Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-13
HE COLORS OF THE ORIENT = n

But later he dreamed that the
dressing gown danced outside his
door, stretching out empty arms
and commanding him to return to
her.
When his aunt arrived. Halliday
noticed that the usual present was
not forthcoming. She was a dear
old lady, however. and he played
the dutifuI nephew with great sue
cess, insisting on a cab and high
~ respectable theatre. When he
finally left her at her hotel, Halli-
day had exactly 81 on which TO
live till Saturday, Pondering over
this wicked circumstances, he
tramped home.
The next day his aunt came round
to have good look at his rooms.
This time Halliday observed with
great pleasure the important pack
age she carried.
do you know. Dick" said the old
lady, laying the parcel on the table,
and fumbllng with the strings, 1T
couldn't think what to get you this
time? I've been puzzling and
puzzling; but, coming up your road.
! saw this in a window--the very
thing"
Halliday trembled with a sudden
sense of the doom to come. and his
aunt drew out the dressing gown.
1t hooded the room with a binding
and an unholy radiance.
such a lovely thing, Isn't It, and
so useful?" the old lady continued.
Il know you hadn't got a dressing
gown. So handy for a literary man
Ike you to slip on and sit down
steadily to work in. It's not quite
new, you know, but you don't mind,
Dick, do your"
ITS really awfully good OF YOU"
said Halliday, hero and slave. In
the grip OF tragedy it is best to
you don't seem very enthusiastic
about IT," said his aunt. Il think
it's a sweet thing"
IT'S just splendid" said Halli-
day, Withdrawing his shaking hand
do you mind II I hang II up in the
other room out of the dustT
The dressing-gown marched with
him to the door, and he had a queer
feeling of being hand cuffed TO
IT. He nunB II in a cupboard.
sweating with fear. and shut the
door. When his aunt had gone he
went back into the room against
his will.
The thing was sitting in a chair.
and Halliday offers no explanation.
II was his best armchair. and for
the rest of horrible evening Halli-
day sat on a hard stool, not daring
to disturb II. i think he had a sort
Of an idea that II might begin talk
ing to him. and I know he left
some cigarettes near IL, in case II
might become entirely human.
Plucking up his courage, he stirred
the fire into a blaze, and es-
saved to burn II, starting with the
gold and blue acreage on the end of
the left-hand sleeve. II refused to
burn, but eharred with a Kissing
sound, and in ave minutes there was
such a CHASTITY smell that the man
on the moor above started dancing
on the floor. and Halliday gave II
up. He poured his water-bottls over
II. and IL snarled as the heat left
Well into a new day now, and still
tho horror of the dressing gown,
grim and awful. Sleep was impos-
sible with that thing stili alive and
unslaughtered. And suddenly Haili-
day thought OF the river; Il would
be easy to drop II in. He hunted out
brown paper and some stout string.
In twenty minutes he would be free
again. The dressing-gown would
have gone for ever.
The parcel burnt his arm as he
went. His face was white and
drawn as he skunk along. And a
homeless, villainous faced loafer
watched him pass curiously. and
Copyright. 1918. by