American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-02-19

a hundred currents of thought were
crossing and recrossing in her mind.
So at last she threw a hmono over her
evening gown and sat down at the win
dow, maiden-fashion, and thought
To make no further mystery, the
person who opened the front door and
disturbed the tete-a-tete between Els
strilla and Betsy-Barbara was only
Tommy North. He had been searching
strenuously for a job. No mystery
about that, either. The reason was
Betsy-Barbara. The nights quest had
failed. The fluid mercury OF his dis
position had fallen almost to absolute
zero. In this mood, he unlocked the
front door. The parlor was open; he
heard the soft thrum OF a guitar. Hun
cry for companionship, he crossed the
thick hall carpet to the parlor door.
He looked in and beheld Betsy-Bar-
bara sitting with flushed cheeks and
folded hands. 1t was the attitude of a
woman who yields. Beside her sat the
Estrilla person, stunning gently on
{ guitar and looking a million Ian
guors. With a movement that was an
explosion, Tommy rushed out, slam
ming the front door behind him.
His feet, rather than his will, car
ried him away. There was a saloon at
the corner. As by instinct, Tommy
rushed into it and ordered a glass of
whisky-his first since the night Of the
Hanska murder. In a period incredibly
short, he fulfilled the tragic purpose
for which he left the boarding house.
An hour and a half after, Tommy
North, muttering over and over to
himself, New life in new cline
wond'ful plan of genius" was weav-
, ing toward the select boarding house
/, of Madame Rosalie lie Grange. Labori-
=. ously he unlocked the door; painfully
and with occasional mutterings about
, a blasted life, he reached the first land
ing. And on that landing a dool
4 opened. Betsy-Barbara stood looking
4 at him.
s Yet curiously, as the gaslight caugh'
/ her full, it was not upon Betsy-Bar
bara's shocked wide-open eyes that h'
r hxed his gaze. He looked at her feet
Betsy-Barbara was wearing high-heele'
D velvet shoes with paste buckles. Il
n the full light, they sparkled like res
diamonds. Betsy-Barbara steppe
o. back with woman's instructive fear {
a drunken man. So one OF those sill
s. pers moved. Tommy, his eyes sti
s. toward the ground, clutched at It. tn
motion almost tumbled him over-di
=. make him reel against the door-post.
b Get 1t an hold it," he said-"the
IL discover murder"
Ig "Mr. North-Mr. North" exclaime
lie Betsy-Barbara and stood helples
ls staring at this weird performance.
Il Drunk he said. Final disgraC
r everything gone now!"
s. Mr.. North" said Betsy-Barbari
I'd gathering her courage, listen to M
ID If you wake people up tonight, they
he never forgive you. Now I'm going
e. lead you to your room"
He waved her away and started
d. make his W course up the stair
to Betsy-Barbara followed, her hands e
tended to give help in case of nee
At his own landing, Betsy-Barbara "a
I'D ahead, opened his door, switched c
the electric light. Then returning. 81
pushed him in with a final:
Good highland please try to
te quiet"
Betx-Barbara had endured a d'
filed with as many varied emotions
it is generally given woman to endur
She applied the best remedy that woI
an knows for surfeit of feeling. 81
"a took down her hair, undressed. al
cried herself to sleep.
y; CTO BE C-ONTINUEDO