The Monte Vista journal., 1915-07-10
ELEVENTH STORY
PROLOGUE.

lcs Of the dancers 'n
20, out. The music died In
%.,, its pulsatins throbs ebbing
Into a slow, pathetic wall that
~ almost in a human sob. With
W. faces and trembling limbs the
,..rs stopped where the music had
hem; some with arms appraised;
With one foot in the air.
/, vas tense moment; moment
Iu,ht with pregnant portent.
M the wealth and society OF the
m was at the Van Lind residence
Il hight. Mrs. Van Lind, leader in
,et and fashions devotee, was CIV
. ball for the relief of the Bel
=. All the music had patriotic
III the guests carried tiny Ameri-
A,ss and the prettiest girl in
m dressed as Miss Columbia. was
dus the dance. Joy reigned un-
mined.
And then the shot.
m, sound seemed to come from a
amber to the right Of the ballroom,
ous more bold than the rest, strobe
rards the door and threw aside the
wv hangings. And the tableau that
there revealed offered food for
kenl hundred late supper discus
u, and gave the busy gossips OF 80
~ many a dainty morsel.
fAs room was, strictly speaking, a
richly furnished and not very
n. Across a table in the center,
Nd the curtain was 80 rudely
Ishsd aside, sprawled the inert body
Edgar Clay, society leader. business
y, food sport. hard drlnker, and the
pbsnd Of Isabel Clay, prettiest but
y Of them all Standing over him
1 protecting attitude, the smoking
dvsr still In his hand, was the bus.
partner and father-in-law, Rus
Irwin. Hate cleaned from pair
narrowed eyes; beady, steady eyes
X never wavered from those Of
nee Stone. attorney, who, pale as
l3, stared back at Irwin from
tho table. At Stones feet lay
battered decanter, the contents OF
fh ran over the rich rug in tiny
Vets, strongly suggesting blood to
excited minds of the eager spec
y. But Stone was grasping his
Y hand with his left, and the tickle
n that oozed between his fingers
only too plainly where the bullet
found Its mark.
"a, Edgar, Edgar are you dead?"
pm the surge Of figures at the
one fair form detached itself and
Nd Its length across the limp and
nns body Of Clay on the table.
trembling hands she raised his
and with choking sobs planted q
lal kiss on his unresponsive lips.
'sh and relief and disgust strug-
Tor the mastery of her features
90 read the answer to her question
'ae KISS. Clay was not dead. He
''eloed again to habit that was
aser than himself
Ana may | ask the meaning of this
I'd dlsturbance?"
!" van Lind was speaking and the
was cold. incislve, uncompromis.
sn nodded grimly towards
And those who watched him
noted that he held his weapon
hrner grip.
.usntliy the hostess turned her
sussuonlng stare in the wounded
: direction.
A., moment he hesitated. Then
~" waVered under the steady
:. i" irwin, and he answered sui
was an accident"
,'S'alns the glances of those who
,a- ,e questioned him; ignoring
, .aSances of those who offered
..Ay, Stone elbowed his way
=. a.. 'ae excited throng at the den
~. .u 'eft the house. And so the
,a ~. was ended. But 1t is not with
..'aent 30 much, as with the
.,a.l which lead up to it that
was a constant guest at the
o. Edgar Clay and his pretty
nn, aOelle' Folly was the boon
s..o Of this young society cou.
,,s, .iea In luxury and knowing no
~, %s., except that imposed by I their ar
h. '' re-. they had gone. the pace
! III. W. one ending: had Travelled
a, Al. road that leads but to dis.
t ~: longer it is delayed. That That
b., , ~ farther and farther apart
s,o y. -.'a N for Folly was always
Il ,a 'ss that both persisted in tn.
70 ,Sn OF individual enjoyment