New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-06-20
The Thirteenth
RUPERT HUGHES
Commandment .....

us that all? The heroine of an
English novel I've been reading used
to dash off five or six miles before
breakfast"
Patriotism and pride helped her for
a quarter of a mile more. Then she
resigned:
81 guess I'm not an English heroine.
l don't believe she ever really did 1t.
I'll resign I'll have to ask you to call
me a cab"
"Pretty hard to find an empty n
along here at this hour" he said. and
urged her on.
Lets go Over that way to the In
habited part of town." she said. land
take a street car or the subway"
And then he stopped and said. with
guilty brusquerie. "Have you got your
pOcketbOok with your"
mo, | left 1t at home tonight. WhyT"
Daphne, l haven't got a cent"
"Why, Clay! you poor thing!"
That's why l was so rough with the
waiter. If I'd had the money. do you
think I'd have made a row before you
about a few little dollars? Never! You
see, | didn't expect to so out to Clare
mont after the theater. The taxi cost
more than l expected, and then l gave
the head waiter five dollars instead of
one. l ordered with care SO that 1t
would come rat right. But that bust
ness about the melon finished me. l
just made it. | never was so ashamed
in my life. And | had to drag you into
it, and now I'm numbering your poor
little feet"
That's the funniest joke ! ever
heard. Why didn't you tell me befOre?"
Its no joke"
"NNhy, of curse it is, You have
only y go to your bank tomorrow and
draw some more"
He did o answer this. He said
nothing at all. She had a terrified feel
ing that his silence was full of mean
ing. that his bank account would not
respond to his call. She could not ask
him to explain the situation. She was
afraid that he might.
She marched on doggedly, growing
md more gloomy and deerepit.
Her little slippers with, their stilted
heels pinched and waveied, and every
step WAS n pang.
Lets 90 over there pnd get on a
street car, and dare them TO put us
OFF, she suggested.
"It's IA pay-asyOu-entsr car" he
groaned.
The world was a different world
now. The drive that had been so tre-
mendously lovely as she sped through
it in n taxicab was a pathway in Mo
iave. She limped through the hideous,
hateful, objectionable length, and felt
that 10 was a symbol of the life ahead
of her. She had counted on escaping
from the money limits of her home.
She wns merely transferring herself
from one Jail to another.
Her young lover had dazzled her
with his needless courtship, flown away
with her on motor wings. dipping to
earth now and then TO sip refresh
ments at a high cost. and then swoop-
ing off with her again.
And now his wings had broken his
gasoline was gone; his motor burnt
out and the rest of the journey was
to be the same old trudgc.
She had been leaning heavily on
Clay's arm. Row she put it away from
her in n mixture of pity for him and
Of self-reproof. When he protested.
she said:
II think I'll walk better alone for a
while"
SO she hobbled and hobbled by her
self, he pleading TO be allowed To help
her. But she kept him away.
And they crept IN II little farther,
loving each other piteously.
In the curse of time they reached
the soldiers and Sailors monument.
and Daphne sank down AT the base of
IL.
81 can't 20 any farther she said.
mot if I die Of starvation" lie sank
down at her side. The moon leered
nj them between the columns and the
celia of the monument. and seemed
to tilt its face to one side and smile.
A motorcar went by with the silence
of n looping panther. Another car pass
ing 1t threw q calcium light on Tom
Duane and his guests and his chauf-
feur. How %gorgeously they sped! If
Daphne had had a bit of luck she
would he with them, soaring on the
piniOns of money, instead of hobbling
without il.
Daphne took off her slippers and
fondled her poor abused feet as If they
were her children. But when she tried
to thrust them back into her slippers
for a final desperate effort she almost
shrieked with the hurt.
"Ill have to go the rest of the way
in my stocking feet" she moaned.
"Not if / have to carry you" Clay
growlen.
Before he had n chance to carry out
his resolution a taxicab that had de-
its fares at an apartment house
above went bowling by with its flag /,
up.
stopped. circled round. and drew up by
the bridle-path. Then he ran to Daphne
and bundled her into II, and gave her
address to the driver.
But how are you going to pay himT"
she sighed. blissfully. as they shot
along. "Not that I care at ALL" 4
Il haven't figured that out" said
Clay. "I1l drop you at home and then
him to my club and see if l can't
from somebody there. II ii
can't, I'll give him my watch or the
fght of his life" !
That's %terribleF" Daphne sighed.
To think how much / have cost you 7"
aVyaII I wanted fo give vou a GOOD