The Comrade. (Winnfield, La.) 1890-1914, 1910-12-02

IN: and the way he had considered IT,
q little humorously, down his long
nose made her doubt the interest ol
cities to be reckoned in round num-
bers. >,
ITS all extraordinary he said.
you're quite as extraordinary in your
way as we in ours .,
ooh" she wondered, still vexed with
his inventory, Il had always supposed
rs awfully commonplace. What IS our
way, please?" :.
"Ah" he said, measuring his long
step to hers as they sauntereo ~
tie. "for one thing, you're SO awtully
good to fellow. In London'-and ne
nodded back. as if London were mere
" across the room-"they're awtully
good to the somebodies. It's the way
Won take in the nobodies over mere
that is so astonishing-the stray
leaves that blow in with your trade,
and can't show any credentials but
letter or two, and their faces; ana
those"-his diablerie danced out again
sometimes such deucedly damaged
Ones"
It was almost indecent, this parade
of his nonentity! She wanted to say:
ooh, hush! Those are the things one
only enjoys talks about But
instead. somewhere up at the top OF
her voice, she said: "Oh, we always
lock up our silver!'
"But even them" he quizzed her, i
wonder how you dare to do it?''
perhaps we have to, because we
ourselves are all" ("without any
credentials but those you mentlon,")
she had been about to say-but there
she caught herself on the very edge OF
giving herself and all the rest OF them
away to him; all so awfully bored"
she mischievously ended with the
: daintiest, faintest possible yawn be-
hind her spread fan.
He looked as if she had taken him
by surprise; then laughed out. ION,
, that is the way they don't do here" ne
, provoked her. "You mustn't, when
! I'm not expecting it."
$ "Then what are you expecting" she
+ inquired little coolly.
a "Well," he deliberated, mot expect
s ing you to get me ready for sweet,
It and then pop in pickle; and present
S " expecting, hoping, anxiously ant1cl
r, pating, what you really care to say.
7, He was expecting, she looked mali
e ciously, more than he was likely te
e get: but the fact that he did see
a through her to that extent was al
If once delightful and charming. She
e. swayed back into the shadow beyond
Id the dazzling line of light. She wanted
m to escape his scrutiny, to be able tt
It. look him over from safe vantage
n ground. But he wouldn't have it. Al
er instant he stood under the torrent Q
es white radiance challenging her to se
Ne what she could-then followed her In
Id to her retreat. "Shall we sit here?' h
ps said, and she found herself hopelessl
Nv cut off and isolated with the enemy
She couldn't withhold little grudl
en- ing pleasure in the sharpness wit
as which he had turned her maneuve
he and the way it had detached thel
in from the surrounding crowd. Fl
in there, in the dusky center of the room
rk it was as if they watched from sal
ch covert the rest of their party expose
}ut in the glare of light; though not,
ad Flora presently noted, quite escapi1
ut; observation themselves. For an i
| slant Harry turned and peered towal
led them with a look in his intentne
that struck Flora as something new
him and made her. wonder if he cou
be jealous. She turned tentatively
n. see if Kerr had noticed it, and 81
prised his glance in quick tran
II ton back to hers. i; a@
Il "By your leave" he said, and to
away her fan, which in his hand pr,
II entity assumed such rhythmic mott
that it ceased to be any more prese
! to her than delicate current Of
Ill upon her face.
III He was not, she felt sure, in sp
al Of his light manipulation of her f
a person who cared to please WON
but one Of that devastating sort v
care above everything to please the
selves, and who are skilful with
practice; too skilful, she feared,
her defenses to hold out against
he intended to find out what she n
~ ly thought. Aren't we supposed
y be looking at the pictures?" she VIZ
ed to know.
~ He turned his back on the wall
NJ its attendant glare. Why picture
~ he inquired, when there are live ]
pie to look at? Pictures for places VIII
they're all half dead. But here, WI
even the damnable dust in the stl
is alive, why should they paint,
write, or sculpt, or do anything
llive?" His irascible broWs shot
query at her.
\ Again the proposition Of life-W
Y ever that Was-Was held up be
MI her, and as ever she faltered in
/.