Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-04-28

a hundred currents of thought were
crossing and recrossing in her mind.
So at last she threw 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 nuid 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. It was the attitude OF
woman who yields. Beside her sat the
Estrilla persdS, strumming gently on
guitar and lookiag . million Ian
Ruors. 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 glass OF
whisky-hie first since the night OF the
Hanska murder. In a period incredibly
short, he fulfilled the tragic purpose
for which he left the boarding house.
An hour and half after, Tommy
North. muttering over and over to
himself. New life in new cline
wond'ful plan of genius" was weav'
ing toward the select boarding house
of Madame Rosalie Le Grange. Labori-
ously he unlocked the door; painfully,
and with occasional mutterings about
a blasted life, he reached the nrst land
ing. And on that landing door
opened. Bstsy-Barbara stood looking
at him.
Yet curiously. % the gaslight caught
her full. 1t was not upon Betsy-Bar.
bara's shocked wide-open eyes that he
fixed his gaze. He looked at her feet
Betsy-Barbara was wearing high-heelsd
velvet shoes with paste buckles. In
the full light. they sparkled like real
diamonds. Betsy-Bsrbara stepped
back with woman's instructive fear of
q 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
Get It an hold It," he said-'thsn
discover murder"
"Mr. North-Mr. North!" exclaimed
Betsy. Barbara and stood helpless.
staring at this weird performance.
"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 the stairs.
Betsy-Barbara followed. her hands ex-
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 q final:
Good highland please try to be
quiet"
Betsy-Barbara had endured q day
filled with as many varied emotions as
It 10 generally given woman to endure.
She applied the best remedy that WON.
an knows for surfeit Of feeling. She
took down her hair. undressed. and
cried herself to sleep.
CTo BE CONTINUED1
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