Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-11-22

Last night she had put the purple
orchid in a glass Of water on the bu-
reau. Now, as she pinned 1t on her
breast, she congratulated herself for
her foresight. the pale lavender petals
of the rare blossom tOning altogether
tremendously with her dress of dark
purple cloth.
Before she left the room she locked
the trunks and left beside them a
dress suitcase packed for a journey.
Standing in the doorway she took
hurried look about the apartment-a
last, farewell survey. not of sentiment
but of investigation. to see II she had
forgotten anything. A silver pho
tograph frame set in rhinestones
caught her eye and she went back
and took It up. weighing 1t uncertain
ly In her hand. Some OF the rhine
stones had fallen out, and she finally
decided It was not worth while open
ing the trunks to put in such a dam
aged article.
1t was only a quarter past nine
when she emerged from the fiat. She
took the downtown car and twenty
minutes later was mounting the steps
to Bill Cannon's office. She had been
motionless and rigidly preoccupied on
the car. but. as she approached the
office, a change was visible in her
gait and mien. She moved with a
light. perky assurance. a motion as
of a delicate, triumphant buoyancy
seeming to impart itself to her whole
body from her shoulders to her feet.
A slight. mild smile settled on her
| lips, suggesting gaiety tempered with
good humor. Her eye was charged
with the same expression rendered
more piquant by a gleam-the merest
suggestion-of coQuettish challenge.
The Bonanza King was already in
his Office. The same obsequious clerk
who had shown her in on former oc-
casion took her card in to the inner
sanctum where the great man, even
at this early hour. was shut away
with the business which occupied his
crowded days. In a moment the
young man returned smiling and quite
as unanimously polite as he had been
on her former visit. and Berry was
once again ushered into the presence
of the enemy.
The old man had read the name on
the card with a lowering glance. His
command to admit the visitor had
been hardly more than an inartculate
growI which the well-trained clerk
understood. as those about deaf mutes
can read their half-made signs. Can
non was not entirely surprised at he1
temperance, and mingled feelings
stirred in him as he turned his swivel
/ chair away from the table, and sat
hunched in it. his elbows on its arms
his hands clasped over his stomach.
She came in with an effect Of dash
confidence. and brilliancy that aston
ished him. He had expected her al
most to sidle in in obvious, guilty
fear OF him, her resistance broken
humbly coming to sue for the money
Instead, a rustling. scented apparitior
appeared in the doorway, more gra
cious, handsome. and smiling than he
had ever thought she could be. She
stood for a moment, as II waiting fol
his invitation to enter, the whole eff
feet of her rich costume, her feverish
ly high coloring, and her debonail
and self-confident demeanor. surpris
ing him into silence. A long white
feather on her hat made a back
ground for her darkly-fushed face anC
auburn hair. There were some anne
thysts round her neck. their purpl,
lights harmonizing richly with the
superb flower pinned on her breast
Her eyes looked very black, laughing
and provocative through her spotted
veil.
Well" she said in a gay voice
here l am again! Is 1t a surprise?
She advanced into the room, anc
the old man, almost unconsciously
rose from his chair.
Yes. sort Of" he said. dryly.
She stopped by the desk. looked a
him sidewise, and said:
do we shake hands,"
His glance on her was hard AM
cold. Berry met it and could not re
strain a sinking of the courage tina
was her most admirable characteristic
and that she had screwed far past 1t
ordinary sticking-point that morning
She sank down into the same arm
chair that she had occupied on he
former visit and said. with a littl
languid effect of Indifference:
"Oh, we'll, never mind We DON
have to waste time being polite
That's one of the most convenien
things about our interview. We jus
} say what We really think and there
no need bothering about humbug"
, so glad to hear it." said the oil
man with his most ironical air. SUI
J pose then you let me know wha
, you've come down to say"
, Cant you guess?" she answered
with an expression that was almos
one Of flirtatious interrogation.
'Nup," he answered. looking stead
ly at her. 81 have to have 1t said i
that plain style with no politenes
J that you say is the way We Away