Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-03-06

frowned? But she did care, infinitely.
Daphne could not pump up any en-
thusiasm for the scenery. Her lover
took no advantage of the serial of
arbors and the embracing bowers. he
never kissed her, not once.
Daphne ceased to be sorry for Clay
and felt sorry for her neglected self.
Then she grew angry at herself. Then
| at him.
At length she said, with ominous
sweetness, "Are you going to walk all
the way, dear?"
"You said you wanted to, didn't
you?" he mumbled, thickly.
"That's So"
She trudged some distance farther
a few blocks it was; it seemed miles.
Then she said, "How far is it home
altogether2"
"About three miles and q half"
"Is that all? The heroine of an
English novel I've been reading used
to dash off five or six miles before
breakfast"
Patriotism and pride helped her for
a quarter Of a mile more. Then she
resigned:
II guess I'm not an English heroine.
l don't believe she ever really did it.
I'll resign! I'll have to ask you to call
me a cab"
"Pretty hard to find an empty one
along here at this hour" he said, and
urged her on.
Lets go over that way to the in
habited part of town." she said, sand
take a street car or the subway"
And then he stopped and said, with
guilty brusQuerie, "Have YOU got your
pocketbook with your
"No, l left it at home tonight. Why?"
Daphne, I haven't got a cent?"
"Why, Clay! you poor thing"
'Thar's why I was so rough with the
waiter. If I'd had the money, do you
think I'd have made a row before you
about a few little dollars? Never! You
see, / didn't expect to go out to Clare
mont after the theater. The taxi cost
more than I expected, and then I gave
the head waiter five dollars instead of
one. I ordered with care so that it
would come out right. But that bust
ness about the melon finished me. ]
just made it. I never was so ashamed
in my life. And I had to drag you into
it, and now I'm numbering your poor
little feet"
THAT'S the funniest joke | ever
heard. Why didn't you tell me before?'
"It's no joke"
"Why, of course it isl You have
only to go to your bank tomorrow and
draw some more"
He did not answer this. He said
nothing at all. She had a terrified feel
ing that his silence was full of mean
ing, that his bank account would moi
respond to his call. She could not ask
him to explain the situation. She was
afraid that he might.
She marched on ~doggedly, growing
more and more gloomy and decrepit
Her little slippers with their stiltet
heels pinched and wavered, and every
step was a pang.
Lets go over there and get on
street ar, and dare them to put III
off" she suggested.
"It's a pay-as-you-enter car" HI
groaned.
The world was a different worlt
now. The drive that had been so tire
mendously lovely as she sped through
it in a taxicab was a pathway in Mo
jave. She limped through the hideous
hateful, objectionable length, and fel
that it was a symbol of the life aheat
Of her. She had counted on escapini
from the money limits of her home
She was merely transferring hersel
from one Jail to another.
Her young lover had dazzled he
with his needless courtship, flown ava,
a with her on motor wings, dipping t
earth now and then to sip refresh
ments at a high cost, and then swooI
a. ing off with her again.
ri And now his wings had broken; hi
gasoline was gone; his motor burn
d out; and the rest of the journey wa
to be the same old trudge.
IS She had been leaning heavily o
n Clay's arm. Now she put it away fror
her In a mixture of pity for him an
of self-reproof. When he proteste,
le she said: \
Il think Ill walk better alone for
,e while"
"a So she hobbled and hobbled by he
n self, he pleading to be allowed to hel
% her. But she kept him away.
And they trept on a little farthe
ne loving each other ~piteously.
ID In the curse of time they reache
the Soldiers and Sailors monumen
re and Daphne sank down at the base +,
1t.
In II can't 60 any farther" she sal
IN mot If l die of starvation" He sar
down at her side. The moon peert
he at them between the ccl7mns and Y