The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-02-22
BY MARY
ROBERTS |
RINEHART |

stayed ut home with her, he was so
discontented that he drove her almost
to distraction. Although she was con-
vinceu that he was seeing nothing of
the girl who had been with him the
night of the accident, she did not trust
him. Not that girl, perhaps, but there
were others. There would always be
others.
Into Chrlstinc's Little parlor. :hen.
*. turned, one spring evening. She
was reading by the lamp. eud the door
into the haH stood cpep The little
room always ches:&l r.. It's warmth
and light appealed t. rs esthetic
sense; after the baroness OF Ii. bed
room, 1T spelled luxury. And perhaps,
to be entirely frank, her evident pleas.
IRE In his society gratified him. Chris.
tines small coquetries were not lost on
him. The evenings with her did some-
thing to reinstate him in his own self
esteem. 1t was subtle, psychological.
but also 1t was very human.
"Come and sit down." said Christine.
Here's chair, and here are ciga-
rettes and there are matches. Now!"
Behind him, Christine stood watch.
ing his head in the light of the desk
lamp. 'What strong. quiet face It
IS, she thought Why did she get the
impression of such tremendous re-
serve power in this man who was
clerk, and clerk only? Behind him
she made quick. unconscious gesture
of appeal, both hands out for an in.
slant. She dropped them guiltily as
X. turned to her.
II wonder If you know. H." she said,
what Il lucky woman the woman Will
be who marres you?"
He laughed good-humoredly.
II wonder how long 1 could hypno-
tie her into thinking that"
i've had time to do little think
ing lately" she said. without bitter
ness. "Palmef-is away so much now.
I've been looking back. wondering If 7
ever thought that about him. don't
believe ever did. wonder"
She checked herself abruptly and
sat down. After moment: .'Has It
ever occurred to you how terribly
mixed up things are? Take this
Street, for instance. Can you think of
anybody on 1t that-tllat things have
gone entirely right with?"
Its little world of its own. of
+ course" said K, "and 1t has plenty
y of contact points with life. But wher-
ever one finds people, many or few,
], one finds all the elements that make
: up life-joy and sorrow, birth and
. death, and even tragedy. That's rath-
:. er trte, isn't it?"
! Christine was still pursuing her
thoughts.
, Men are different" she said ITO
, II certain extent they make their own
+. rates. But when you think of the
women on the Street-Hurriet Ken
:. ncdy. Sidney Page, myself, even Mrs.
fosenfeld back IN the alley-sOme-
BODY else molds things for us, and all
we can do is to sit back and suffer.
am beginning to think the world is
Il terrible place, II. Why do people
so often marry the wrong people? Why
can man care for one woman and
only one all his life? Why-why is it
all 80 complicated?"
There are men who care for only
one woman all their lives"
0urc that sort, aren't your"
dont want to put myself on any
pinnacle. If cared enough for wom-
an to marry her, I'd hope to But
: we are being very tragic, Christine" :
Il feel tragic. There's going to be
' another mistake, *, unless you stop
It,"
He tried 10 ieayen the conversation
with II little fun.
!, IF you're going 10 nsk me to inter-
: fcre between Mrs. Mckee and the
dchf-hhl.duiBb book and insurance
> agent, shall do nothing OF the sort.
). She cnn both speak and hear enough
, for both Of them"
. Il mean Sidney and Max Wilson.
Hes mad about her, K.; and, because
Hlies the sort she Is, he'll probably be
:. mad about her all his life, even If he
inarrIcs her. But hell not be true to
; her; know the type now"
X. leaned back with flicker Of
:, pain I'm his eyes.
what can / do about it?"
Astute as he was, he did not suspect
that Christine was using this method
. to fathom his feeling for Sidney. Per.
haps she hardly knew 1t herself
"YOu might marry her yourself, K"
But he had himself IN hand by this
, time, and she learned nothing from eli.
ther his voice or his eyes.
. "On twenty dollars week? And
= without so much as asking her con-
sent?" He dropped his light tone. "I'm
: not In position to marry anybody.
Even lf Sidney cared for me, which
she doesn't, Of COURSE" :"
: "Then you don't intead to interfere2 2
You're going to let the Street see an.
;. other failure?'