Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1914-12-18
CHAPTER i--contlnued.

"Dan," she said, "Ill tell you some
thing. These expensive laundries ruin
your shirts right OFF, and when /
washed 'em they lasted a whole year.
They amt ironed right, either"
"Oh, my God!" groaned Slade, help
1essly, plying her lack of understand
ing rather than being angry with her.
II wish you'd forget, Mary, that l
had to let you wash and scrub once.
We're up now. Let us kick the lad
der out from under US and stay Up
forget how we got here"
But / I don't want to forget" remon-
strated the little wisp of a woman OPP
posite him. 81 was perfectly content
ed those days. 1 amt now I hate
this house. 1 hate it. its too big.
The help scare me, SO many Of 'em.
I'd like jest one hired girl and my old
sitting-room set" She stopped medi-
tatively, her thoughts wandering back
to the early days when her husband
took his pick and dinner pail and
tramped off to the mines, and she
and busted herself at the kitchen
stove.
Her husband sat with face averted,
his imagination carrying him far into
the future-a vision OF honor as chief
executive of the state and power in
keeping with the untold riches he had
accumulated.
That's It," he finally exclaimed, 81
want to go ahead and you want to
stick over your washtubs. 1 need the
support of big people-got to mix with
'sm, and be one of EN-. And you
won't"
mo. l don't have to-" replied Mary.
81 needn't" J
you don't see the necessity of join
ing mel" he asked, testify.
II don't know how"
do you want to know how?" he
persisted.
me-" came the provokingly indiffer-
emit answer.
You're putting the bars up in the
middle of the road" he continued,
-and I'm maxine uDN mind to
change things" NJ
Suddenly Mary'ss lips quivered and
q hurt look showed in her eyes behind
the misty tears as she realized that
whatever she did irritated her hus
band. She started to speak, but was
interrupted by the entrance of a serv
ant, who announced that Senator
Strickland and his daughter had just
phoned to say that he and his daugh
ter would call on their way to the
opera.
SHADES face flushed and paled at the
thought-fushed at the pleasurabls
surprise at this unlooked-for attention
thought of the senator's stunningly
gowned daughter arriving to find his
wife in a cheap, ill-fitting dress tina
would have looked badly aver fol
morning wear.
Mary, you look like a ~steerage pas
senger," he exclaimed suddenly, turn
ing on the flustered little woman, VIII,
was aghast at the very thought of
call from the senator and his laugh
ter. go upstairs and dress. IL
make Il and hold them till yo,
come down"
II can't" she gasped. II amt 20
time, anyway, and l haven't anythin,
to go to the opera In"
Slade leaned forward and strucl
the table with his clenched fist. DON
you understand? You must see thes
people. Tonight's paper names me TO
governor. S~trickland's influence 4
more necessary to me than any othe
mans In the whole state. He control
the party. He's bringing his daugh
ter to my house. You're meeting then
socially. Come on, now, come on
he became persuasive-"put on a mic
little gown and come along and shoy
them you can do something. We
hold q reception here and It'll be
direct answer to Wesley Merritt's stu
on you In tonight's paper"
Go to the opera with Katherin
Strickland-with a women who ha
Just returned from Europe-the won
an who had dined with a queen an
been feted all over the continent. Hol
a reception-hosteas in this hous
where she felt, save for her Dan,
stranger. Meet people who spoke 1
what to her was a strange and att
gether unmanageable fashion.
Mary caught her breath with a 80
of dismay. The very thought par,
lyzsd her. 81 can't, Dan," she hnall
managed to blurt out. I'D do an,
thing else for you-but not this"
I'll not ask you again." reptile
sIade, ominously, and poor Mary, to
: excited to interpret the threat, pickle
up her sewing and her newspaper
and made for the door.
Tell them" she exclaimed breat
lessly, tell them 1 had q headache
that's q fashionable enough excus
anyway" And, terrified, she fed o
Of the room as Katherine Stricklal
and her father were announced
m.