The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-05-03
CHAPTER vi.

Nhen l called her up three days
later she seemed to have forgotten
that any such incident had ever hap
pened. She passed the usual pleas
antries Of the day over the wire,
laughed as softly and unsteady as
ever, and ended by telling me that I
might call that evening. When I did
SO she received me with neither more
nor less than her customary friendli-
ness. I was mystified AS to what
was going on In the wonderland that
lay behind her eyes l had no concep-
ton further than the evident fact that
she had not been seriously offended.
And that was solace enough for the
present. OF course l would renew the
assault-at.arms when the opportunity
seemed propitious, but for the time
being would resort to steady siege.
l renewed my deyotions.
AS had been the case before, / again
haunted her. Necessarily this soJn
became bruited around the circle of
our aeqnaintances, and occasionally,
echoes Of the gossip reached my ears.
Bruce spoke Of 1t once or twice quiz
ideally, but as I ignored his remarks
ne soon quit bothering me with them.
Clare, as usual, had her little say.
II hear that you and Mrs. Dace are
exceedingly good friends these days,
and that you are with her nearly
everywhere" she began sweetly. II
wish you would tell me about IT,"
Now as matter Of fact ] was secret.
ly proud to be recognized as the &C.
cepted sutton of so beautiful q WON.
an, and Glare was an entirely differ
ent proposition from Bruce to conflde
In. So l admitted nonchalantly that
we were on excellent terms. She
frowned little.
well, I suppose, Of course, that It
Is all right, and anyway it is none
Of my business. But she is such a
mysterious woman. She lives like a
duchess and everybody says her hus-
band left her scarcely anything. When
that little is gone what will she do
unless she marries a rich man! And
how on earth could you get money
enough to support a woman of her
tastes as she would demand to be sup
ported? You just answer me that,
Tom Halliday"
Now l had rather expected some.
thing like this from Clare, but never
theless the question annoyed me
somewhat. It was the identical one
that had been making my sane mo.
ments a bugaboo for many nights and
days past; still I hated to be remind
ed Of it by another person. Even now
] was beginning to feel the drain of
her upon my resources, although I
had done nothing extravagant. l had
taken her to the theater paid for car.
riages, and bought her luncheons and
flowers. but beyond that had done
practically nothing. And in a certain
| way SASAC was AuuCA SdllSidCIlOu III
the thought that l had offered her so
little In the way of allurement besides
my own society. While there were
men by the score who would have
been overjoyed to squander money
upon her, she had laughingly excused
herself to them for The sake of mex.
pensive little evenings with me. AS
proof that she really preferred me it
seemed conclusive, and was the thing
that gave me the most hope. How.
ever did not speak and Clare went
on:
Some Of her gowns cost more than
you earn in a month, while as for
supporting an establishment at the
Arcadia-well, of course the very idea
is preposterous. Now why don't YOU
be sensible?" l smiled. seeming what
was coming
| And what is your idea of sense
Clare?" inquired.
well, take up with a nice little
girl like Mollie Osborn, for instance ~
! 1t was just as I had suspected, fol-
Clare and Mollie are chums and de-
voted in advancing each others in
terests, But the idea that any man
once knowing Mrs Naca oe bn,r