The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-08-09
CHAPTER Xxx.
Anticlimax.

Antlclimax.
It was out of the limbo OF the I'M
foreseeable that the blind instrument
of Fate appeared to tell Rodney about
Rose. He was country lawyer from
down-state, who had been In Chicago
three or four days, spending an hour
or two of every day in Rodney's oflice
in consultation with him, and, for the
rest Of the time, dangling about, more
or less at a loose end. A belated
sense of this struck Rodney at the end
of their last consultation.
am sorry haven't been able to do
more" Rodney said-"do anything,
really, in the way Of showing you
good time. AS matter Of fact I've
spent every evening this week here In
the Office"
"Oh, I haven't lacked for entertain
ment," the man said. "We hayseeds
find the city a pretty lively place.
went to see a show just last night
called The Girl Upstairs l sup
pose you've seen It."
mo" said Rodney, ~ haven't
swell, it was downright funny.
haven't laughed so hard in year. IL
you want a real good time, you go to
see It."
The last part Of this conversation
took place In the outer Office. Rodney
saw the man off with a final hand
shake, closed the door after him, and
strolled irresolutely back toward Miss
Beach's desk.
It was true, he'd been taking 1t on
rather recklessly during the past two
months. But they'd been pretty
sterile, those long, solitary evening
hours. He'd worked fltfully, grinding
away by brute strength for while,
and then, In a frenzy Of impatience,
thrusting the legal rubbish out of the
way and letting the enigma Of his
great failure usurp his mind and his
memories.
Telephone over TO the University
club" he said suddenly to Miss Beach,
"and see If you can get me a seat for
The Girl Upstairs
The office boy was out on an errand
and in his absence the switchboard
was in Miss Beachs care. She arose
obediently and moved over to the
switchboard, then began fumbling
with the directory.
"Why Miss Beach," said Rodney.
"You know the number Of the Unlver-
sity club"
He was looking at her now with un-
disguised curiosity. She was acting,
for perfectly infallible machine like
Miss Beach, almost queer. Without
looking around at him, she said: "Mr.
Aldrlch, you won't like that show. If
you go, you'll be sorry"
While he was still staring at her,
young Craig came bursting blithely
out of his office. "Oh, Miss Beach ~
he said, and then stopped short, see-
ing that something had happened.
Rodney tried an experiment.
Craig" he said, Miss Beach doesn't
want me to see The Girl Upstairs
She says won't like it. Do you agree
with herr"
A flare of red came into the boys
face, and his jaw dropped. Then, as
well as he could, he pulled himself
together. "Yes, sir" he said, swung
around, and marched back into his
own cubbyhole.
"You needn't telephone, Miss
Beach," said Rodney curtly. And,
without another word, he put on his
hat and overcoat, walked straight over
to the club and told the man at the
cigar counter to get him a ticket for
tonights performance Of "The Girl
, Upstairs"
It was after FIVE, and he decided he
, might as well dine here. SO he went
up to the lounge, armed himself with
an evening paper, and dropped into a
, big leather chair.
But all his carefully contrived en-
I vironment hadn't the power, 1t seemed
to shift the current Of his thoughts
. They went on dwelling on the be
havior of Miss Beach and young
: Craig, which really got queerer the
. more one thought about it.
He flung down his paper and went
q into the adjoining room. The large
4 round table nearest the door was pre-
J. empted by a group Of men he knew
{ and he came up with the intention OF
@ dropping into the one vacant chair
d But just before the first of them caugh
e a glimpse of him his ear picked up the
@ phrase "The Girl Upstairs" Ant
s then lawyer in the group looked VI
n and recognized him. "Hello, Aid
n rich," he said, and the flash o.
4 silence that followed had a galvani'
# quality. The others began urging hin
'. to sit down, but he said he was look
= ing for somebody, and walked ava!
I down the room and out the farthe
door.
% He knew now that he was afraid
n Yet the thing he was afraid Of refuses
10 to come out into the open where b.
l. could see 1t and know what 1t was
" He still believed that he didn't know
what 1t was when he walked past tn
s. framed photographs in the lobby o
h the theater without looking at then
It and stopped at the box office to ex
change his seat, well down in front
It for one near the back Of the theatel
n But when the sextette made thei
r first entrance upon the stage, he kneN
N thot ha hod known for good man