Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-03-20
CHATTER ViI-Continued.

CHAPTER Vii-continued.
Leila said nothing, but thought hard.
Rayard was silent. Later the door-bell
rang and q young sewing girl brought
two big boxes from Dutilh's. They
were SO big that there was no conceal
eng them. Leila made q timid effort to
escape with hers, but Bayard was full
OF q cheerful curiosity:
"Wh&f's all that, honeyT
ooh. its just IA little thing I
picked up today at Dutilh's."
"Wkat Is 1t, a scarf or something?
Give a fellow q look at it."
He began to unite the knot. Sealed
across the cord was an envelope, with
"a statement. Bayard tore it free.
leila snatched at it. Bayard laughed
and lodged her. Leila pursued. 1t
was a CHASTITY game of tag for her, and
Daphne and her mother looked IN in
guilty dread. Bayard, whooping with
laughter, dashed into his roof and
closed the door, held 1t fast while Leila
pounded and pleaded with him.
His laughter was quenched sharply.
There was a silence. He opened the
door and walked out, a sickly pallor at
mis- tips, the statement in his hand:
This can't be right, honey: Bayard
Kip to Dutilh, debtor. ~Peach-blow
satin gown-two hundred and seventy
Eve dollars The price Is ridiculous
and L have no account there"
'He-he insisted on my opening
ane.''
"BGG [ don't want to open any ac'
counts. I pay my bills in thirty days
zr discount them for cash. | can't pay
&his in thirty days. Every penny ]
can see ahead Of me is laid out"
"4-rm sorry" Leila faltered. "You
said the times were getting better"
Il thought they were. 1 hoped they
-rere. But they've gone bad again. Be
sides. I was trying to cheer you up
to give you a happy honeymoon. And
U bought you everything you saw
abroad. And 1t wasn't enough! When
will you get enough %clothesF"
Leila had stared %incredulous at the
calamltous result of her tender Inn
puIse to beautify herself In his eyes
Eghen tears came gushing and she ran
to her room and locked the door.
Bayard did not follow her. He
turned for comfort to his mother and
Daphne. He noted the other box
Daphne had not dared to open 1t.
Bayard ripped the envelope from Its
cord and read:
"Baysrd Kip to Dutilh, DR.. Parch
mentioned gown, for Miss Daphne
Kip two hundred and seventy-five dol
lars"
He was aforementioned himself al
he shook the statement at Daphne
and whispered, huskily, whats this?
Daphne could not muster any cour
age. She explained with craven re
a1orse, Il saw a gown that II needed
ahere. and IL He offered to let |
on your account till I could get tn
money"
Bayard was choked with wrath ant
"a ttCLOE BEedLeT IuHu ueFS.
III go TO my Office and work like
x7end all day, and I come home to fin,
that my wife and my sister have ruI
DRe Into debt for-five hundred an
Sffty dollars. And the firm, the bi
darm 7 work for, had to extend a not
For seven hundred and fifty becaus
we couldn't meet I'll"
His mother tried to stem the tide O
BayarTs rage, to turn his wrath wit
q soft answer:
II guess It's all my fault, honey. TIL
dresses looked 30 pretty on the girls
urged them to take them. You ough
TO see how beautiful they are. Go pu
the dress on, Daphne, and let you
Brother see how sweet you look in it,
"Sweeti She looks sweet in it! 1t
beautiful And that justifes anything
Lord. what did you make 'em out o
dhese women"
Mrs. Kip nudged Daphne and viii
pereL Go on, put the dress on; Il
MIN see you In it.H
She spoke with great cannlness, b.
Daphne stared at her with derislo
and edged away and spoke In a tor
as biting as cold blue vitrlol.
"Put 1t on. motherl Do you thin
I'D ever wear the thing7 I'll send
back tomorrow morning at daybrea
And Tu never take a thing that al
man pays for as long as | live"
Bayard roared al her over his shot
der: ~YoU won't take anything tn