Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-06-13
THE TWICE AMERICAN
>ByE lea.or NJ. Ireraan A.ther Of From the Car Behind"



and between the curtains crept a slug
gish, unsAvcrS Air-An air smelling OF
s%un-tcrtured asphalt, horses. and
burned gasoline. He did not want that
atmosphere any more than he wanted
his breakfast. DISCUS led, out OF
fronted the girl who was not a pran-
cess.
She was outside. Of course on the
course, too. she had not stopped to
gaze at the dark-faced young man
who .scorned his breakfast. Her red
brown Eyes were intent upon q large
glass showcase which had been
moved to the door during an elabcr-
ate cleaning OF the approach to the
breakfAst-room-a door opening up
on the cross-street, instead Of h z
nue..
Her eyes were lovely in tint and
depth, but they were more than hun
gry-they were avid. They sleaRed
: with eager desire. Noel saw her silk
gloved hands clench ~exprcssively, saw
her noetrils hutter n expand. She
wanted-what: His glance traced
her regard.
The showcase contained a varied
display. There we're silver vanity
cases, and purses. markers for bridge
whist. vases of silver-threaded
crystal. a gaudy cushion Of silt bro.
cade. several fans. a fancy lamp. and
a French doll CONSCIOUSLY appsre'led'
If she had been caught by the al
lure of any trinket or ornament there.
Noel would not have been stirred. eX-
| cept to cynical amusement. But the
; doll! Surely that implied unSel1sh-
ness. at least, since she could not
want the playthins for herself.
He wondered what n baby sister to
this girls prettiness would be. A
sunny bit of mischief. probably. and
glanced from the blonde curls Of the
beauty in the glass cast to h bronze
curls Of the girl on the sidewalk. and
smiled at his own fancy.
At that instant the girl turned and
met his eyes across the barrier Of the
window-sill. Somehow entangied.
their, glances fingered together.
NoeIs regard was curious, vet kinder
than he himself realized. The girls
eyes were candid and grave. for all
their startled widening.
And then to his enormous surprise.
she spoke to him:
Il beg your pardon. but perhaps
you know perhaps you will tell me
how one gets those things? I
mean, does one dance for them?"
OF curse she spoke Of dancing:
What in all the world could seem
more natural to her? Her YER voice
was light and came like hurrying
steps, with smooth, unexpected little
:glides and h%es1tations.
yes Noel answered. Those are
prizes offered by the hotel, each eve
ming after eleven o'clock. to the best
pair of dancers on the floor"
T the best coupler"
Certainly"
disappointment clouded the girls
face, n a childish patience crept In
to the farewell glance that she turn
ed toward the showcase.
Thank you" she told David, with
a bend of her head.
But he was not minded to be dis
missed quite. so summar1ly. She had
pricked his interest and curiosity.
You like the doll?" he asked.
pleasantly impersonal. Il believe it
is ticketed for tonight's contest, II you
intend to compete"
"Thank you," she said again. mo.
I cannot. 1 thought it might perhaps
be for n dancing alone"
The originality Of the suggestion
p1OIAlPlOO I<OSl ". dIIOSS HCI u0p0A
ture by another speech.
But surely you did not wish to
come alone?" he exclaimed.
Dignity, stiffened her attitude.
Surely not, sir. I have a friend
who might bring me. Unfortunately
he Is too old to dance, even il he
knew how"
n younger escort 4" he marvelled,
with a smile of incredibly.
She gave him "a straight glance.
light. a background of swirling gold
en- notes. Her face, 'ivory-white as
a petal from one of the velvet, cream
hued water-lilies that he had seen. in
the tropic rivers he knew SO we'll, was
family and sweetly. damp, as the fow-
err might have. been. He was close
enough to see that, and sophisticated
enough to recognize that she used no
powder or. rouge to ruin the fresh
childhood. Where she stood, a
thermometer would have registered
nearly a hundred degrees; he did not
wonder at her heat-pallor, but he did
wonder at the vitality and vigorous
life, instinct even in her arrested still
ness of the moment.
you have been very good to an
swer my question" she said; A"but I
did wrong in speaking to you"
Before the startled Noel grasped>
the rebuke, she had gone. Nor could
she have been traced. but in the very
act Of flight her glance encountered
the French doll in the showcase. Her
lingering was hardly more than the
space Of a drawn breath, vet It gave
Noel time to Ming back hts chair and
reach the door soon enought to see
which way she turned at. the corner
of the street.
His swinging stride easily overlook
even her lightfootedness. Again he
noticed, as he bore down upon her.
the enchanting grace Of her move
ments. ~. .4%4
II beg your pardon he saad, when
no "a beside her. II supposed de-
served that reproach for my clumsi-
ness: but not for my intention! I Of
tended you; will you accept my
She stopped short. looking up at
yes" she granted. after . mo-
ment.
There wassno. encouragement in the
monosyllabie; yet Noel persisted, urs-
ed on by an impulse as wild as youth,
and utterly foreign to his own nature.
Believe me. I am not @ dull as
to mistake your reaEon for speaking
to me. 1ou thought only OF that doll.
YES" she said again.
How curious an allure she had for
him! Noel marveIled at It eve while
he spoke. She was pretty: but he
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