The Lamar register., 1919-01-01
Cheating
Catherine
By INES MACDONALD
(copyrisht. 1918. by the Mcclure Newsps
per syndicate)

that had been the home of the Van
Wyes for hundred and forty years.
Stiff and prim had been her upbring-
Ing and not for a single instant had
she been permitted 10 forget that she
was Van Wye-somethlng r,rer,
something fairer, something so much
closer to heaven than any one of the
common people"
After fashion Catherine was pref
ty, but little too slim, little too wan.
Her blood may have been blue. but also
II was thin. She was delicate, but
Catherine had wealth, was cultured In
the ignorance of life as her grandmoth-
er had been-this showed In her shy.
rather wondering eyes-but she did
have one redeeming trait which might
save her from a barren life of old
maid gentility-and that trait was
curiosity.
The only man Catherine knew who
was anywhere near her own age was
John. the chauffeur. She used to sit
primly behind John In the car and
study the back of his well-set head
and sturdy shoulders. and wonder
hBobh AASAA IA kthCAhi tbthtCu bS
John II II had ever occurred to him.
John might have encouraged Catherine
to think about him In particular. He
might have even done this SO success
fully that she would have eloped with
him. for John was a good-looking boy,
but he had never once given Catherine
a thought. A certain little maid in
the stone front over In the next block
completely filed Johns head and
heart. Poor Catherine could never
have competed with Adele. the little
daring eyes-she was all curves and
daah and vitality-and John was mad
about her.
However. Johns presence always
set Catherine's curious mind 10 won
daring about men In general. II wasn't
nice, Of course, for to wonder about
man was quite vulgar. she knew that
her sunts had said SO. They had i'm
pressed upon Catherine that she was u
Van Wye and a sacred thing. and she
believed It. The idea OF a mans even
80 much as touching her gave her shlv-
srs Of horror-especially an ordinary
man Of the People-for the People
were terribly common. and Catherine
was patrician. very patriclan. indeed.
Then one afternoon II so happened
that Adele had occupied so much of
Johns time and thought that he had
neglected bis Job and the car. SO much
50 that that neglected piece OF mechan-
ism stalled right on a busy crossing on
the avenue. II certainly was embar-
RAISING. for the traffic policeman was
as sore as a wounded rhinoceros. He
called John a mutt" and would prob
ably have said worse things than that
II II hadn't been for GATHERINGS patri-
clan presence. But the engine would
not start and the traffic was pillng up
behind them while the traffic regulator
became more and more angry.
'sHerew he roared. "Swing her down
the middle Of the block next the curb ~
And as he heaved his massive weight
against the back corner of the heavy
car one Jim Brand detached himself
from the passing throng and Joined in
pushing the heavy car out of the way.
"You oughta be on the force. with
them shoulders" The policeman
grinned his thanks to Jim Brand AS
they rolled the big car up to the curb.
But Jim only laughed and waved his
hand In a half salute as the other went
back to his job.
Thank you very much indeed" said
Catherine primly as Jim Brand turned
to her with his hat In his hand. and
her eyes as she sat in the car were al
most on a level with his own. His first
thought was that she would have been
pretty II she had little more life to
her.
Shell have to go to the garage,
miss." offered John meekly.
TIL get you a taxi" smiled John
Brand. He did SO. and handed her into
It most naturally by taking firm hold
Of her arm. And no young man had
ever before taken hold of GATHERINGS
arm. From the taxi she leaned out
and thanked him again. smiling just q
little excitedly. for this was an ad
venture. Then. summoning all her
courage, she said: "were you going
DOWNTOWN Perhaps / could drop you
somewhere"
So Jim Brand got In beside her and
they rolled down the avenue. at length
stopping In front OF GATHERINGS home
I'll was really on my way up
~nensss jim Brand hnmnr