The Raymer enterprise., 1913-09-04
CHAPTER xvII.-contInued.


1t was, however, her husbands voice
that answered her. He spoke quickly.
as II in hurry. telling her that he
would not be home to dinner. as a
college friend Of his from New York
had Just arrived and he would dine
and go to the theater with him that
evening. Berny's ear. ready to dis
cover, in the most alien subjects, mat
ter bearing on her husbands interest
In Rose Cannon, listened intently for
the mans name. As Dominick did
not give 1t she asked for 1t. and to
her strained and waiting attention 1t
seemed to come with an intentional
indistinctness. iltcEi-
What is his name?" she called
again, her voice hard and high. Il
didn't catch It." III
1t was repeated and for the second
time she did not hear 1t. Before she
could demand 1t once more, Domi.
nick's "Good.by" hummed along the
wire and the connection was cut.
She did not want any more lunch
and went into the parlor. where she
sat down on the cushioned window.
seat and looked out on the vaporous
ofansparencies Of the fog. She had
walked with the sense Of weight and
apprehension heavy on her. AS she
dressed she had thought Of the inter-
view Of yesterday with anger and also
with. something as much like fear as
she was capable Of feeling. She real.
ized the folly Of the rage she had
shown, the folly and the futility Of 1t.
and she realized the danger Of an
open declaration Of war with the
fierce and unscrupulous old man who
was her adversary. This. with her
customary bold courage. she now tried
to push from her mind. After all. he
couldn't kill her. and that was about
the only way he could get rid Of her.
Even Bill Cannon would hardly dare,
In the present day in San Francisco,
eold.bloodedly to murder a woman.
The thought caused slight. sarcastic
amile to touch her lips. Fortunately
for her. the lawless days Of California
were passed.
With the curtains caught between
her finger.tips, her figure bent forward
and motionless, she looked out into
the street as II she saw something
there Of absorbing interest. But she
saw nothing. All her mental activity
was bent on the problem Of Domi.
hicks telephone message. She did not
believe 1t. She was In that state
where trifes light as air all point one
way. and to have Dominick stay out
to dinner with a sudden and unexpect.
ed friend from New York" was more
than trifle. She assured herself with
slow, cold reiteration that he was din.
ing with Rose Cannon in the big house
on California Street. II they walked
together on Sunday mornings. why
shouldn't they dine together on week.
day nights7 They were careful Of ap.
pearanoes and they would never let
themselves be seen together In any
public place till they were formally
engaged. 7he man from New York
was fiction. She-that Immaculate,
perfect girl-had invented him. Doml.
nick could not invent anything. He
was not that kind Of man. But Ber.
ny knew that all women can lie when
the occasion demands, and Rose Can.
non could thus supply her lovers do
hciencies.
With her blankly.staring eyes fixed
on the white outside world, her men.
tai vision conjured up picture Of
them At dinner that night, sitting op.
posits each other at table glistening
with the richest Of glass and silver,
while soft.foqted menials waited OBJ.
sequiously upon them. Bill Cannon
vas not In the picture. Berny's imagi.
nation had excluded him, pushing him
cut Of the ronanos into some unseen,
uaintsresting region where peopls who