The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-04-11
CHAPTER xIi-Continued.

Satan or Raphael had whispered tt
her an invitation to revisit the scene
of her late humiliation with Clay. Witt
Duane's magic purse there would be
no danger of snub from the walters
with his own car there would be nc
risk of footing it home.
Then an imp of mischief spoke fol
her and said, "All right"
Duane told the chauffeur and the
car shot like javelin from the lighted
street into the deep forest-night OF
Central park.
What would Clay say? But, after
all, he had failed her in a crisis. Per-
haps he had turned his heart else
where. Men were impatient, vindic-
tive, tickle.
When Claremont was reached and
Duane handed Miss Kip out he noted
that her hand was hotter than his own
and a little quick to escape, her face
was flushed and her lips parted as if
with excitement. He assumed that
the speed of the ride and the tang of
adventure were to blame.
While the walters were serving the
supper and while he was attacking it
with the frank appetite of honest hun
ger she recounted the evenings dis
aster as calmly as if it were the story
of somebody else. In fact, she was
standing off and regarding herself with
the eyes of an alien. We change so
fast that the persons we were yester-
day are already strangers, and their
acts the acts of distant relatives. Her
calm was really the numbness of
shock. The anguish would come to-
morrow.
81 can't understand myself at ALL"
Daphne said. Il went through every |
one of the motions, but / couldn't |
reach the audience once. / was like a |
singer with a bad cold singing in a /
foreign language-you don't know what |
the song is all about, but you know
that it never quite gets on the key"
"You mustn't be discouraged"
"Oh, yes, I must! I couldn't be an
actress in thousand years. Mr.. Bat
terson told me SO himself
Duane felt the truth of this, but it
hurt him to have her feel it. 1t Of
Tended his chivalry to realize how i'm
polite fate could be to so pretty girl.
He hated to see her reduced to the
necessity of proving how plucky she
could be. He tried to find an escape
for her. He said:
You're far too good for the stage"
81 don't believe that for a minute"
she protested. "But I've got to find
something I can do"
May help you to decidef"
"If you only would But I'm getting
to be nuisance"
you are a-a-to me you are a.
we'll, you're not nuisance"
He dared not tell her what she was,
as the waiter had set the ,
bill at his elbow and was standing off /
n an attitude Of ill-concealed impa- ,
fence for the tip, which he knew ,
would be large. Mr.. Duane always
ave the normal ten per cent and !
bit extra. He tipped wisely but not ,, :
90 well, knowing that an extravagant {
ip wins a walters contempt almost |
nore than none at all. The head waiter f
airIy cooed "Good night" and almost 1
ave them a blessing.
The starter had Mr.. Duane's car t
Waiting for him at the curb and lifted
lis hat with one hand as he smuggled I
quarter away with the other. he t
topped In to lay the linen laprobe
yer their knees with reverence, closed I
he door exquisitely and murmured, t
Good pight!" a
The car was an aristocrat; it float c
d from the curb with swanlike
weep. b
Daphne thought Of Clay and herself p
lodding homeward. She seemed to v
e them or their wraiths staggering
along. She felt very {,
prry for them. Here was chance to Y
ave ono Of them both Of them, in a
lct; for in taking her financial bur-
"a from Gays shoulders she would |,
! twice strengthening him. r she
- to accept Duane - her husband n
- her problems would b solved
~ Clay would b FREE " hef. Il
~ b ArA Ton Dunae: - step into p
y secisty y eee1ety . ~ ~ 1nthsR !
- ue<A1e 1D Des1laoa = noo1- =