The Red Cloud chief., 1919-03-27
CHAPTER XIII.

When the ChivviseS had gone Daph-
ne assailed the task of composing her
letter of resignation from Reben's en-
ploy. 1t was not easy to resign with
dignity and the necessary haste.
She sent 1t Off by messenger. 1t was
none too prompt, for Reben had al
ready dictated very polite request
for Daphne's head. When he received
her letter he recalled his stenographer
and dictated substitute for his first
letter. In this he expressed his regret
ut learning Daphne's decision to re.
sign; the former understudy had come
back from the road, he said, and would
resume her work. He begged Daphne
to accept the inclosed check for two
weeks salary In lieu Of the usual no.
tlce, and hoped that she would believe
him faithfully hers.
Daphne felt proud impulse to re-
turn the fifty dollars. She wrote
letter to go with 1t. She looked again,
and saw 1t was the first money she had
ever earned. She hated to let 1t go.
She decided to frame it and keep 1t to
point to in after years as the begin
ming of her great fortune.
Late in the afternoon, when the
western sky was turning into loom
for crimson tapestries almost as rich
as her own dreams, she went to her
brothers apartment.
There the New Girl found the Old
Woman In the throes of finance. Leila
had brought her check book and her
bank book to her husband. Her af-
fairs were In knot.
He laughlngly offered to help her.
She was hurt by his laughter, but not
haf so deeply as he was by his dis
covery Of her monetary condition. He
had established her bank accOuat In
mood of alteration, precious sacri-
flee on the altar of love. She had not
cherished it, but scattered it heed
lessly. And money was peculiarly
precious now in the final agonies of
the hard times, when only the fittest
of the fittest could survive the last
tests. Credit was the water cask, and
dollars were the hard biscuits of a
boatload Of survivors from wreck.
Land might be reached IL they held
out, but self-denial was vital.
Bayard gazed at Leila with wonder
ing love and terror. She was both
divinity and devil In his eyes. He
groaned:
'Are you trying to wreck me? You
know how hard I'm working and how
much l need money in my business
and how much 1t means to your future
but you won't stop buying and charg'
ing and burning my poor little earn
ings. We discharged stenographei
yesterday because we wanted to save
her salary of fifteen dollars-and
here's check for pair of shoes fol
you that cost sixteen.
"But tell me one thing more before
I'm carted Off to Bloomlngdale In Q
straltjacket. Why, in heavens name
why--admlttlng you just had to have
that pitiful little pair of shoes-why
when you wrote the check, didn't yot
subtract 1t from your balance instead
of adding It? i ask you"
"Oh, did l do that?" she asked, look
ing over his shoulder. $50 did," ant
she put her cheek close to his ant
| giggled.
He shook his head in imbecile infat
uation, and drew her around into hi
arms.
That was what Daphne overhear,
when the maid let her in. She fOun'
Leila resting In Bayard's lap.
Bayard did not tell Daphne what hi
conference with Leila had been. III
simply closed the check book and tn
bank book and said to Leila: "I'll sen,
the bank my check for thirty-elgh
cents and ask 'em to close their at
count. They'll be mighty glad I
do It,"
sand so will L." said Leila. "It wa
awfully hard work keeping track @
every little penny. I'd much rathe
have regular allowance in cash Q,
cry week."
I "All right r. said Bayard. "Wen II
| that-neXt week."
, Daphne was not told what all tn
y talk was about, but she made fa
fuess though she pretended NOT tn.