Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-03-15

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 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.
+ -
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, a 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 a 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"
Tim doing very well. The maid will
soon be ready. What shall order for
supper?"
Anything. I'm starving"
Il think your shoes have shrunk."
"Flatterer !" She laughed. "Go away
and order supper. And l 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
case to the foot, and he had lived a
years torment! 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 1 owe you any
explanation, but I am willing to give
you one. l brought her out here for
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,
and was marvelously patient with him.
where is she now?"
"She had the misfortune to fall in
the river. She is UPSTAIRS" And, see
ing the light of unbelief in Joe's eyes:
IF you care to make a tour of inyesti-
cation, you will find that l am entire
" truthful. In the laundry a maid"
"She is engaged to me"-doggedly.
Everybody in the neighborhood knows
it, and yet you bring her out here for
picnic! lists damned rotten treat
ment."
His fist had unclenched. Before K.
lie Moyne's eyes his own fell He felt
suddenly young and futile; his just
rage turned to clustering in his ears.
Il don't know where you came
FROM" he said, "but around here de-
cent men cut out when a girls en-
gaged''
81 seer
whats more, what do we know
about you? You may be all right, but
how do l know it? You get her into
trouble and I'll kill your
1t took courage, that speech, with K.
lie Moyne towering five inches above
him and growing little white about
the lips.
Are you going to say all these things
to SidneyT'
Il am. And am going to find out
why you were upstairs just now"