The Bismarck tribune., 1919-04-14
THE THOROUGHBRED
Bu Henry KitcheN Webster ."
Author of
"The Real Adventure "The Painted Scene,' Etc =
Author of

She'd have said. if questioned. that
the force which had speeded her up anl
transformed her into SO new and as
anger with her husband-a purely re-
taliatory desire to demonstrate to him
how injurious and unfounded his opiIl-
ion of her had been.
But she hadn't time to concern her
self much with why's and wrerefores.
1t wasn't with any conscious refer
ences to Alfred at all that she bracetl
herself for the arrival of the second
hand man and prepared to get as nue.
Of his money as she could for what
she had to sell him. Sf
She siped her coffee daintily. aud
told Marie what things to bring out
from the closet. &s2
Her first glance at her opponent
gave her the mistaken idea that it was
going to be easy. sSHe wasn't much to
inferior specimen His manner. in the
shock Of their first encounter. was
weak and servile. Even hi soily black
hair had a meek look. and the ,m-
healthy pallor Of his face accentuated
it.
But when Marie had brought out,
one after another. all the pretty frocks
the closet misunderstanding gowns.
house dresses. Il smart little afternoon
suit, and her two opera cloaks-and
he. after an appraising glance at each.
and the notation of figure on Il
greasy bit of paper with the well licked
stub of a pencil. offered her. with /,
quite cody Indifferent air of utter fl
nality. ,thirty-two dollars and seventy
five cents for the lot. the blow almost
finished her She felt lump coming
in her throat. For a sickening moment
she actually believed that that was
all the things We're worth. Even after
her reason had come to the rescue
she went ON believing. for another min.
ute, that that was all he thought they
We're worth and the utmost that he
would ever pay.
But anger-one Of the best and most
necessary of all our passions. never
forget that-came to. the rescue. That
servile. oily little rat standing there.
paving over her pretty clothes, had
meant her to feel sick like that He
had shot her look out Of his bright
beady little eyes and no doubt noted
the effect of the blow. and was gloat-
ing now. inside. over the prospect OF
getting those lovely clothes for SO near
nothing. y
tened, and her blue eyes darkened be
meath thm +T
"Show him the way out. Marie" she
commanded crisply. II have too much
to do this morning to waste time listen
ing to vulgar jokes.
The man began protesting vOlubly,
but Celia cut him short.
you don't speak English very well,
she observed Perhaps you didn't say
what you meant. If you meant hun
five cents. you may stay."-she glanced
over at her houdoir-clock-''fif fifteen
minutes and We'll talk about it. l can't
give you any more time than that"
His eyes rolled in his head. He an
pealed to the high gods. The lady
was beside herself-lunatic. These were
not the expressions he used.
I'm not crazy at all" said Celia
warmly. "I'm extremely annoyed at
having to listen. when I'm busy. to
childish nonsense. I know what those
clothes are worth. and SO do you. and
unless you're willing to pay at least
half that much l simply on'tbother
with you"
He came up. with wrench. to fifty
with groan. to seventy-ifve-to
eighty. He looked the clothes all over
again. minutely. and delivered an i'm
preSSive ultimatum-eighty-tW dollars
and twenty cents.
Celia got up and went over to her
dressing table: sat down in front Of it
with her back to him, took an unim-
portant little gold pin out Of her
lpeeligee, and, holding it between her