The circle banner., 1917-02-09


| the expenses Of the house on the Street
"Sorry, old man; I've made another
arrangement"
| They left the hospital together
Everywhere the younger man received
the homage of success. The elevator
man bowed and flung the doors open
with a smile; the pharmacy clerk, the
doorkeeper, even the convalescent pa
tient who. was polishing the great brass
| doorplate, rendered their tribute. Doc
tor Ed looked neither to right nor left.
y
Sidney, after her involuntary bath in
the river, had gone into temporary
eclipse at the White Springs hotel. In
the oven of the kitchen stove sat her
two small white shoes, stuffed with pa
per so that they might dry in shape.
Back in detached laundry, sympa-
thetic maid was ironing various soft
white garments, and singing as she
worked.
Sidney sat in rocking chair in a
hot bedroom. She was carefully
swathed in sheet from neck to toes,
except for her arms, and she was being
as philosophic as possible.
Someone tapped lightly at the door.
"It's LIE Moyne. Are you all right?'
Perfectly. How stupid it must be
for you'll"
'I'm doing very well. The maid will
soon be ready. What shall order for
supper?"
Anything. I'm starving"
81 think your shoes have shrunk."
"Flattererl" She laughed. "Go away
and order supper. And can see fresh
lettuce. Shall we have a salad?'
K. LIE Moyne stood for moment in
front of the closed door, for the mere
sound of her moving, beyond it. Things
had gone very far with the Pages
roomer that day in the country; not
so far as they were to go, but far
enough to let him see on the brink of
what misery he stood.
He could not go away. He had prom
ised her to stay: he was needed. He
thought he could have endured seeing
her marry Joe, had she cared for the
boy. That way, at least, lay safety for
her. The boy had fidelity and devotion
written large over him. But this new
complication-her romantic interest in
Wilson, the surgeons reciprocal inter-
est in her, with what he knew Of the
man-made him quail.
From the top Of the narrow stair
IN fhn fnnf hoa live
years tormentI At the foot, however,
he was startled out of his reverie. Joe
Drummond stood there waiting for
him, his blue eyes recklessly alight.
"You-you dog!" said Joe.
There were people in the hotel par
lor. LIE Moyne took the frenzied boy
by the elbow and led him past the
door to the empty porch.
"Now," he said, eff you will keep
your voice down, I'll listen to what
you have to say"
"You know what I've got to say"
This failing to draw from K. LIE
Moyne anything but his steady glance,
Joe jerked his arm free and clenched
his fist.
"What did you bring her out here
for?"
II do not know that owe you any
but / am willing to give
you one. brought her out here for a
trolley ride and picnic luncheon"
He was sorry for the boy. Life not |
having been all beer and skittles to |
him, he knew that Joe was suffering,
Ind was marvelously patient with him.
"Where is she nowT'
"She had the misfortune to fall in
he river. She is upstairs" And, see
ng the light of unbelief in Joe's eyes:
If you care to make tour Of inveSti-
,ation, you will find that am entire
y truthful. In the laundry a maid"
"She is engaged to me"-doggedly.
Everybody in the neighborhood knows
t, and yet you bring her out here for
icnicl lists damned rotten treat
nent."
His fist had unclenched. Before Z.
.e Moyne's eyes his own fell. He felt
young and futile; his just
age turned to clustering in his ears.
II don't know where you came
rom," he said, "but around here de- {
ent men cut out when a girls en-
aged" II
II see!"
whats more, what do we know 8
bout you? You may be all right, but t
Ow do know It? You get her into s
ouble and I'll kill you'll" a
1t took courage, that speech, with K. Z
9 Moyne towering FIVE inches above e
m and growing little white about e
70 lips. s
"Are you going to gay all these things a
Sidney" o
II am. And am going to nnd out
by YOU were upstairs lust now" e