The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-20

hand for the cane. You're running
it"
She whipped the cane to the other
side, out OF his reach.
Am II" she said, turning an eye Of
fiery menace on him. Maybe I am.
and what's that natter" Then, turn
ing back to the bed. TOO bad. isn't It.
and the set not paid for yet"
mot paid fort" he exclaimed, SO
amazed by the statement that he for
got everything else. Why. I've given
you the money for 1t twice!"
Three times" she amended coolly,
"and l spent 1t on things I liked bet
ter. I bought clothes, and jewelry
with 1t, and little fxings I wanted.
Yes, the bedroom set isn't all paid
for yet and we've had IL nearly two
years. Who would have thought that
the son Of Con Ryan couldn't pay his
billsi'
She rose, threw the cane into the
corner. and, turning toward him,
leaned back, half-sitting on the foot
board, her hands, palm downward.
pressed on It's rounded top.
Dominick and she had had many
quarrels. ignoninious and repuisive.
but he had never before seen her In
90 savage q mood. Even yet he had
not lost the feeling Of responsibility
and remorDe he felt toward her. Az
he moved from the mantelpiece his
eye had fallen on the ball-dress that
lay. q sweep Of lace and silver, across
the bed, and on the bureau be had
seen Jewels and hair ornaments laid
out among the powder boxes and
scent bottles. The pathos Of these
futile preparations appealed to him
and he made an effort to be patient
and Just.
"It's been q disappointment" he
said, "and I'm sorry about It. But
I've done all I could and there's no
use doing any more. You've got to
give It up. There's no use trying to
make my mother give In. She won't.
Wont sher she cried, her voice
suddenly loud and shaken with rage
We'll seel Well see! Well see II
I've married into the Ryan family foI
nothing"
Her wrath at last loosened, her CON
| troll was instantly swept away. In q
moment she was that appalling sight
a violent and vulgar woman in a rag
| ing passion. She ran around the bed
! and, selling the dress, threw It on the
floor and stamped on It. grinding the
delicate fabric into the carpet with
| her heels.
"There!" she cried That's what
I feel about 1t. That's the way III
treat the things and the people don't
| like, That dress-it isn't paid for
but I don't want 1t. I'll get another
when 1 do. Have I married Con Ry
ans son to need money and bother
about bills? Not on your life! Did
you notice the gas? Every burner
turned on. Well, did 1t just to have
nice bright house for you when you
came home without the invitation. We
haven't paid the bill for two months
but what does that matter? We're re
lated to the Ryans. We don't have tc
trouble about bills"
| He saw that she was beyond argu
| ing with and turned to leave the
room. She sprang after him and
caught him by the arm, pouring out
only too coherent streams Of rage and
abuse. 1t was the old story Of the
wrongs" she had suffered at his
hands, and his ruin" of her Tonight
it had no power to move him and he
shook her off and left the room. She
ran to the door behind him and lean
ing out, cried Ii after him.
He literally fed from her, down the
hallway, with the open doorway
sending their lurid light and kissing
noise across his passage. AS he
reached the dining-room he heard hel
bang the door and with aggressive
noise turn the key in the lock and
shoot the bolt. Even at that moment
the lack Of necessity for such a pre-
caution caused bitter smile to move
his lips.
He entered the dining-room and sal
down by the table, his head on his
hands. He sat thus for some hours
trying to think what he should do
He found it impossible to come to any
definite conclusion for the future; al
he could decide upon now was the ne
cessity Of leaving his wife, getting 6
respite from her, Withdrawing himself
from the sight Of her. He had never
loved her, but tonight the pity ant
responsibility he had felt seemed t.