Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-10-27
CHAPTER TX.
Disappointment


scenes at the Gaiety since his first
call on the singer. Indeed, though be
had told the duchess he pitied Miss
Lane, he had not been able to ap-
preach her very closely, even in his
own thoughts. When she first ap-
peared on his horizon his mind was
full Of the Duchess Of Breakwater, and
the singer had only lowered round his
more profound feelings for another
woman. But Lefty Lane was an at
mosphere in Dams mind which he was
not yet able to understand. There was
so little left that was connected with
his old home, certainly nothing in the
British Isles, excepting Ruggles, and
to the young man everything from
America had Its value. Decidedly the
nice girl of whom he had spoken to
Gordon Galorey, the print-frocked,
bonneted type, the ideal girl that Dan
would like to marry and to spoil, had
not crossed his path. The Duchess Of
Breakwater did not suggest her, nor
did any Of the London beauties. Dams
first ideal was beginning to fade.
He left 0sdene Park on protest and
returned the same night to London,
and all the way back to town tried to
register in his mind, unused to analy-
sis, his experience with the Duchess
Of Breakwater on this last visit.
He had experienced his first. dis
appointment in the sex, and this dis
appointment had been Of an unusual
kind. 1t was not that he had been
turned down or given the mitten, but
he had seen one woman turn another
down. A woman had been mean, so
he put 1t, and the fact that the Ouch
ess of Breakwater had refused to
lend a moral hand to the singer at
the Gaiety hurt Dams feelings. Then,
as soon as his enthusiasm had calmed,
he saw what stupid ass he had been.
A duchess couldn't mix up with a
comic opera singer, Of course. Still,
he unused, she might have been a lit
tie nicer about t."
The education his father had given
him about them was put to the test
now; the girl he had dreamed Of. "the
nice GIRL" well, she would have had
a tenderer way with her in a case
such as this! Back of Dams hurt feel
ings, there was q great deal on the
Duchess Of Breakwater's side. She
had not done for herself yet She
hadn't fetched him nearly up to the
altar for nothing, and back Of his dis
approval, there was a long list Of ad
vibrations and looks, memories o
many tete-a-tetes and Of more ferven
kisses which scored a good deal in tn,
favor of Dams first woman. The Ouch
ess Of Breakwater had gone boldly Of
with Dams unfinished education, an,
he really thought he loved her, an,
that he was in honor bound to see tn
thing through.
That evening, once more in tn
box he had taken all to himself, b
listened to "Mandalay," carried ava
with the charm Of the music and cal
|. ried away by the singer. He was 4
the box nearest the stage and SCENE
, close to her, and he imagined tina
under her paint he could see he
| pallor and how thin she was. Notl
ing, however, In her acting or in he
voice revealed the least fatigue. Blai
had obtained a card Of entrance
| the theater, which permitted him
circulate freely behind the scenes
and although as yet the run Of hi
. visits had not been clear, this nigh
J, he had purpose. Dan stood not ia
from the corridor that led to Lett
Lanes room, and saw her after he
act hurriedly cross the stage, a bi
:. white shawl wrapping her slende
: form closely. She was as thin as
: candle. Her woman Higgins followe
: closely after her, and as they passe
Dan, Lefty Lane called to him gaily
Hello, you! What are you hangin
: around here forf'
! And Dan returned: Don't stan
: here in the draft It is beastly cold
, Yes, Miss" her woman urge,
l"don't stand here"