential barrier to
their friendship. She cared nothing
about his family or personal vicissi-
tudes; she understood that he was
doing politics" in some way or
other. for a municipal administration
notoriously corrupt that he was
hand in glove with an element
evilly dominant; but she also under
stood that these were the ways of men
in affairs. Her father held his power
by dealing with or utilizing these same
gocial forces. and she had not touched
life poignantly enough TO shrink from
assembling these aspects of it. Watt
had told her once that Jack lived ia 2
queer joint near Chinatown; that he
helped carry his district for the race
track crowd. and could probably get
Something good" at the city hall If he
went after it,
Beyond that. she had heard little Of
him except in connection with some Of
of ballot box corruption, which were
too common in the city to be consid-
cred and once. driving in Grant avenue,
she saw him standing. with hts collar
turned up, gazing in the window Of
cheap restaurant-the day after Watts
geldiag won the ten thousand dollar
California stakes at Emeryville.
Miss Chatom frightened the small par
eel under her arm. A glance at the
carriage showed that her cousin Chris
sic was getting impatient. She turned
on Arnold with a defiant pleasantly
concealing her reproach.
Il don't suppose it's any use to re-
peat nay invitation for you to call, Jack.
is it?"
He smiled with regretful conviction.
Il have been indecent about II all.
But you'd be surprised If / told you
might wish to-and to wipe out lot
that's past
nights Come"
It'll be different" he said; and then,
with sudden doggedness, Edith, I'm
going to be married"
She drew back in quick surprise.
'T am. To a girl I met up in the
country She has some money; and
she's shopping now in here. he
glanced about and pointed quietly up
the store corridor past a crush of
at the glove counter"
Miss Chat toms cool eyes found the
objective. Arnold turned from his
bride TO watch the woman of wealth.
Sylvia was much better looking, still
there was the ineffaceable thing about
Edith that the town man values highly
"a superb completeness, a round sali-
ance of character: whatever she might
have lacked for her life's expression,
breeding and the world had artfully
supplied.
Edith turned to him with sugges-
tion of a smile.
why. Jack-and money? Is that it?"
I shouldn't wonder, bitter defense
was behind his smile. = m past most
anything else. don't you imagine?'
And you love her?"
NO" he said slowly, and repeated,
no"
She drew from his cool smile. After
a while. thinking of it, fixing him with
her clear eyes. Miss Chatom said: You
won't-you're not that sort
I'm the lone wolf, and I hunt" he
murmured. With Edith Chatom, with
any one who had the receptiveness Of a
culture that he had known. he dropped
the slang that was his careless habit
with his familiars. Maybe the figure
is a tri1e forced, but that's tim the
lone wolf who doesn't even train with
his pack"
But you won't do this-you can't
You had ambitions once-ideals. You
could have raised yourself to anything.
despite all. You could have been all
that I might have wished for you. And
that's a deal. Jack, I never forgot you
I tried 10 help. even when you were In
solent TO me-"
He smiled grimly. again his sufficient
self. past the need of excuse, recalling
that the height from which she re-
proved him, the leisured culture that
had made her, was based on her fathers
wealth, which had prostituted the ideals
Of a state. cohabited with every un-
speakable essential Of success, and
stopped at no law of God or man-that
had, in his own most obscure corner,
corrupted him and made him what he
was before her. But his smile turned
TO an impersonal hUmoring Of a sud-
den whim.
ct all happened once upon a time
he said; she was a simple maid of
Already. and he came riding through
the wood She was fair and he loitered
by the way. He loved her because she
was fair. and she turned out to be the
rich princess who was under a spell in
Already until he came. It's a dandy
little story-Tve thought of it a deal
The bright faced girl in the velvet
gown Of the country was coming to-
ward them, OnQef nef arm al enormous
package.
Miss Chatom snapped shut her gold
woven bag.
Jack if you're worth her. You won't
marry her-you won't If you don't
love her. she'll never help you rise, and
If you go down, she'll go with you.
Don't DO it-dont"'
Jack Arnold went forward 20 relieve
his bride of the bundle. to explain that
IT would be sent by carrier. lie smiled
gravely at her pretty vivacity as she
related her adventures in the big store.
Miss Cha tom regarded them an instant
from the doors and went 20 the carriage
by the curb. Some desperate regret was
at her heart; it was though the pre-
lude of a tragedy had been shown
forth; one waited for the curtain TO
rise and yet knew forebodingly what
the cnmateric would bring. She
stepped up beside her cousin.
Wasn't that Jack Arnold you were
talking to inside?" queried Chrissie
carelessly. "Some one told me he was
living in Chinatown and was going to
be arrested for something or other
1T was Jack. But all that isn't so
Chrissie.7
Captain Carlin told me once that he
was a splendid soldier in the cavalry
cool and silent and obedient-and he
was a private in the toughest troop il
the service. He did something fine il