The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-03-18

looking down At me oddly. All my
bravado faded away and there was .
queerish ringing in my ears.
Il would like to-" he said tensely.
II would like. this minute-Im fool.
Il ought to be drawn and Quartered.
but when I see you like this IL get
crazy. II you say the word. rll-fH
go down and" He clenched his fist
1t was reprehensible. of course; he
saw that in an instant, for he shut his
teeth over something that sounded
very fierce. and strobe away from me-
to stand looking out over the river.
with his hands thrust in his pockets.
OF course the thing l should have
done was to ignore what he had said
altogether. but he was SO uncomfort-
able. SO chastened. that. feline. femi-
nine. whatever the instinct is. could
not let him go. had been SO
wretched myself
What Is 1t you would like to say"
I called over to him. He did not
speak. Would you tell me that l am
a silly child for pouting?" No reply:
he struck a match. "Or would yo1
preach nice little sermon about
people-about women-loving their
husbands?"
He grunted savagely under his
breath
BE quite honest" l pursued relent-
lessly. Say that we are lot OF
barbarians, say that because my-beA
cause Jimmy treats me outrageously-'
oh. he does; any one can see that
and because I loathe him-and any
one can tell that-why don't you say
you are shocked to the depths?" I
was a little shocked myself by that
time, but couldn't stop. having
started
He came over to me. whitefaced
and towering, and he had the audacity
to grip my arm and stand me on my
feet, like a bad child-which I was, I
dare say
DON'T" he said in a husky, very
panied voice. You are only talking:
You don't mean 1t. 1t isn't you. You
know you care. or else why are you
crying up here? And don't do 1t
again. don't do it again-or will"
You will-what?"
Make a fool Of myself. as have
now" he finished grimly. And then
he stalked away and left me there
alone. completely bewildered. to find
my way down in the dark
CROPPED along. holding to the rail.
for the staircase to the roof was very
steep. and l went slowly. Halfway
down the stairs there was a tiny land
ing. and l stopped. l could have
sworn I heard Mr.. Harbison's foot
steps far below. growing fainter. I
even smiled little. there in the dark.
although l had been rather profoundly
shaken. The next instant knew I
had been wrong; some one was on the
landing with me. I could hear short
sharp breathing. and then
I am not sure that l struggled: in
fact, ! don't believe I did was too
limp with amazement. The creature.
to have lain In wait for me like that!
And he was brutally strong: He
caught me to him fiercely. and held
me there close. and he kissed me-not
once or twice, but half a dozen times.
long kisses that filled me with hot
lOT uIu, III uybcus th1t hs9o
liked him. The roughness Of his
coat bruised my cheek: I loathed him.
And then some one came whistling
along the hall below, and he pushed
me from him and stood listening.
breathing In long, gasping breaths.
ran: When my shaky knees
would hold me, ran. I wanted to
hide my hot face. my disgust. my dis
illusion: | wanted to put my head in
mothers lap and cry; wanted to die.
or be i'll. SO | need never see him again.
Perversely enough, did none Of those
things With my face still flaming.
with burning eyes and hands that
shook, made belated evening toilet
and went slowly, haughtily. down the
stairs. My hands we're like Ice. but l
was consumed with rage. Oh, l
would show him-that this was New
York, not Iquique; that the roof was
not his Andean tableland.
Every one deliberately ignored my
absence from dinner. The Dallas
Browns, Max and Lollie were at
bridge: jim was alone in the den.
walking the floor and biting at an un-
lighted cigar; Betty had returned to
Aunt Selma and was hysterical, they
said, and Flanagan was in deep de-
lection because l had missed my din.
ner.