The Connecticut labor press., 1919-05-03
CHAPTER XIV.

news. She thought of asking Clay for
a loan. She swept the appalling idea
from her brain with puff Of derision
Besides, he was out of town, Bayard
had said. She thought Of asking Tom
Duane for it. She tried to blow that
idea from her mind, but 1t kept drift
ing back like bit of stubborn thistle
down. She could not outwalk it.
At length she grew so desperate
that she stopped at a telephone booth
and braZenly called up Duane's num-
Der. He CHANGED to be at home. When
he heard her voice he cried:
"Oh Lord, it's good to hear you
Sing again, sing again. nightingale ~
I'm no nightingale. I'm business
woman. offering you an investment"
She told him the whole story. The
name of Mrs. Remilly made him whis-
tle.s "Old Gorgon Zola," he called her,
and added, You're a made woman"
"But the clothes aren't made, and
can't make 'em till get some money.
Would you-could, you advance me a
little on the most excellent security?''
'tHow much do you wantT Where
shall bring. it2"
mail two--er-five hundred dollars
to the shop. will you? And I can never
thank you enough"
flush. It's me that thanks you.
! Don'tgyou want moreW
mo, thanks .. 20 49, -,
sgt will be there in the early mail
and may call round later to put a
mortgage or something On the place."
"Good-by,,'' she schuckled, and hung
up the receiver. She was crying soft
ly as she stole from the blessed booth,
and she looked less like successful
business woman than ever.
/ Something made her think Of Weth-
terel. She stopped !. off at Bayard's
floor and rang the bell. Leila's new
butler admitted her with pomp. Daph-
| ne walked past him into the drawing
room Leila and Wetherell were
standing there in heavy coats They
seemed to be little shocked at seeing
Daphne. She was horribly hurt at
seeing them, but she chirruped:
"JuSt come in?'' '+@
"Just going out, !" Leila answered,
kissing Daphne nervousIy. g. - &. ~
w
trepidity, as she shook hands with
Wetherell-a prize-fghter's prelimi-
| nary handshake it was.
'"Oh-er-jusE motoring about a
BIT" rse'' r. go 5-t E*' - =
"Thanks-Td love it." Daphne dared
to say, almost as much amazed as
they were at hearing her~accept the
| invitation that had not been given.
She was quite shameless from their
point of view, but she felt that it
would be objectionable to let her
brothers wife go unrebuked or at
least unaided and unchaperoned on a
cruise SO perilous to reputation If not
to character.
While she was at the miserable
business she decided to make a good
job of it. When they went down to
the car she squeezed in between Leila
and Wetherell. Leila blanched with
jealousy and cold rage.
They, dined at Long Beach and
watched the dancers, in sullen mood.
Wetherell ordered much champagne
and would not listen to Leila's pleas
that he let it alone. He frightened her
little by his reckless mood, and
Daphne began to dread the journey
home in the dark with champagned
hands on the steering wheel.
After Daphne and he had executed a
funeral dance Leila was emboldened
to step out with him. They talked
very earnestly and he seemed to hor-
rify her by what he said to her.
| Daphne could not imagine what it
was. Bayard had not told her of Weth-
erell's downfall from power.
Wetherell confessed his disgrace to
Leila in the dance, and Leila was sick
ened with the sordid outcome of her
romance. She had played with fire
and got SCOT on her hands. She quit
| the dance and asked to be taken home.
| Wetherell felt that she had turned
against him and he reached for the
last of the wine to fling it down bis
throat. Leila grimly took it from his
fingers and emptied it In the ice
| bucket
"Chauffeurs and champagne are a
bad combination" she laughed, but
there was sheer on her lips.
'Oh, very well ~ WethereH sneered
| in turn. He paid for the dinner and
! tipped the waiter with the laviShneSS
of bankrupt. He tipped lavishly the
man who guarded his car, and swung
out into the road with an instant
speed that would have been prettier
If there had been less danger.
Daphne and Leila were good sports,
but they were not merry. Wetherell
furnished all the merriment, and his
was from wine and despair. 1t was
the wine that brought out the truth.
He had to tell Daphne what he had
told Leila, of his misfortune with his
bally old government.
He asked Daphne to explain to Bay
ard how sorry he was that he was in
volved in the crash.
your broth Bayard's aw'fly nice
feP, Miss Skip. He's got incest liI'
wife in worl'. Perf'ly good III girl.
| Straight as a string-straight as they