The state herald., 1916-02-25

a hundred currents of thought were
crossing and recrossing in her mind.
So at last she threw a kimono over her
evening gown and sat down at the win
dow. maiden-fashion. and thought.
To make no further mystery, the
person who opened the front door and
disturbed the tete-a-tete between Es-
strilla and Betsy Barbara was only
Tommy North. He had been searching
strenuously for Job. No mystery
about that. either. The reason was
Betsy-Barbara. The nights. quest had
failed. The fluid mercury of his dis
position had fallen almost to absolute
zero. In this mood. he unlocked the
front door. The parlor was open; he
heard the soft thrum Of guitar. Hun
cry for companionship. he crossed the
thick hall carpet to the parlor door.
He looked In and beheld Betsy. Bar
bara sitting with flushed cheeks and
folded hands. 1t was the attitude Of
woman who yields. Beside her sat the
Estrilla persd>, strumming gently on
{ guitar and lookiaE . million Ian
guors. With a movement that was an
explosion. Tommy rushed out. slam
ming the front door behind him.
His feet. rather than his will, car
ried him away. There was . saloon at
the corner. As by instinct. Tommy
rushed Into 1t and ordered 4 glass Of
whisky-his first since the night Of the
Hanska murder. In = period incredibly
short, he fulfilled the tragic purpose
for which he left the boarding house.
An hour and = half after. Tommy
North. muttsring over and over to
himself. New life in now CLINE
wond'fui plan Of genius" was weav.
ing toward the select boarding house
Of Madame Rosalie Ls Grange. Labori.
ously he unlocked the door; painfully.
and with occasional mutterings about
. blasted life, he reached the first land.
ing. And on that landing 4 door
opened. Bstsy-Barbara stood looking
at him.
Yet curiously, as the gaslight caught
her full. II was not upon Betsy-Bar.
bara's shocked wide-open eyes that he
fixed his sare. He looked at her feet
Betsy-Barbara was wearing high-heeled
velvet shoes with paste buckles. In
the full light. they sparkled like real
diamonds. Betsy Barbara stepped
back with woman's instructive fear Of
= drunken man. So one OF those slip-
pers moved. Tommy. his eyes still
toward the ground. clutched at It. The
motion almost tumbled him over-did
make him reel against the door-post
Oct It an hold IT," he said-"thsn
discover murder"
'Mr. North-Mr. North" exclaimed
Betsy. barbara and stood helpless.
staring at this weird performances.
Drunk" he said. Final disgrace
everything gone now!"
''Mr North" said Betsy barbara,
gathering her courage. listen to me.
II you wake people up tonight. they'll
never forgive you. Now I'm going to
lead you to your room"
He waved her away and started to
make his own course up tho stairs.
Betsy barbara followed. her hands e1.
tended to give help In case OF need.
At his own landing. Betsy-Barbara ran
ahead. opened his door. switched on
the electric light. Then returning. she
pushed him in with a flnal:
Good highland please try to b.
quiet"
Betsy.Barbsra had endured . day
nllsd with As many varied emotions A.
II IA generally given woman to endure.
She applied the best remedy that wom-
an knows for surfeit of feeling. She
took down her hair. undressed. and
cried herself to sleep.
GRO DE coSTINuEpJ