Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-10-18
CHAPTER XIV.
A Confession.

A Confession.
OF late Berry had not been sleeping |
well and the fear that this would react |
upon her looks had spurred her to the
nwonted exertion Of walking. The
tie she had chosen was one OF those
oughfares which radiate from Mar
ket Street, and though not yet slums,
are far removed from the calm, wide
gentility Of the city's more dignit1ed
highways. With all her cleverness.
she had never shaken of the tastes
and instincts of the class she had
come from.
Walking loiteringly forward, she
crossed Powell Street, and approached
the entrance Of that home Of vaude-
Vile, the Granada Theater. There
had been a recent change Of bill, and
as she drew near she looked over the
posters standing by the entrance on
which the program for the coming
week was printed in large letters Mid
way down one Of these, her eye was
caught by a name and she paused and
stood reading the words:
JAMES DELAY BUFORD
The Witty, Brilliant and Incompatible
Monologist
In His Unrivaled Monologue
Entitled
KLONDIKE MEMORIES"
She remembered at once that this
was the actor Dominick had spoken Of
as having been showed in with them
at Antelope Dominick had evidently
not expected he would come to San
Francisco. He had said the man had
been going to act in Sacramento.
As she walked down the street she
saw that she was approaching the car
line which passed close to her old
home. A clock in a window showed
her It was nearly five. Hannah would
have been home for some time. and
Hazel might be expected within an
hour. Without more thought she
hailed an uptown car.
She found them both at home, Ha-
eel having been allowed to leave her
work an hour earlier than usual. Sit
ting in a small room in the back of
the house, they were surrounded by
the outward signs Of dressmaking.
Yards Of material lay over the chairs
and. on a small wooden table, which
fit I close to her body and upon
VIII portions of the material lay
neat.g smoothed out, Hannah was cut
ting with a large pair Of shears.
II Berry wanted to surprise her sis
tiers. she certainly now had the salts
faction Of realizing her hopes. For q
moment after she told her news they
stared at her, too amazed to speak
even Hannah, who had scented diff
culties, being completely unprepareC
after the way of human nature-fol
the particular difficulty that haC
cropped up. 1t was Hazel who frs
spoke.
Buy you off to leave Dominick
Give you money to go away from him
do you mean?"
That's what l said," returned he
sister with dry grimness. She's mad
me two offers to leave my husband
wants me to get out and, after w
gone for a year, ask him to bring sui
for desertion."
my Lord" murmured Hannah In
hushed voice of horror.
How much did she offer your" sal
Hasel
The was a crucial question. Bern
knew its importance and sat up. push
ing back her disarranged hat.
"One hundred thousand dollars" sh
saE calmly.
"A hundred thousand dollars |!
gasped Hazel "Why-why-Berny!
She stopped, almost trembling
the excitement of her stunned incredl
lity.
"A hundred thousand dollars!" Hal
nah echoed. each word pronounce
with a slow. aghast unbelief. "Oh,
caE't De that much!"
Its that much now" said Bern.
her Calmness accentuated to the poir
of nonchalance, land If l want l ca
make them double it, raise II to
quarter of a million. Two hundre
and fifty thousand dollars isn't S
much when you've got millions
trunks. What's that to the Ryans
She rose abruptly from her sea
pushing it back and feeling that 81
Rad better go before she said tC
much
As she rose. Hazel rose too. her fat
fall Of suspicious concern.
ITS not another woman, is it, Be
n.y.. she almost whispered.
Berry had told so many lies tn
she did Iot bother about few MOI