The Monticellonian., 1919-05-02


 effects of her altruism and from the lact that Bayard was in one of his tantrums.
 A special delivery letter had just come from Dutilhs shop. It said that Mr Dutilh was arriving from Paris With his winter models, and since he would have to pay large sum at the customs house it was regrettably nee eSs;lry 10 beg Mr. Kip to send by re turn mail check for the inclosed bill, Winch Was long past due.
 And now the briefly adjourned laws or finance were reassembled. Leila s snort 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 ats ever.
 Bayard was so Jagged with his weeks of Encouragement that he was as irascible as veteran of the gout 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 buck the gown she bought But you-you bought more l'
 Daphne realized how much this would endear her to Leila and she took immediate flight. She found the Ghivvises in state of tension. Mir. ehiVvis 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 in state of foreboding misery She had not paid her board for several weeks. She had not mentioned the fact To Mrs. Chivvis. nor Mrs. Ghiyvls 10 her. though the nonpayment of board bill is one of the self-evident truths that landladies usually discuss with freedom.
 few minutes later Mrs. Chivvis tapped on the door. her thimble mak- ing A sharp elaek. She brought her said: May I sit down moment? Thank you.' She kept her eyes on the seam while she talked
 Well, Mss Nip, the war has reach cd Us also at last. My husband lost his position today.
 Yes? Oh, how horrible" Daphne gaSped, with double sincerity.
 "fhe office was closed unexpectedly hy an involuntary petition i'll bankrupt ey. His salary WAS not paid last week nor this. and-well-w don't want to inconvenience you. but"
 T understand said Daphne. "Tll give you what l can"
 She took her poor little wealth from her handbag. She had paid ten of the fifty to the photographer as a deposit. She gave Mrs. Ghivvis twenty-five dol lars, and promised her more.
 Mrs. Ghivvis was very grateful and went down the hall, smiling a 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
 
 taries on the proDable effects of the imminent capture of Paris by the ir- resiStible Germans. The French gov ernment had already moved to Bor- deaux and But Clay had read it all in dozen different newspapers, and he passed away.
 Daphne was restless. Mir. 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 riage without it's privileges.
 The Ghivyises began to yawn, and Mrs Chiyvis finally bade the startled Clay Good evening"" She had been brought up to believe that it was in- delicate for woman to bid man "Good-night'
 Clay, left alone with Daphne, at tempted a drowsy caress but she felt insulted and she snapped at him:
 If you're only walking in your sleep you'd better walk yourself out of here and go to bed
 His apology was incoherent and she 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, 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
 Suppose her fathers train ran off the track or into another train. A spread rail. block signal overlooked q switch left unlocked, might bring doom upon his train as on so many others. She shivered at the horror of her fathers loss. She shiyered again at the thought of what il would mean to her.
 Suppose the Chiyvises turned her out. Why should they feed her for nothing when their own future was endangered?
 What could Bayard do for her? or Clay? There was Mir. Duane, of course; but she could not take his money without paying him. And in what coin could she pay him? She trembled, and the breeze turned gla- cial.
 The next morning was another day ,of inc same shoddy pattern. She rose