The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-02-06
CHAPTER VIl-continued.

CHAPTER vIt-Continueo.
Leila said nothing, but thought hard.
Bayard was silent. Later the door-bell
yang and a young sewing girl brought
two big boxes from Dutilh's. They
were so big that there vas nc conceal
ing them. Leila made a timid effort to
escape with hers, but Bayard was full
of a cheerful curiosity:
"What's all that, honey?"
ooh, it's just IA little thing I
picked up today at Dutilh's."
"What is it, a scarf or something?
Give a fellow a look at it."
He began to unite the knot. Sealed
across the cord was an envelope, with
a statement. Bayatd 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 on in
guilty dread. Bayard, whooping with
laughter, dashed into his room and
closed the door, held it 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
his lips, the statement in his hand:
"This can't be right, honey: Bayard
Kip to Dutilh, debtor. Peach-blow
satin gown-two hundred and seventy
five dollars The price is ridiculous,
and 1 have no account there"
"He-he insisted on my opening
ane."
'But I don't want to open any ac-
Sounts. I pay my bills in thirty days
or discount them for cash. I can't pay
this in thirty days. Every penny I
can see ahead Of me is laid out"
"I-I'm sorry" LeilA faltered. "You
said the times We're getting better"
II thought they were. 1 hoped they
were. But they've gone bad again. Be-
sides, I was trying to cheer you up,
to give you g happy honeymoon. And
L bought you everything you saw
abroad. And it wasn't enough! When
will you get enough clothes!"
Leila had stared %incredulous at the
calamitous result of her tender Ira
pulse to beautify herself in his eyes.
Then 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 it.
Bayard ripped the envelope from It's
cord and read:
"Bayard Kip to Dutilh, DR.. Parch-
mentioned gown, for Miss Daphne
Kip, two hundred and s~eventy-fve dol
lars"
He was aforementioned himself as
he shook the statement at Daphne,
and whispered, husllily, "What's this?'
Daphne could not muster any cour-
age. She explained with craven re-
morse, II saw a gown that II needed
there, and IL He offered to let it
on your account till I could get the
money"
Bayard was choked with wrath and
a terror greater than hers.
II go to my office and work like a
fiend all day, and I come home to find
that my wife and my sister have run
me into debt for-ive hundred and
fifty dollars. And the firm, the big
firm I work for, had to extend a note
for seven hundred and fifty because
we couldn't meet it."
His mother tried to stem the tide of
Bayard's rage, to turn his wrath with
a soft answer:
II guess it's all my fault, honey. The
dresses looked so pretty on the girls
urged them to take them. You ought
to see how beautiful they are. Go put
the dress on, Daphne, end let yops
brother see how sweet you look in it"
"Sweet! She looks sweet in it! It's
beautiful! And that justifies anything
Lord, what did you make 'em out Of
hhese women!"
Mrs. Kip nudged Daphne and whis'
'pered, go on, put the dress on; let
hi&n see you In It,"
She spoke with great canniness, but
ID pine stared at her with derision
and edged away and spoke in a tone
a. biting us cold blue vitriol.
"Put it on, mother! Do YOU think
I'd ever wear the thing? I'll send il
back tomorrow morning ut daybreak
And I'll never take a thing that any
man pays for as long as I live"
Ba;ard roared at her over his Shout
der: you wont take anything thai