The Bossier banner., 1912-10-17

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for sleep. Often he had called himself
more wakeful than on this night. The
elation Of his triumph. of his success,
had not yet worn itself down to nor
NAL and reasoning satisfaction. and
his chief longing was for the day. and
the day after that. and the next day.
when he would take the place of Greg
son and Thorne. Every muscle in his
body was vibrant in its desire for ac-
ton. He looked at his watch. 1t was
only 10 O'Clock. Since supper he had
smoked almost ceaselessly. Now he
lighted another cigar and stood up
close to one OF the windows.
Family he caught the sound Of q
step on the board walk outside. 1t
was a light. quick step. and for an in
slant it hesitated, just out Of his
vision. Then it approached. and sud
denly the figure of woman stopped in
front of the window How she was
dressed HOwiand could not have told
moment later Al! that he saw was
the face. white in the white night-a
face on which the shimmering star
light fell as it was lifted to his gaze
beautiful. as clear cut as cameo. with
eyes that looked up AT him halt plead
ingly. half luringly. and lips parted
as If about to speak to him. He stared
moveless in his establishment. and in
another breath the face was gone.
''The deuce. but she was prptty-
HOwand said to himself "And those
eyes
Suddenly he checked himself. There
had been more than the eyes. more
than the pretty face Why had the
girl paused in front Of the window?
Why had she looked at him SO intent
" rs though on the point Of speech?
The smile and the flush left his face as
these questions came to him. and he
wondered If he had failed TO cumlIre
hend something which she had meant
him to understand After all. might j.
not have been case of mistaken iden-
| tity? For moment she had believed
| that she recognized him; then. seeing
her mistake had passed swiftly down
| the street
He walked casually to the door. At
| the end of the street. quarter OF a
| mile distant. a red light burned feebly
| over the front Of a Chinese restaurant
and in a mechanical fashion his foot
steps led him in that direction.
| "I'll drop in and have II cup OF tea. =
he assured himself.
He stopped and turned his eyes again
| into the north. He wondered rs ht, still
stood gazing into the iniinity Of that
other world beyond the Saskatchewan
if romance was really Guite dead ir
him Always he had laughed 1T rn
nance Work-the grim reality of ac
ton. Of brain fighting brain. Of clever
ness pitted against other mems clever
point Of regarding romance in life as .
peculiar illusion Of fools-and women
But he was fair in his concessions. ant
tonight he acknowledged that he hat
enjoyed the romance of what he hat
seen and heard And. most of all. hi!
blood had been stirred by the beaufi
full face that had looked at him frou
out of the night.
He passed through the low door o
the restaurant and entered IL larg
| LII k,1 4 - nj,
pregnant with strange odors
. "A pot of tea." ordered Howland.
He slipped his tea leisurely. listenin,
with all the eagerness of the new
sense of freedom which had taken pos
session Of him. The Chnaman ha,
scarcely disappeared when he hear'
footsteps on the stair In another in
stant a low word of surprise aimos
!, leaped from his lips HesitatiEg f.
!, moment in the doorway. her fac
I staring straight into his own. was III
, girl whom he had seen through Il,
> hotel window.
For perhaps no more than five sec
= Onds their eyes met Yet in that tim
there was painted on his memory
; picture that Howland knew he wout
l never forget. His was nature ht
cause Of the ambition imposed on
that bad never taken more than
casual interest in the form and f.;
ture Of women He had looked o
= beautiful faces and had admired the,
in cool. dispassionate way. judgin
them. when he judged at all. as b
might have judged the more materl;
workmanship of his own hands R'
this face that was framed for Il fp
brief moments in the door reached .,
to him and stirred an interest With
him which was as new as IT WI
pleasurable 1t was beautiful fac
He knew that in fraction Of the fir
second
The girl turned from his gaze al
seated herself at a table so that
caught only her profile. The chan'
| delighted him From the flush In II
cheeks his eyes travelled critically
the rich glow of the light in her shi
ing brown hair. which swept half ov
her ears in thick. soft waves. cauG
10 a heavy coil low on her noe
Then for the first time he noticed \
dress. It puzzled him Her fnrh
and muff were Of deep gray lynS II
Around her shoulders was ro'lare!
of the same material fIeT hands We
Immediately gloved. In every Il
ture OF her lovely face. in every poi
Of her dress. she bore the indisputa'
I'd mark of refinement The GnizZi'
A. smile left his, lips. The tiinugl
which at first had filed his mind
If quickly disappeared Who was 81
Why was she here?