Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-05-31
CHAPTER xlI-cOntInued.

satan or Raphael mad whispered TO
her an invitation to revisit the scene
of her late humiliation with Clay. With
Duane's magic purse there would be
no danger of a snub from the walters;
with his own car there would be 40
risk of footing it home.
Then an imp Of mischief spoke for
her and said, 'All rightT'
Duane told the chauffeur and the
car shot like javelin from the lighted
street into the deep forest-night of
Central park.
What would Clay say? But, after
all, he had failed her in a crisis. Per-
haps 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 and while he was attacking it
with the frank appetite of honest hun
ger she recOunted the evenings dis
aster as calmly as if it 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. 81 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 don't know what
the song is all about, but you know
that it never quite gets on the Key"
''You mustn't be discouraged"
ooh, yes, / must! / couldn't be an
actress in thousand years. Mr.. Bat
terson told me SO himself
Duane felt the truth of this, but 1t
hurt him to have her feel it. 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:
you're far too good for the stage"
II don't believe that for minute"
she protested. "But I've got to find
something can do"
MAY / help you to decideY'
eff you only wouldI But I'm getting
to be a nuisance"
"YOu are a-a-tO me you are a.
well, you're not nuisance"
He dared not tell her what she was,
especially as the waiter had set the
bill at his elbow and was standing off
In an attitude of ill-concealed impa-
tlence 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 extravagant
tip wins a walters contempt almost
more than none at all. The head waiter
fairly cooed "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 struggled
a quarter away with the other. He
stepped in to lay the linen laprobe
over their knees with reverence, closed
the door exquisitely and murmured,
~Good night r.
The car was an aristOcrat; it float
ed from the culb with a swanllke
sweep.
Daphne thought Of Clay and herself
plodding homeward. She seemed to
see them or their wraiths staggering
disconsolately along. She felt very
sorry for them. Here was chance to
cave one Of them both Of them, In
fact; for IN taking her financial bur
cen from Clay's shoulders she would
Be twice strengthening him. II she
were to accept Duane as her husband
chen her problems would be solved
and Clay would be free Of her.
To be Mrs Tom Duane to step into
he society Of society; 70 lift her father
and mother from q position q meek-