Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-06-27
CHAPTER vI-(contInued.)

hotel. Antelope is cut of by storm. Rose
CHAPTER Vl.-(contlnued.)
'T don't see how she could do that
transparent neck and all. l don't
think that's the kind of dress to wear
in a theater. It's too sort Of con-
spicuous."
II think Hannah's right" said Josh
solemnly, nodding at Berry. ut don't
seem to me the right thing for lady.
Looks fast"
What do you know about 1t. Josh
McCraef" said Hazel pugnaciously.
You're a clerk in a jewelry store"
! Maybe am" retorted Josh. but
] guess that don't prevent me from
knowing when thing looks fast.
Clerks in jewelry stores amt such
gummers as you might think. And.
anyway, I don't see that being clerk
in any kind Of store has anything to
do with it."
Hazel was saved the effort OF max
ing crushing repartee. by Pearl, who
had been silently eating her lunch.
now suddenly launching remark into
the momentary pause.
did Uncle Dominick go to the
ball?" she asked. raising a pair OF
limpid blue eyes to Berny's face.
An instantaneous. significant silence
fell on the others, and all eyes turned
inquiringly to Berry. Her air Of cool
control became slightly exaggerated.
mo, he stayed at home with me"
she replied. picking daintily at the
meat on her plate.
But suppose he felt real hurt and
annoyed" said Hannah. He couldn't
have helped it."
Berry did not reply. She knew that
she must sooner or later tell her
sisters Of Dominick's strange depart
ure. They would find 1t out other
wise and suspect more than she want
ed them to know. They, like the rest
Of the world, had no idea that Berny's
brilliant marriage was not the domes-
tic success It appeared on the surface.
She moved her knife and fork with an
arranging hand, and, as Hazel started
TO speak, said with as careless an air
as she could assume:
'Dominick's gone. He left this
morning"
Gone where?" exclaimed Hazel.
This was the test question and Berry
had schooled herself in an answer in
the car coming up.
"Oh. up into the country" she said
nonchalantiy. Hes worn out. They
work the life out of him in that hor-
rible bank. He's getting insomnia
and thought he'd better take a change
he foI
down. so he left this morning and I'm
q gay grass widow"
She laughed and drank some wa
ter. Her laugh did not sound to her
own ears convincing and she was
aware that, while Hannah was evil
IDENTIFY satisfied by her explanation,
Hazel was eying her ponderingly.
well, II he's got insomnia" said
Hannah, he'd better take his holiday
right now. That's the best thing to
do. Take It in the beginning. Before
father took Ill"
Here Josh interrupted her. as Han
nah's "reminiscences OF the late con-
tractors last illness were long and
exhaustive.
"Where'd you say he'd gomez" he
oueried.
81 can't remember the NAME" Berry
answered with skillfully-assumed in
difference; somewhere down toward
Santa Cruz and Monterey, some new
place. And he may not stay there. II
he doesn't like It. he'll Just move
around from place to place"
why didn't you go. too7" said
Pearl.
This was the second question Berry
had dreaded. Now suddenly she felt
her throat contract and her lips
culver. Her usually iron nerve had
been shaken by her passion Of the
night before and the shock Of the
morning. The unwonted sensations of
gloom and apprehension closed In on
her again, and this time made her
feel weak and fearful.
''I didn't want to. hate moving
around" she said, pushing her chair
back from the table. Her voice was
a little hoarse. and suddenly feeling
the sting Of tears under her eyelids
she raised her hands to her hat and
began to tumble with her veil. why
should leave my comfortable fiat to
go trailing round in lot of half-built
hotels2 That sort Of thing doesn't
appeal to me at all. / like my own
cook. and my own bed. and my own
bath-tub. I'm more Of an old maid
than Hannah. Well. 30 long. people.
/ must be travelling"
She laid her napkin on the table and
Jumped up with an assumption Of
brisk liveliness. She paid no atten-
ton to the approximations of her rela-
xves. but going to the glass arrans>d