Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1911-06-30

"ouAu LACOA vi IdAA uCdIus
Vandiver paused involuntarily. He
gazed at the girl in establishment. A
whimsical smile twisted his lips.
And If it did," he questioned curl
ously.
Phoebe DriscolI flushed painfully.
The strangers cynicism startled her
into sudden self-consciousness. The
hardness Of hts eyes, the lines of un-
concealed bitterness about the mouth
the mans whole air of reckless des-
peration gave her an unpleasant shock.
But the excitement and confusion Incl
dent to the fire swept aside all minor
considerations. The building was
likely to totter and crumble any sec
ond. and the shouts of the firemen min
Cling with women's terrified utter
ances and the deeper and more calm
to the tragic scene.
Vandiver made no second attempt to
plunge into the burning house. AS a
matter of fact, word had just been
passed that Barton's child was safe,
and there was no need of it. But he
stood quite still where he was, at a
safe distance from the conf1agration.
and to his surprise experienced a GER
tain, subtle emotion at the conscious
ness of the small brown hand still rest.
ing on his coat sleeve.
All at once Phoebe came to herself.
With a little gesture Of embarrassment
she withdrew her fingers from their
resting place and turned away. She
was ~bare-headed and the high wind
had tossed her loosely-done hair into a
cataract of gold over her shoulders.
Her eyes, wide and blue and ingenu-
GUS, bore a distinctly frightened look
as she hurried through the crowds to
her own gate. AS she laid her hand
on the latch, 1t came in sudden con-
tact with another hand bigger and
stronger and warmer than her own.
May open it for you? Since you
were so good as to save my worthless
life awhile ago you might at least per-
NIT me to perform the trifing serv-
fee"
Pnoebe gulped. "You-you are very
kind" she faltared. thank you."
He turned off down the street, and with
a careless glance toward the RAPIDLY
diminishing crowds and the smoking
l OF the house, suddenly drew his
black brows together in deep thought.
He wondered what the girls name was.
where she had come from, and
what she might be like under more
conventional conditions, why she had
betrayed so much concern over his
recent danger.
And when at midnight, he fitted the
key in the latch of his door. he had
fully made up his mind to have the
answer.
W days later, apparently by acct
dent, but entirely by design or strategy
robert Vandiver secured a formal in.
PRODUCTION to Miss Phoebe Driscou
OutWardly restrained, in some faint.
Intangible way, she seemed to re-
spond instantly to the eager. underly-
ing element of personal interest Van
diver was at no pains to hide. And
at the earliest opportunity, he man.
aged to draw her away from the rest
OF the party so hat he might talk
to her alone.
Would o mind telling me, Miss
Driscoh,' he began, ~curiously, "wbv it
was you wanted to keep me ont ne
mat burning house the other
night?"
drew a silk scarf closer
about her shoulders, knotted it. smiled
and looked up.
You are a human being" she said
al experienced d sensation of
inward collapse. But he caught him.
self together sharply. After all. what
had he expected her to say?
You didn't care about witnessing a
cremation, Ell" he laughed ayk.
wardly.
Certainly not"
Il was feeling pretty down and ont
that night. To tell you the truth 7
didn't care a hang whether | ever
came out alive or not"
The girl shuddered. Isn't II inst .
bit wicked to talk hat way? Won
were--in trouble?"
The worst sort. I'm what vop,d
call a failure. I've squandered every
decent opportunity of my life. I've
been everywhere, had everything
known all sorts of people. I've been
In love- The last words came with a
little ~half-sneer. He led the girl to
a seat under n of the willows and
drew her down beside him. "Mav
tell you the story sometime?" he ask
ed her eagerly.
Amy time" she replied.
i don't want to. make a nuisance of
myself. But If you knew how I've
longed to have somebody to talk to-!
After all, knowing a person is more
a matter of temperament than time
n somehow I feel as though I'd