The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-18
CHAPTER X.
breaking Jail.

| "'C"hihS Oehs
Within five minutes Sally was
back behind the locked door of
her bedchamber.
She could never stay at Cos
mold House. 1t might seem UNI
grateful to Mrs. Gosnold; Sally
couldn't help that, though she
was sincerely sorry.
BY the time she had succeeded
in composing a note which SEEM
ed sufficiently grateful in tone to
excuse the pitiful inadequacy OF
her excuse for absconding - the
chill light of early dawn had rem
dered the electrics garish.
She addressed the envelope to
Mrs. Gosnold, and left it sticking
conspicuously in the frame of her
dressing mirror.
She let herself out of the room
and by way of that memorable
side door issued forth. Her way
to the village wharf was shortest
by the beach.
Her flight was financed by a
few dollars left over from her
bridge winnings of the first day
at Gosnold house, after subse-
quent losses had been paid. Their
sum no more than sufficed; but
for the clothes she wore, she land
ed In New York even as she had
left 1t.
Avoiding Park ave., she sought
the place that she called home by
way of Lexington.
| The studio door was closed and
locked. The card had been torn
from the taeks that held it to the
panel.
Puzzled and anxious, she stoop.
ed and turned up a corner of the
worn fiber mat-and sighed with
relief to find the key in it's tradi.
tional hiding place.
But when she let herself in, Il
was to room tenanted solely by
seven bowling devils of desolation
Only the decrepit furniture re-
NAMED; it had not been worth
carting or storage; every personal
belonging of the other two girls
had disappeared.
One or the other had left a
newspaper, now three days old
propped up where she could not
fail to see it, on the antiquated
marble mantel-shelf. In separate
columns on the page folded outer
most, two items were encircle with
rings of crimson water-color.
One, under the caption News
of Plays and Players" noted the
departure for an opening in At
lantis City of the musical comedy
company of whose chorus Mary
warden was member.
The other, in the column head
ed Marriages" announced terse-
ly the nuptials of Lucy Spode and
Samuel w. Meyerick. No details
were given.
Slowly Sally set about picking
up the threads of her life.
She sat long hour, hands list
less in her hap, staring vacantly
out at that well-hated vista OF
grimy back yards, drearily review
ing the history of the last five
days. She felt as one who had
dreamed dream and yet was no,
sure that she had walked.
II never entered her weary
head to imagine that the feet that
pounded heavily on the stairs were
those of anybody but the janitor
she was wondering idly If there
was rent due, and IL she would
be turned out into the streets thai
very night, and thinking it did no
much matter, when the footballs
stopped on the threshold of the
studio and she looked up int
the face of Mr.. Trego.
Hello" he said. You certain
ly did give me the deuce of ;
hunt. l wormed 1t out of Mrs
Gosnold that you inhabited a stu
dio somewhere on this block, an,
I suppose l must have climbed A,
times three flights of stairs in tn
last hour"
She demanded in q low, tens
voice: why have you followe,
me here?"
| WELL" he protested, Mrs. Cos
mold sent me-and IL she hadn't,
would have come anyway. I toll
you last night that l loved you.
haven't changed since then. An
now that you're In a fix whethe
or not of your own contriving-
we'll 1t isn't my notion of lettin
you pull out for yourself II you'll
let me help-and that goes, evel
II you stick to 1t that you won
marry me-"
She tried to answer him, blu
her traitorous voice broke, an,
before she could master 1t he ha,
resumed:
II Mrs. Gosnold wants you bacl
sent me to say so-says she'l
come after you if / fail to brin
iyou."
"Oh, mol" she protested, trem
bling uncontrollably.
You won't meet any of thos
n folks. They're all going today. It
! "a new deal from a fresh deck. 8
to speak"
NO" she averred more stead
Stily. you told me was foolish
you weye right. I'm through wit
1 all that"
Il He came closer to her. "Yo
!. needn't be. he said. Don't dam
society Just because you got Il
wrong 1T the first attempt. IN,
again. Let me try with you. Nv,