The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-02-25

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When she reached the apartment she
found Leila almost prostrated from the
effects Of her altruism and from the
fact that Bayard was In one Of his
tantrums.
A special delivery letter had just
come from Dutilh's shop. It said that
Mr.. Dutilh was arriving from Paris
with his winter models, and since he
would have to pay a large sum at the
customs house II was regrettably nee
essary to beg Mr.. Kip to send by re-
turn mail check for the inciosed bill,
which was long past due.
And now the briefly adjourned laws
Of finance were reassembled. Leila's
short reign was over; her extravaganza
had again found her out and demanded
punishment. The gown she had bought,
and was asked to pay for had been
worn shabby, danced to shreds In
Newport. But the bill was as bright
~ ever.
Bayard was 90 tagged with his
weeks Of discouragement that he was
whose toe has been stepped on. when
Daphne walked In he was denouncing
Leila In excellent form. He used
Daphne as a further club.
"My poor sister sent back the gown
she bought But you-you bought
more!"
Daphne realized how much this
would endear her to Leila and she
took immediate flight. She found the
Chlvvises in state OF tension. Mr..
Chivvis was not usually home before
half-past six. Daphne felt an omen In
the way they looked at her when they
acknowledged her entrance.
She went to her room I'm n state of
foreboding misery She had not paid
her board for several weeks. She had
not mentioned the fact to Mrs. Chivvis.
nor Mrs. Chivvis to her, though the
nonpayment Of board bill is one of
the self-evident truths that landladies
usually discuss with freedom.
A few minutes later Mrs. Chi.vl.
tapped 81 the door. her thilnble max
ing n sharp cIack. She brought her
sewing with her and sewed as abe
nd: -Eay ! .tt down q monsAti
Thank you" She kept her eyes on ths
seam while she talked.
"Wefl. Miss Kip. the war has reach
cd us also at last. My husband lost
bis position today"
"Yss? Oh. how horriblel- Daphne
gaspAd. with double sincerity.
THE office was closed Unexpectedly
by an involuntary petition In bankrupt
cy. His salary was not paid last week
nor this. and-well--we don't want
to Inconvenience you. but"
IL understand" said Daphne. TN
give you what / can"
She took her poor little wealth from
her handbag. She had paid ten Of tho
fifty to the photographer as deposit.
She gave Mrs. ChIvvis twenty-five dol
lars, and promised her more
Mrs. Chivvis was very grateful and
went down the hall. smiling little
over her seam.
Clay called that evening. He was
exhausted with a day of tramping the
town, looking for work. He was too
weary to talk and he fell asleep twice
during one of Mr.. Chivvis' commen-
taries on the probable effects of the
Imminent capture of Paris by the ir-
resistlble Germans. The French gov
ernment had already moved to Bor-
deaux and But Clay had read IL all
In dozen different newspapers, and
he passed away.
Daphne was restless. Mr.. Chivvis
was on her nerves. Clay was not
pretty, asleep, sitting with his jaw
dropped and his hands hanging down,
palms forward. like an apes She was
enjoying another OF the woes OF mar
rage without It's privileges.
The Chivvises began to yawn. and
Mrs. Chivvis finally bade the startled
Clay Good evening" She had been
brought up to believe that II was in
delicate for a woman to bid a man
Goodnight"
Clay. left alone with Daphne, at
tempted drowsy caIess, but she felt
insulted and she snapped at him:
III you're only walking in your sleep
you'd better walk yourself out OF hero
and go to bed"
His apology was incoherent and sbo
was Indignantly curt with him at the
door. She went to her room and sat
at the window, staring down at the
dark swarm Of watchers before the
bulletin boards.
She had told her brother that she
did not have to starve or sin, because
she had father, brother, a lover
TO protect her from want. And now
her father and her brother and her
lover were all In dire predicament.
staggering blindly In fog Of debt.