The Twin City star., 1918-03-23
Beecher Street

BY r. RAY BAKER
Copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa'
per Syndicate.)

copyright, 1918. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.)
IL Ethel Drayton had done some real
reasoning instead Of leaping at con-
4 clusions and acting on impulse, it is
likely that her bark Of romance, with
Cliff Elaridge in command, would have
( sailed serenely down the river Of agree
ableness into the sea of matrimony
without encountering storm. On the
other hand, that kind Of journey would
not have been real rOmance-it would
have lacked zest-so perhaps it is just
as well that Herman Hartell came over
to Ethel's desk that dreary, rainy after
noon in April and unfOlded the secret.
II have something to say that is
very disagreeable to me-" began Har-
tell as he brushed hand caressingly
over his miniature mOustache and
looked down at Ethels curly brown
hair cOiled on the back of her head in
business-like knob that served as a
pencil holder. Nevertheless" he went
on, II feel in duty bound to, say it."
Ethel jerked a sheet of paper from
her typewriter and turned her black
eyes up ut the head shipping clerk.
The tiny, bristling ridge of hair on
Hartelrs upper lip forced smile 10
her face, but this was dispelled when
Hartell explained:
Its about Clifford. You see, last
night"
While this conversation was taking
place, the subject of the remarks sat
on high stool at the other side of
the Lewis Wholesale Paper company's
shipping office and poured over a file
of orders. Out of corner of his eye
he saw the head shipping clerk ap-
prOach the stenOgraphers desk, and
he frOwned.
Hartell leaned over Ethels chair as
he revealed the secret, and Cliff ruffled
his flaXen hair with one hand and
thrummed on his desk. with the other.
Half an hour later Cliff slipped from
his stool and into his light Overcoat.
Carrying his hat, he approached Ethel,
who was still busy at the typewriter.
He passed and smiled pleasantly, but
she continued rattling the keys.
"You needn't trouble yourself to
wait for me-" she informed him in icy
tones without pausing in her work or
looking up. I'll be little late, and
Mr.. Hartell has promised to see me
home"
Cliffs smile vanished. Before he had
a chance to reply, she had slipped
ring from a finger of her left hand and
extended it toward him. She looked
into his eyes with a stare encrusted
with ice.
II can't wear this any longer" she
said, "after the way you have acted
lately. have heard that all men must
sow wild oats, but l assure you that
my man won't. If you must gamble
and carouse, you can't expect to be-
come my husband. have learned all
about your going to saloon or gam
bling den on Beecher street almost ev.
cry night. and that's enough for me.
Goodnight"
Cliff stumbled down the steps to the
street and walked three blocks, heed.
less Of the pouring rain, before he
came to himself and found the ring
clasped In his hand. Then he stopped
dead still in the middle of q street
crossing, undecided whether to leap in
the river or 60 back and throw Her
man Hartell from the roof of the six
story Lewis building. He decided to
do neither; instead, he headed for
Beecher street.
Efhol coynplotod Ior xrorl, orI x,,,c
escorted to her rooming place by Har-
tell. At the door she took his hand
and said earnestly:
"YOu don't know how I appreciate
the revelation you have made to me.
] know 1t must have been hard for
you to come and tell me about seeing
Clifford so into that terrible place SO
many times; and am grateful"
"DOn't mention it, please" protested
Hartell, striving unsuccessfully toreach
his mustache with his tongue. Il
couldn't bear to see you throw your
self away on worthless fellow. I
save good many blocks by cutting
through Beecher street on the way
home and that's how I happened to
notice him there"
The next day Ethel failed to appear
at the office, telephoning that she was
suffering from headache. The sue
ceeding day was Sunday. The rain
had ceased but the weather had turned
chilly and the sun hid behind clouds.
Ethel listened in vain for the door
bell or the telephone, hoping Cliff
would appear as he had done each Sun
day for more than year. True. she
had told him it was all over; never
theless, she had expected him to come
and make some kind Of protest and
attempt an explanation. The morning
passed very gloomily for her.
Early in the afternoon the landlady
summoned her to the telephone, and
Ethel tripped over,a chair in her haste
70 answer the cell.
"This is Mr.. Hartell," said the voice
On the wire. "Could call on you this
nAk