University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-07-29
LOVE INSURANCE
By Earl DER Btggers
Copyrighted by The Bobbs-Merrill Company

her hands to her burning cheeks.
"A strange love-yours," she said
"A love that blows hot and cold"
"Cynthia-that isn't true-I do low,
/ you"
"Pleasel Please let us-forget.
She stepped into the moonlight, fine
brave, smiling. do we-dance?"
"Cynthia!" he cried unhappily. I'll
you only understood
IL think | do. The music has stop
ped Harrowby has the next dance
he'd hardly think of looking for me
here"
She was gone! Minot stood alone on
the balcony. He was dazed, blind,
trembling. He had refused the girl
without whom life could never be
worth while! Refused her, to keen
the faith,
He entered upon the bright scene
inside. slipped unnoticed to the ele-
vator and, still dazed. descended to
the lobby. He would walk in the
moonlight until his senses were re-
gained. Near the main door of the De
la Pax he ran into Henry Trimmer.
Mr.. Trimmer had a newspaper in his
hand.
whats the matter with the women
nowadays?" he demanded Indignantly.
Minot tried in vain to push by him.
Seen what those London suffragettes
have done now?" And Trimmer
pointed to a headline.
What have they done?" asked Mi
not.
Done? They put dynamite under
the statue of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar
Square and blew it sky-high. 1t fell
over into the Strand"
Good" cried Minot wildly. Good.
I hope to hell it smashed the whole of
London!" And, brushing aside the
startled Trimmer, he went out into the
night
1t was nearly twelve o'clock when
Mr.. Minot, somewhat calmer of mind,
returned to the De la Pax AS he
stepped into the courtyard he was sur
prised to see a crowd gathered before
the hotel. Then he noticed that from
a second-floor window poured smoke
and flame, and that the town fire de-
partment was wildly getting into ac-
ton.
He stopped-his heart almost
ceased beating. That was her window,
The window to which he had called
her on that night that seemed so far
away-last night, Breathlessly he
ran forward.
And he ran straight into a group
just descended from the ballroom. OF
that group Cynthia Meyrick was
For a moment they stood
gazing at each other. Then the girl |
turned to her aunt
"My wedding dress," she cried. Il
left it lying on my bed. Oh. can't |
possibly be married tomorrow if that |
IS burned"
There was a challenge in that last |
sentence, and the young man for
whom it was intended did not miss it.
Mad with the injustice of life, he
;wooped down on fireman struggling
with a wabbly ladder Snatching
away the ladder, he placed it against
he window from which the smoke
md flame poured. He ran up it.
"Here," shouted the chief of the fire
department, laying angry hands on
he ladders base. 'Wot you doing?
You can't go in there"
"Why the devil can't II" beloved
Hinot. LET go of that LADDER"
He plunged into the room. The
imoke filled his nostrils and choked
lin. His eyes burned. He staggered
through the smoky dusk into anoth-
# room. His hands met the brass
,ars of a bed-then closed over
soft and filmy that lay
lpon it. He seized the something
lose, and hurried back into the 9TH
r room.
A fireman at another window
ought to turn a stream of water on
i'm. Water-on that gown!