Cheyenne record., 1917-11-15

10 deak and typewritef. and Ming caba-
nets around the walls Rubber hoor.
Randolph pointed out, sfelt ceiling; abb
solutely sound-proof. Here's where
my stenographer sits all day, ready
like fireman. And this" he conclud-
ed, leading the way to the other room.
'is the holy Of holies."
It had a rubber floor, too. and, Rod
ney supposed. a felt ceiling. But its
only furniture was one chair and .
canvas cot.
"sound-proof too" said Randolph.
''But sounding boards or something In
all the walls. press this button, start
dictaphone, and talk in any direc-
ion, anywhere. It's all taken down.
Here's where I'm supposed to think.
make discoveries and things. tried II
for q WHILE"
They went back into the study.
"Clever beasts, though poodles," he
remarked, as he nodded Rodney to his
chair and poured himself another
drink. Learn their tricks very nicely.
But, good heavens, Aldrich, think OF
him as man! Think what our Amer.
lean married women are up against.
when they want somebody to play of
against their husbands and have to fall
back on tired little beasts like that.
Eleanor doesn't mean anything. She's
trying to make me jealous. That's her
newest experiment. But it's downright
pitiful, I say"
Rodney got up out Of his chair. 1t
wasn't a possible conversation. 'Tl
be running along, think" he said.
1--WE a lot Of proof to correct tonight
and you've got work Of your own,
expect"
"Sit down again." said Randolph
sharply. "Tm just getting drunk. But
that can wait. I'm going to talk. I've
got to talk. And II you 60, swear
I'll call up Eleanor's butler and talk
to him. You'll keep 1t to yourself
anyway" He added, as Rodney hest.
tated, II want to tell you about Rose
saw her in New York, you know"
Rodney sat down again. "Yes," he
said, $50 she wrote. Tell me how she
looked. She's been working tremen.
dously hard, and I'm little afraid
she's overriding it"
"She looks" Randolph said very de-
liberately, "a thousand years old" He
laughed at the sharp contraction Of
Rodney's brows. "Oh, not like that !
She's as beautiful as ever. Her skins
still got that bloom on 1t, and she still
flushes up when she smiles. She's lost
five pounds, perhaps, but that's just
condition. And vitalityI But thou
sand years old, just the same"
''Td like to know what you mean by
that" said Rodney.
"Why, look here" Randolph said.
''You know what kid she was when
you married her. Schoolgirl I used
to tell her things and she'd listen, all
eyes-holding her breath! Until I felt
almost as wise as she thought I was.
She was always game, even then. II
she started a thing, she saw it through.
If she said, Tell it to me straight
why, she took 1t, whatever it might
be, standing up. She wasn't afraid of
anything. Courage of innocence. Be
cause she didn't know. Well, she's
NOuA uSCo0S hOWy UOSnuSC SuC AAOW6s
She understands tell you-every-
thing.
'Why, look herei We all but ran
into each other on the corner, there,
Of Broadway and Forty-second street
shook hands. said howdy-do. If had
a spare half-hour, would come and
have tea with her here at the Knicker.
booker? Shed nodded at two or three
passing people while we stood there.
And then somebody said, Hello, Dane
and stopped. A. miserable. shabby,
shivering little painted thing. Rose
said Hello and asked how she was
getting along. Was she working now1
She said no; did Rose know of any.
thing? Rose said, Give me your ad.
dress, and If can find anything I'll
let you know The horrible little beast
told her where she lived and went
away. Rose didn't say anything to me,
except that she was somebody who'd
been out in a road company with her.
But there was look in her eyes -. !
Oh, she knew-everything. Knew
what the kid was headed for. Knew
there was nothing to be done about 1t.
She had no flutters about 1t, didn't
pull a long face, didn't as I told you,
say . word. But there was a look in
her eyes. somehow, that understood
and faced-everything. And then we
went In and had our tea.
II had thousand curiosities about
her. I'd have found out anything ]
could. But 1t was she who did the find-
ing out. Beyond inquirins about You.
how lately I'd seen you, and 80 on, she
hardly asked a question; but pretty
soon saw that she understood me.
She knew what was the matter with
me; knew what I'd made Of myself
And she didn't even despise mel
II came back here to kick this
thing to pieces, give myself fresh
A. -.