The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-04-14
CHAPTER x. (continued.) }

A1tNNg - hAthAllAt1 ~ 'hA VI a AN"t
Max said, looking up from his game,
because the old lady upstairs insists
on chloroform liniment. Betty says
the smell makes her ill.,"
"And she can inhale Russian ciga-
rettes," Anne said envious1y, "and
gasolene fumes, without turning a
hair. call a revoke, Dal: You
trumped spades on the second round"
Dal flung over three tricks with
very bad grace, and Anne counted
them with maddening deliberation
Game and rubber" she said.
watch Dal, Max; he will cheat in
the score if he can. Kit, don't have
another clam while am in this house.
/ have eaten so many lately my waist
rises and falls with the tide"
you have a stunning color Kit, .
Lollie said. "You are really quite su-
perb. Who made that gown?"
Where have you been hiding, du
kleine?" Max whispered, under cover
of showing me the evening paper, with
a photograph of the house and a cross
at the cellar window where we had
tried to escape. 'If one day in the
house with you, Kit, put me In this
condition, what will a month do?"
From beyond the curtain of a sort
Of alcove, lighted with a red-shaded
lamp, came a hum of conversation,
Bella's cool, even tones and a heavy
masculine voice. They were laugh
ing; l could feel my chin go up. He
was not even hiding his shame.
Max" l asked, while the others
clamored for him and the game, "has
any one been up through the house
since dinner? Any of the men?"
He looked at me curiously.
"Only HARRISON" he replied prompt
ly. Jim has been eating his heart
out in the den ever since dinner; Dal
played the Sonata Apassionata" back
ward on the pianola-he wanted to
put through one of Annes lingerie
waists, on wager that it would play
a tune; played craps with Lollie, and
Flanagan has been washing dishes.
Why?"
Well, that was conclusive, anyhow.
I had had a faint hope that It might
have been a joke, although it had
borne all the evidences Of sincerity,
certainly. But it was past doubling
now; he had lain in wait for me at
thealanding, and had kissed me, me,
when he thought l was Jimmy's wife
Oh, l must have been very light, very
contemplate, if that was what he
thought of me!
I went into the library and got a
book but it was impossible to read,
with Jimmy lying on the couch CIV
ing vent to something between sigh
and a groan every few minutes. About
IL the cards stopped, and Bella said
she would read palms. She began
with Mr. HARRISON, because she de-
clared he had a wonderful hand, full
of possibilities: She said he should
have been a great inventor or a play
wright, and that his attitude to wom-
en- was one Of homage, respect, almost
reverence. He had the courage to
look at me, and If glance could have
killed he would have withered away.
When Jimmy proffered his hand,
she looked at 1t icily! OF course, she
could not refuse, with Mr.. HARRISON
looking on.
Rather negative" she said coldly.
"The lines are obscured by cushions
of flesh; no heart line at all, mentali-
ty small, self-indulgence and irrita-
bility very marked"
Jim held his palm up to the light
and stared at it.
"Gad!" he said Hardly safe for |
me to go around without gloves, is
it?"
It was all well enough for Jim to
laugh, but he was horribly hurt. He
stood around for a few minutes, talk
ing to Anne, but as soon as he could !
he slid away and went to bed He |
looked very badly the next morning,
as though he had not slept, and his
clothes quite hung on him. He was
actually thinner. But that is ahead /
Of the story,
Max came to me while the others
were sitting around drinking night
caps and asked me in low tone If he
could see me in the den: He wanted
to ask me something. Dal overheard.
ASK her here" he said, I'VE all
know what It is, Max. Go ahead and
wen coach you"
''Will you coach me?"fI asked, for
Mr. Harbison was listening !