The Bismarck tribune., 1919-04-07

where - Sne dwelt upon the terrOrs
Of Inakeshift homemade furniture with
cretDilIle tackled on around it, the dis
mai results Of fifty-cent-a day cOokery-
out Of the back pages Of domestic mag
azines. She brought ont the fact that
these trials were much less unbearabla
in the cases Of certain Of her friends
who had at least assumed them with
their eyes open. But to be asked if
she'd mind going and living like
that. as the result of an ignominiouS
smash which she. ludicionsly and in-
+tolerably. hadn't seen until it was
about her ears. In short, her tempest
Of anger. she whipped and cut him
where and how she could, and had him
looking pretty white and sick before
She got through.
He might have drawn q favorable
augr,ry from AL This. but it isn't won
dcrful that ne did not, He failed to
remark. III the first place, that she
had left the first half of his question
unAnsWcrcd-lhc question whether
or not she really was in love with him.
himself, rather than with the content
ed and prosperous citizen he had ceas.
ed to be. And, while he saw that she
was trying frantically TO hurt him. to
draw blood wherever she could snatch.
ing at any singing phrase that would
serve her purpose. he was unable to
make the simple deduction from this
fact that unless she were in love with
him-vcr much in love with him
the exercise would have afforded her
no satisfaction. Shed have been con
cer~cd with her own feelings, not his.
Her words stumbled at last over a
big sob and she pulled up short. Wis
IDLY got herself in hand and said very
deliberately:
what You said was. wasn't it, that
you'd do anything You co--uld--any-
thing I wanted you TO: mean. as far
as ] am concerned?"
lie nodded but she wasn't looking at
him. he had to speak. IT took "A struggle
to get the words ont of his stiff throat.
but he finally managed. Eyes. that's
what | said" -
"And you mean itT' she asked.
you'll do it? That's a serious promise?
"YeS." he said what is it that you
want me to do?'
She told him to wait a minute, she
wanted to think. 1t was with a
question that she began. and the nature
of it startled him into starting speech
lessness so that she had to ask it two
or three times
Can you really get that Job you
were talking about twenty-five dol
lars a week or so--at drafting-table,
I think you said? ] mean. can you
count on it. as much as that a week? ?"
Finally he reused himself enDugh to
say. yes guess so"
She hesitated over her next ques-
tiOn. drew herself up II little more de-
fiantly erect. and made sure she had
command of a steady glance and a.
cOldly remote tone before she asked.
IF man and his wife were going
to live on that. how much could they
afford to pay for a fiat? They'd live
in flat. wouldn't they? 1t would be
cheaper than boarding-house? If she
did all the work herself-of course?"
"Celiay he cried. you mean:
Answer my question" she COM
manded furiously. she was furious be-
cause she had to look away from him
after ALL would they have a small
fiat, I mean. instead Of boarding
house,"
EYES," he said raggedly y. .sthev would
And they could pay about twenty five
dollars a month for it." Then he came
UP behind her, not touching sher. but
leaning close. one hand on the chair
back, the other on the desk beside her
Even so she could feel that he was
trembling, and she had a. giddy. irra
tional terrifying impulse to fling her
arms around him around whatever Of
him was within reach and press her
face, against him and cry
"Do you mean--:' he asked. Celia,