Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-10-16
CHAPTER xxI1I-(Continued.

But, untll she encountered MARIE Al
the studio, it had not occurred to he
that the girl might be staying at the
Mendall's. She felt certain of 1t
now, and there was alarm mingled
with her anger, for there was some
thing more than the grasping ten
dency of the practiced coquette in her
fancy for Carl Mendall. She. was
thirty, ennuied by her marriage, Sc
cretly bored by her surroundings
in frer search for diversion. Carl
Mendall stirred her. She had gone
pretty far; she was tempted to risk
even more;;' she was enjoying her
recklessness. She considered herself
clever enough to cope with any wom-
an in Laclasse. clever enough to uti-
lie her w~ideawake stepdaughter.
|. {. But this girl?
She talked a good deal to Mendall
as he played with palette and colors,
a skilful setting forth of her social
Importance, amused comments on this
dinner and that, followed by a signing
confession that she meant to spend
the summer in Laclasse with dances
atHthe Country club for diversion. She
evidently danced much n we'll, for
Mendalls remark was genuinely adj
miring:
You dance as naturally and as
gracefully as o walk. The innate
dancer is not affected by the weather.
A little languor, perhaps, but what
Of that" =
II might say the same of you." she
retorted lightly.
He looked across his raised brush at
her, the first appreciative glance he
had given her since she came in. ''It's
a form of intoxication."
She smiled at him.
Mendall tool up the subject after
a time. IT wish you would introduce
some of the Spanish dances. The
love-challenge is more clearly ex-
pressed In them than in the Anglo
Saxon motion to music. I like the
coquetryaof the Spanish dances, and
ages of the Isthfnussthey are marvel
Gus. We can't. do it as they can. II
you've ever watched negroes dance
you'll know what 1tmean:* there is
both verve and subtlety in their
dance-expression: The nearer we get
to the savage the more perfectly ex-
pressed is the love-challenge; and aft
er all it's the love-call that underlies
all motion to music-even the So
called religious dances"
Mrs. Bagsby laughed softly. "You
are right, of course, though Laclasse
would be shocked at your views"
Il don't state them to Laclasse."
Nor do 1 advertise my convic-
tions.' ishe sighed YEARLY: "Oh,
Laclasse!"
There was an intensity of contempt
in Mendalrs reply. Its in the mid
dle-western town that the Puritanism
which makes a hypocrite, more or
less, of every American. really flour
ishes. It's been pushed out of the
East by Southern European ideas
which are anything but Puritanical-
and trekked westward. but never real
~ reached the Pacific coast. 1t was
scared by the wide expanse of nature.
It got lost in the sands of the desert.
lt%lodged in the middle-western town,
a residue that mingles funnily with
bald commercialism and an entire
lack of subtlety."
How well you express the things
I have only dared think" his sitter
said, her violet eye grown wide and
wistful.
Marie smiled slightly. Mrs. Bags
by's tactics appeared to entertain her.
The look Marie surreptiously be-
slowed on her was much the same
watchful consideration a tiger would
give a panther. Mendall she studied
thoughtfully, his youthful .%erectness.
his clean-cut features, his black hair.
dusky tinting, and arrogant lips.
She smiled again to herself. Her
expression said: THE woman Is a
fool!"
~ , .f N "