The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-11-23


Without reasoning or thinking about
II. the strain OF the once. which was
essentially due to the daring and au-
dacity OF his ventures. required check
or cessation: and he found. through
the weeks and months, that the cock
tails supplied this very thing. They
constituted a stone wall. He never
drank during the morning. nor In Of
fee hours: but the instant he left the
ONCE he proceeded 10 rear this wall
OF alcoholic inhibition athwart his
consciousness. The ONCE became Inn
mediately a closed affair. II ceased
to exist. In the afternoon. after lunch.
It lived again for one or two hours.
when, leaving II. he rebuilt the wall of
inhibition. or course. there were ex-
ceptions to this; and. such was the rig
or Of his discipline, that II he had
dinner or a conference before him IN
which, In business way. he encoun~
tered enemies or allies and planned or
prosecuted campaigns, he abstained
from drinking. But the instant the
business was settled, his everlasting
call went out for Martini, and for
double Martini at that, in a long glass
so as not to excite comment.
Into Daylight's life came Dede Ma
son. She came rather imperceptihy.
He had accepted her impersonally
along with the Office furnishing, the
Off &c boy, Morrison, the chief, conf
Dental, and only clerk, and all the
rest Of the accessories Of a super
mans gambling place Of business Had
he been asked any time during the first
months she was In his employ, he
would have been unable to tell the
color OF her eyes. From the fact that
she was a demi-blonde, there resid-
ed dimly in his subconsciousness a
conception that she was a brunette.
Likewise he had an idea that she was
not thin, while there was an absence
in his mind of any idea that she was
fat. And how she dressed, he had no
idea at all. He had no trained eye in
such matters, nor was he interested.
He took 1t for granted, in the lack Of
any impression to the contrary, that
she was dressed somehow. He knew
her as Miss Mason" and that was
all, though he was aware that as a
stenographer she was quick and accu-
rate. He watched her leaving one aft
ernoon, and was aware for the first
time that she was well-formed, and
that her manner of dress was salts
flying. He knew none Of the details of
woman's dress, and he saw none of
the details Of her neat shirt waist
and well-cut tailor suit. He saw only
the effect in general. sketchy way.
sence Of anything wrong or out Of the
way
She's trim little good-looker," was
his verdict, when the outer office door
closed on her.
/ The next morning, debating, he con.
cluded that he liked the way she did
her hair, though for the life Of him
he could have given no description CT
1t. The impression was pleasing, that
was all. She sat between him and
the window, and he noted that hel
hair was light brown, with hints OF
golden bronze. A pale sun, shining In
touched the golden bronze into smoul
dering fires that were very pleasing
He discovered that In the intervals
when she had nothing to do, she read
books and magazines, Or worked or
some sort Of feminine fancy work
Passing her desk. once, he picked up 6
volume of Kipling's poems and glanoei
bepuzzled through the pages.
you like reading, Miss Mason?" b,
said, laying the book down.
"Oh, yes" was the answer; "ver,
much"
Another time 1t was a book O
Wells, THE Wheels of Chance"
Whats It all about?" Dayiigh
{, asked.
"Oh, it's just a newell. a love-story.'
/ She stopped, but he still stood wait
ing. and she felt 1t incumbent to 90 or
TITS about little Cockney draper
assistant, who takes q vacation q,
his bicycle, and falls in with a youn,
girl very much above him. Her moth
er Is q popular writer and all that
And the situation La very curious. an
sad, too, and tragic. Would you car
to read itr'
Does he get herr Daylight d.
: manded.
mo; that's the point Of It H
, wasn't"
: "And he doesn't get her, and you'v
read all them pages, hundreds Of then
J to find that out?" Daylight muttered
, amazement
: Miss Mason was nettled as well a
, amused
: "But you read the mining and flna,
| ciaI news by The hour" she r,
: torted.
: "But I sure get something out {
that. It's business, and fits difte
emit I get money out OF 1t. What d
you get out of books7"
points of view. new ideas, life."
Not worth cent cash."
"But LIES worth more than cash
she argued.