The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-05-09
CHAPTER xll-continued.

Satan or Raphael had whispered to
her an invitation to revisit the scene
Of her late humiliation with Clay. With
Duane's magic purse there you'd be
no danger of a snub from the walters
with his own car there would be nc
risk of footing 1t home.
Then an imp of mischief spoke fol-
her and said, "All right"
Duane told the chauffeur and the
car shot like javelin from the lighted
street into the deep forest-Eight OF
Central park.
What would Clay say? But, after
all, he had failed her In a crisis. Per-
Aaps he had turned his heart else
where. Men were impatient, vindic-
tive, tickle.
When Claremont was reached and
Duane handed Miss Kip out he noted
that her hand was hotter than his own
and a little quick to escape, her face
was flushed and her lips parted as If
with excitement. He assumed that
the speed of the ride and the tang of
adventure were to blame.
While the walters were serving the
supper end while he was attacking 1t
with the frank appetite Of honest hun
ger she recounted the evenings dis
aster as calmly as If 1t were the story
Of somebody else. In fact. she was
standing Off and regarding herself with
the eyes Of an alien. We change so
fast that the persons we were yester-
day are already strangers, and their
acts the acts of distant relatives. Her
calm was really the numbness Of
shock. The anguish would come to-
morrow.
II can't understand myself at ALL"
Daphne said. II went through every
one Of the motions, but couldn't
reach the audience once. / was like a
singer with a bad cold singing In a
foreign language-you don't know what
the song Is all about, but you know
that 1t never quite gets on the key.
'You mustn't be discouraged"
"Oh, yes, mustl ] couldn't be an
actress In a thousand years. Mr.. Bat
terson told me so himself"
Duane felt the truth of this, but 1t
burt him to have her feel 1t. 1t Of
Tended his chivalry to realize how i'm
polite fate could be to so pretty girl.
He hated to see her reduced to the
necessity of proving how plucky she
could be. He tried to find an escape
for her. He said:
"Hou're far too good for the stage"
II don't believe that for a minute"
she protested. "But I've got to find
something can do"
MAY l help you to decidef"
'If you only would But I'm getting
10 be nuisance"
"You are a--a-to me you are "a
well, you're not a nuisance"
He dared not tell her what she was,
especially as the waiter had set the
bill at bis elbow and was standing of
In an attitude Of ill-concealed impa-
tiepce for the tip, which he knew
would be large. Mr.. Duane always
gave the normal ten per cent and a
bit extra. He tipped wisely but not
too well, knowing that an extrayagant
tip wins a walters contempt almost
mere than none at all. The head waiter
fairly coocd "Good night" and almost
gave them blessing.
The starter had Mr.. Duane's car
waiting for him at the curb and lifted
his hat with one hand as he smuggled
q quarter away with the other. He
stepped Ina to lay the linen laprobe
over their knees with reverence. closed
the door exquisitely and murmured,
'Good nighti"
The car was an aristocrat: it float
I'd from the curb with a swanlike
sweep.
Daphne thought Of Clay and herself
Flooding homewapd. she seemed to
zee them or their wrsiths staggering
disconsolatcly along. She felt very
sorry for them. Here was chance to
save one Of them-both Of them. IN
fact: for In taking her financial bur
den from Gays shoulders she would
be e=ziee Strengthening him. II she
were to accept Duane IS her husband
then her problems wcsld be solved
and Clay would be free OF her.
To lie Mrs.. Tom Duane: to step into
ne society e ssdsty: to lift her father
apd n,u<hsx from A position Of meek