The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-10-21
CHAPTER IX-Continued.

Hello! Where's Ford? He gave
me a ticket to the theater tonight, and
/ want to punch his head. What's
drama coming to, anyhow? Cigarettes
and booze and mismated couples.
Can't they find good enough things
out Of doors? Oh, 1 know. They cater
to a lot of fools who believe that what
they see is an expression Of high life
in New York and London. And it's
rot, plain rot. It's merely the scum
on the boiling pot. And any old house
wife would skim it off and chuck 1t
into the slops. Life? Pifle!"
Whats the crouch" ..
Looking for the dramatic job?"
mo. I've just been wondering how
far these theatrical managers can go
without Sitting the golden goose"
Norton sought his desk and began
rummaying the drawers. He was not
huntinS for anything; he was merely
passing away the time. BY and by,
wk~n the pastime no longer served,
he pulled his chair over to the window
anf sat down, staring at stars such
as CoDsrnicus never dreamed Of. Ships
going down to sea, ferries swooping
d~iagonully hither and thither, the
clockSork signs; but he took no note
of these marvels of light.
Not at home!" he muttered.
He had called, written, te~lephoned.
No use. The door remained shut,
Jones answered the telephone, and the
letters came back. He began to think
very daeply concerning the Perigof
oma Had she played a trick? Had
that failting spell been buncombe for
his benefit as we'll as F1orence's? But
he had not a shadow of a proof. The
thing that puzzled him equally with
this wa. that all attempts against his
life had ~uiraculously ceased; no safes
thunder6h down in front Of him, and
no autos tried to carve him In two.
The only thing that kept him active
was the daily call of Jones by wire.
Miss Florence was we'll that was all
Jones was permitted to say.
Restlessly Norton spurned his chair
and walked over to the telephone
booth. 1t was midnight. He might or
might not be able to get Jones. But
almost instantly a voice said, What
is it?"
"Jones?"
Yes. Who Is it,"
Norton"
"Why, you called me up not ten
minutes ago."
mot T."
1T was your voice, as plain as day
What did I want?" keen all at once.
The reply did not come Immediately.
"You are certain it was not you?'
wait a moment and I'll call the
editor. He will prove to you that I've
been here for an hour, and that this
is the first call I've made. Some one
has been imposing on you. What did
they ask you to do"
You asked me to come down to the
Office at once, and l requested you
to- come to the house, and you said you
colld not. l declined to STIR"
What did you Think"
Exactly what you're thinking-that
they have come to life again"
Jones, Is Miss Florence awaken"
mo"
do you think there is any hope Of
having her understand what really
~happened?"
81 am here only to guard her. can
not undertake. to read her thoughts"
You're not quite in favor Of It rec.
onciliation?"
"Oh, yes, IL it went no further,
Young people are young people the
world over"
What does that lnean?"
That they would not create imagi
native heartaches if they were moi
young. Better let things remain eX'
actly as they are When all these
troubles are settled finally. the lesser
trouble may be talked i've sensibly,
But this is not the time. There is no
news. Goodnight"
Norton returned to his chair, gloom