The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-03-20

prurient innuendo that the books were
published in their entirety without ex
%purgation. Vice has it's hypocritical
cant no less than religion.
One day, toward the end Of her first
week, she was startled to find before
her a card bearing the legend duane,
Thomas" His address was given, and
the facts that he had bought the three
quarter morocco Balzac, the half
lea&her Fielding and Smollett, and the
levant Court Memoirs. He had not
yet taken the bait for the De Maupas.
SAINT.
Daphne pondered his card and his
taste. She vas shaken from her pen
sive mood by the sudden commotion
of all the women. All eyes had seen
the minute and the hour hands in con-
junction at MI. Names were left off
in the middle; pens fell from poised
hands.
Daphne found herself alone. She
was glad of the quiet and the solitude.
while it lasted-which was not long,
for Gerst came back unexpectedly
early,
His eye met Daphne's. He started
toward her, and then, seeing that she
glanced away, went IN to his desk.
He stood there manifestly irresolute q
moment. He glanced at Daphne again,
at the fire escapes, ut the empty roora.
Then he went to the first Of the tables
and with labored carelessness inspect
ed the work of the absentee. He drift.
ed along the aisle toward Daphne,
throwing her now and then an inter.
negative smile that filled her with a
fierce anxiety.
She knew his reputation. She had
seen his vulgar scutiles with some of
the girls, had heard his odious words.
She was convinced that he was about
to pay her the horrible compliment of
his attention.
Her heart began to flutter with fear
and wrath. She felt that if he spoke
to her she would scream If he put his
hand on her shoulder or her chair she
would kill him, with a pair of scissors
or the knife with which she scraped
off blots. . No, she must not kill
him. But she would have to strike
him on the mouth.
But that meant instant dismissal at
the very least. He might smash his
fist into her face Or her breast or
knock her to the floor with the back
of his hand. She had seer too much
of life recently to cherish longer the
pretty myth that the poor are good Ia
the poor. She had seen how shabby
women Jared with street car conduct.
Ors and subway guards. She had seen
her own prestige dwindle as hel
clothes lost freshness.
But the violence of Gerst's resent.
ment would be a detail. The horror
was the mere thought of his touch.
She rose quickly and tried to reach
the fire escape. That was the solu
tion-to join the crowd.
But Gerst filled the aisle. She sidlet
past two tables into the next aisle. HI
laughed and sided across to the sam
aisle. She tried to hasten by. He pu,
his arms out and snickered:
"What's the rush. grille? Nobody
hollered 'Fire!"
= "Let me pass, please" she mumbled
"Wait ia minute, wait ia minute
What d you say if l was to asst vol
D to go to a show tanight, huh? What't
t you say?"
"Thank you. I have another
f couldn't"
| Smother eve, then? Or to a dance
huh?"
! "Thank you, I'm afraid I can't"
"NVhy not? Come on! Why not
Amt I got class enough for you?"
ooh yes, but Please, let me BY"
He stared at her, and his hand:
v twitched, and his lips. His eyes raj
: over her face and her bosom as if she
+ were q forbidden text. She was try
+ ing to remember what Duane had tolt
her about the way to quell a man
With great difficulty and in all trepi
;, dation she parroted her old formula.
2 "Mr. Gcrst, you don't have to fir
), with me. I don't expect it, and l DOM
like it, so please let me 60"
He stared at her, trying to under
stand her amazing foreign language
n Then he shifted with amused unbelief
dropped his hands, and stood aside.
!, Daphne could hardly believe her
ewes. The charm had worked thc third