Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1919-03-13

She stared at him through her tears.
They blurred him in dancing flashes
of light as If he were sun god. She
caught his hands from her shoulders,
but she had to hold them in hers. She
was drowning. and she must cling to
whatever arms stretched down to her.
She must not question whose they
were till she was safe again on the
solid earth.
Duane was laughing now and pat
ting her on the back as IL she were a
frightened cikld--.She felt 1ne-s.sht
to rebuke his caresses. They were
such as brother might give sister.
His arm about her was that of CON-
rade, sustaining another in a battle.
He was the only one in the world
who offered her courage and praise
and help in her need.
Duane said, with a matter-of-fact
briskness: "I'll call Reben up at once.
No, I'll 60 see him."
"But you put me under such obliga-
tions. I'm afraid"
"Neyer be afraid of an obligation"
"T'm afraid 1 can never repay It,"
"Then you're one ahead. But you
can repay me and you will"
"HowW
Lets wait and see. Goodby. Don't
worry"
He gave her a hand-grip Of perfect
good fellowship and went into the hall.
She followed him to tell him again
how kind he was. AS she was clasp
ing his hand again Leila opened the
door with her latchkey.
Now there was triple embarrass-
ment. Tom Duane had paid ardent
court to Leila before she married Bay
ard. Here he was In Bayard's wife's
home, apparently flirting with Bay
ards young sister.
Leila felt all the outraged senti-
ments of jealousy and all the indig-
nation Of a chaperon who has been cir
cumvented. Duane retreated in poor
order. Daphne stammered an expla-
nation too brief and muddled to suf-
fee. Then she went to her room.
There her mother found her when
she CANA In later-Danhne. had Qnlx-a
faint hope that Duane could work his
miracle twice, so she told her mother
that she had failed as an actress. She
told her bluntly:
Mamma, I've been fired"
To her comfort her mother caught
her to her ample bosom and said: I'm
glad of 1t. I'm much obliged to who
ever is to blame. Not but what you
could have succeeded If you had kept
at 1t. But you're too good for such
wicked life. A person couldn't be an
actor without being insincere and a
pretender. and my little girl Is too hon.
est. So now you come along home
with me-"
"No. thank you, mamma"
Mrs. Kip gathered herself together
for vigorous assault when the tele-
phone rang and the maid brought word
that a gent'man wished to speak with
Miss Daphne.
1t was Duane, and she braced her
self for another blow. But his voice
was clarion with success.
"Tve seen Reben. It's all right. Hes
promised to keep you on and give you
chance. He says for you to report
at the theater at seven:thirty tonight"
And now again Daphne was more
afraid of her success, such as 1t was,
than Of her failure. But 1t was pleas
ant to carry the news to her mother
and Leila.
It dIsgusted them both. They were
still trying to dissuade her from con-
tipuing on the downward path when
telegram from her father came fol
her mother:
"Taking beaver arrive Grand Cen
tral tomorrow don't meet me love.
YVES"
Rayard was late. as usual. and
Leila's temper had just begun to sim
mer when the door was opened stealth
ily and q hand was thrust in. 1t prof
fered a small box of jewelers. size and
waved 1t like a flag Of truce.
Leila rushed forward with a cry OF
delight, seized the packet and then
the hand. and drew Bayard Into the
room and into her arms.
"Thls is your apology. I suppose
she said.
"Yes, the apology for being late. and
that's what made me late"
Leila was enraptured. She adored
gifts and SHE had the knack Of inSplr
ing them. The little square parcel
provoked her curiosity. She opened
it so excltedly that the contents fell
to the floor. She swOoped for then
and brought up q platinum chain with
a delicate plaque Of tiny diamonds ant
pearls on q device Of platinum.
Leila ran to Mrs. Kip and Daphne
exclaimlng: "Aren't they beautiful
Aren't they wonderful? Aren't the!
glorious?"
Mrs. Kip and Daphne tried to keel
the pace, but once more they could no
forget who 1t was that was raining
down gold on this greedy stranger
Their alarm was not Diminished wheI
lBavard said 70 leila;
70 h,i,, ,I,o1 Inol, lilo bnrna and a