Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-07-01
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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 a
hurried look abou: the apartments
last, farewell survey, not of sentiment
but of investigation. to see Il she had
forgotten anything, x silver pho-
tograph frame set IL rhinestones
caught her eye and she went back
and took 1t up, weighing it uncertain
ly in her hand. Some of the rhine
stones had fallen out. and she finally
decided 1t 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, motion as
of a delicate. triumphant buoyancy
| seeming to impart itself TO her whole
body from her shoulders to her feet.
/ 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 gleam-the merest
suggestion-of coquettish challenge.
The Bonanza King was already in
his office The same obseouious clerk
who had shown her III on a former &C.
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 lowering glance His
command to admit the visitor had
been hardly more than an inartcuIate
growl which the well trained clerk
understood. as those about deaf mutes
can read their half-nade signs Can
non was not entirely surprised at her
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 it's 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 MIN, her resistance broken.
humbly coming to sue for the money.
Instead, rustling. scented apparition
appeared In the doorway, more gra-
cious, handsome. and smiling than he
had ever thought she could be. She
stood for moment, as if waiting for
his invitation to enter. the whole eff
feet of ner rich costume, her feverish-
ly high coloring, and her debonair
and SELF confident demeanor. surpris-
ing him into silence. A long white
feather on her hat made back
ground for her darkly-flushed face and
auburn hair. There were some anne
thysts round her neck. their purple
lights harmonizing richly with the
superb flower pinned on her breast.
IEe- eyes looked very black, laughing.
and prUv3eeS7vv th-a.;gh her spotted
veil.
well" she said in a gay voice,
''sere l am again. Is it a surprise?"
She advanced into the room, and
tbs old man, almost unconsciously,
rose rom his chair.
Yes. sort of, he said. dryly.
She stopped by the desk, looked at
aim sidewise, and said:
do we shake hands?"
HIS glance on her was hard and
cold Berry met it and could not re-
strain a sinking of the courage that
was her. most admirable characteristic
and that she had screwed far past its
ordinary sticking-point that morning.
she sank down into the same arm
chair that she had occupied on her
former visit and said with a little
languid effect of Indifference:
"Oh, well. never mind. We don't
have to waste time being polite.
That's one of the most convenient
things about our interview We Just
say what we really think and there's
no need bothering about humbug."
80 glad TO hear IT." said the old
man with his most ironical air Sup
pose then you let me know what
| you've come down to say"
Cant you guess?" she answered.
with an expression that was almost
one of flirtaticus interrogation
"Nup," he answered. looking steadl-
ly at her. Il nave to have It said in
that plain style with no politeness
that you say is the way We always
talk"
"All right" she answered briskly
Here 1t is as plain as A B C. I've
decided to accept your offer and take
the money"
She looked up at him. smiling gall
lantly But as her eye caught his her
smile. try as she would TO keep it.
died He suddenly realized that she
was extremely nervous. that her lips
were dry. and the hand she put up
70 adjust her veil. and thus hide her
intractable mouth. was shaking. The
| admiration he had of late felt for her
insolent fearlessness increased, also
( he began to feel that now, at last, he
was rising to the position of master
Of the situation. He leaned back in
the swivel chair and glowered at her.
You know" he said slowly. you've
gall that beats anything I've ever
seen Two days ago you busted this
business higher than a kite by stop
iping my daughter on the public street
him. and yet in his eyes there was a
ilTe-.aint and glimmering. the fire of
I n radfr-c So 81,