Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-30

II which fascinated the boy with a sui
II tlety which more reckless appear
ance would have ut once defeated.
III And then Dave looked in her fac'
III II was a pretty face. notwithstandin
II its grease paint. and il smiled RICH
II into his eyes. His heart thumped be
II tween his shoulders as though ii wOul
i drive all the air from his lungs. Sh
| smiled at him-for him! Now the,
/ were away again; there were gyra
tons about the stage.
Then there was a sudden break
away in the dance, and the girl dis
| appeared behind a forest. Dave sup
posed she had gone to rest; dancing
like that must be hard on the wind
He found little to interest him now in
what was going on on the stage. II
seemed rather foolish. He wished the
girl behind the forest would come
down and rest there. Then she could
see the show herself. Then she co.ld
| see
But there was whir from the for
est, and the girl reappeared, this time
all in red right before him. And then
she looked down and smiled again at
him. And he smiled back. And then
he looked at Coward and saw him
smiling too. And then he felt a very
distressing uncertainty, which brought
the color slowly to his face. He re-
solved to say nothing, but watch. And
his observations convinced him that
the smiles had been for Coward, not
for him. And then he lost interest III
the play.
They hustled into their overcOats to
the playing of the national anthem.
Hurry" said Coward. Lets get
out quick! Amt she some dame?
There-through the side exit-the
stage door is that way. She promised
to have her chum with her. They'll
be waiting if we don't hurry"
Coward steered him to the stage
entrance, where a little group was al
ready cOngregated. In n moment the
girl appeared, handsomely dressed in
furs. With her was another girl, also
from the chorus, but Dave could not
RECALL her part. He was suddenly !
aware of being introduced. i
This is my friend Belton," 10Y
ward was saying. ~
Dave was about to correct him VIZ
Coward lEGnaged to kWhiSA}
kYhist! ss..ssAvs+fee nnm<
#tiward. Don't forget"
Coward took the first girl by VIA
arm, and Dave found himself follow
ing rapidly with the other. They cut
through certain side streets, up stair
way, and into a dark hall. A door
opened. Coward pressed a button,
and they found themselves in a small
but comfortably furnished roOm-evi-
IDENTIFY bachelor apartments.
The girls threw off their wraps and
about the place, while Con-
ward started gas CRATE and put some
water to boil.
"SOrry I've nothing for you to eat.
he said, "but I've some good medicine
for the thirst"
"Eating's poor business when there's
A thirst to be quenched," said one of
he girls with a yawn. "And, believe
ne, I've a long one"
The glasses were filled and raised.
'HO :" said Coward.
Here's lOoking!" said one of the
,irls.
Dave hesitated, but the other girl
linked her glass against his. Here's l
Ooking at YOU" she said, and she APP I
feared to lay special emphasis on the
asst two words. Certainly her eyes 7
we're on Dawes as she raised her glass $
o her lips. And under the spell of b
hose eyes he raised his glass and n
rained it. a
Other glasses were filled and II
rained. The three were chatterng a
way, but Dave was but vaguely con- II
,lous of their talk and could weave s.
0 connected meaning into it. His II
cad was buzzing with a pleasant, n
reamy sensation. A very grateful IN
armth surrounded him, and with it III
lme a disposition to go to sleep. He
'obably would have gone to sleep had er
s eye not fallen on a picture on the oN
all. 1t was a picture of n girl point M
Z her finger ut him. No girl hi
uld point her finger at him. He nc
ose and made lunge across the liz
ON. He missed her, and with diff II
lily retraced his steps to the table th
make fresh start. III
"She's maxim fun of me-" he said, a
n | don't stand for that. Nobody W,
n do that with me. Nobody-see? Gle
lon't low It,"
"Oh, you don't?" laughed one of the |
Is, running into corner and point su
: her finger at him. "You don't?" to
He turned his attention to her, no
'adying himself very carefully be. ha
e he attempted an advance. Then, the
IN wide-stretched arms, he bore the
wn cautiously upon her. When he the
] her almost within reach she dart .
along the edge of the room. He
empted sudden change in direc.
n, which ended disastrols'ly, and he
md himself very much sprawled out
IN the floor. He was aware of L.
ghter. but what cared he? He was
poSed 10 slppp What better place