The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-07
copyrish, 100 b. the Boo5s- Aerni Co.

Copyright 1906 By the Bobbs Merrill Co.
Long before six she was dressed,
and sitting before the mirror in her
room she laid on the last perfecting
touches with a short stick Of hard
red substance and a circular piece Of
mossy-looking white stuff, which she
rubbed with a rotary motion round
and round her face. Her new dress Of
raspberry pink Grape betrayed the
hand OF an expert In its gracefully
falling folds and the elegance with
which 1T outlined her slim, long-waist-
ed shape. Her artificially-reddened
hair waved back from her forehead in
glossy ripples; her face. all lines and
hollows@rubbed from 1t, looked fresh
and youthful. With the subdued light
falling on her through the silk and
paper lamp shades, she looked a very
pretty woman, the darkness Of her
long. brilliant eyes thrown into higher
relief by the Wilderness Of her pow.
dered face.
She was TREMENDOUSLY nervous. Ev-
cry sound caused her to start and
she could look down the long pas
sageway to the stair-head. Large
lunches OF grocery were massed
here In the angles Of the hall and
stood In the corners Of the sitting
room. Bowls filed with violets and
roses were set on the table and man.
telpiece, and the scent Of these flow
ers. sweet and delicate, mingled with
the crude. powerful perfume that the
woman's draperies exhaled with every
movement. At intervals she ran into
her bedroom. seized the little, round.
soft wad Of white and rubbed 1t over
her face with a quick concentric move
ment, drawing her upper lip down as
she did so, which gave to her counte-
nance with it's anxious eyes an ex-
ceedingly comical expression.
II was nearly seven o'clock when
the bell rang. With a last hasty look
in the glass. she ran down the pas.
sageway to the stair-head. 1t was
necessary to descend a few steps to a
turn on the stairs from whence the
lever that opened the door could be
worked. AS she stood on the small
landing, thrown out in bright relief
by a mass OF dark LEAKAGE that stood
In the angle of the wall, the door
opened and Dominick entered. He
looked up and saw her standing there
gaily dressed, a brilliant, animated
figure, smiling down at him.
"Ah, Berry," he said in a quiet, un.
emotional voice. els that your"
II was certainly not an enthusiastic
greeting. A sensitive woman would
have been shriveled by 1t. but Berry
was not sensitive. She had realized
from the start that she would prob
ably have to combat the lingering sur
Illness left by the quarrel. AS Domi.
nick assembled, her air Of smiling wei.
come was marked by bland CHEEKY
Inconsistencies Of any past unpleas-
antness. She was not, however, as
unconscious as she looked. She noted
his heaviness Of demeanor, the tired
expression OF his lifted face. He came
up the stairs slowly. not yet being
completely recovered, ard 1t added to
the suggestion Of reluctance, Of diff
cult and spiritless approach, that
seemed to encompass him In an I'M
seen yet distinctly-felt aura.
As he rose on a level with her, she
stretched out her hands and, laying
them on his shoulders, drew him
toward her and kissed him. The
coldness Of his cheek, damp with the
foggy night air. chilled the caress
and she drew back from him. not SO
securely confident In her debonair,
smiling assurance. He patted her
lightly on the shoulder by way of
greeting and said:
How are you? All right"
"Oh. I'm all right" she answered
with brisk. determined sprightliness.
You're the one to ask about You
walk stif, still. How are your feet?"
She was glad to turn her eyes away
from his face. It looked very tired,
and the slight smile with which he
had greeted her stayed only on his
lips did not extend to his fatigued
eyes. He was evidently angry still,
angry and unforgiving, and that be
should be 30. when she was so anxious
to forget the ugly episode of the
quarrel and be gay and friendly again
dashed her spirits and made her feel
insure OF herself and upset. She was
determined, however, to show him
that she had forgotten all about 1t
and as he turned the angle Of the
stairway she thrust her hand inside
his arm and walked up beside him
They might have been a happy mar
rtsd couple. reunited after an alb
sence. slowly coming up the stairs
together arm in arm.
A few minutes later they were
seated opposite each other at dinner
The little table glowsd and cleaned
all Berny's bravery Of silver and glass
mustered for its adornment. The
choice and delicate dinner began with
q soup that Dominick especially liked
fact which Berry hoped he would
notice and mention. She was one OF
those women who have an unfailing
memory for what people like to eat
single expression Of preference
would remain In her mind for years
Dominick and she had not lived to.
gether for a month before she knew
everything In the way Of food he liked
or disliked When she was annoyed
with him, or especially bitter against
his mother, she would order nothing
but dishes that he did not care for
and when she was In a more friendly
mood, as tonight, she would take
pains and time to arrange a menu
30 b. 10