Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-07-02
CHAPTER VII-Continued.


Leila said nothing, but thought hard.
Bayard was silent. Later the door-bell
rang and young sewing girl brought
two big boxes from Dutilh's. They
were so big that there was no conceal
ing them. Leila made timid effort to
escape with hers, but Bayard was full
of q cheerful curiosity:
"What's all that, honey?"
"Oh, it's just "a little thing I
picked up today at Dutilh's."
''What is it, scarf or something?
Give fellow look at it."
He began to unite the knot. Sealed
across the cord was an envelope, with
a statement. Bayafd tore it free.
Leila snatched at it. Bayard laughed
and lodged her. Leila pursued. 1t
was a CHASTITY game of tag for her, and
Daphne and her mother looked on in
guilty dread. Bayard, whooping with
laughter, dashed into his room and
closed the door, held it fast while Leila
pounded and pleaded with him.
His laughter was quenched sharply.
There was a silence. He opened the
door and walked out, sickly pallor at
his lips, the statement in his hand:
"This can't be right, honey: Bayard
Kip to Dutilh, debtor. Peach-blow
satin gown--two hundred and seventy
FIVE dollars The price is ridiculous,
and l have no account there"
"He-he insisted on my opening
one"
But I don't want to open any ac-
counts. I pay my bills in thirty days
or discount them for cash. I can't pay
this in thirty days. Every penny 1
can see ahead Of me is laid out"
'I-Tm sorry" Leila faltered. "You
said the times were getting better"
II thought they were. hoped they
were. But they've gone bad again. Be
sides, l was trying to cheer you up,
to give you happy honeymoon. And
bought you everything you saw
abroad. And it wasn't enough! When
will you get enough clothes!"
Leila had stared incredulous at the
calamitous result Of her tender i'm
pulse to beautify herself in his eyes.
Then tears came gushing and she ran
to her room and locked the door.
Bayard did not follow her. He
turned for comfort to his mother and
Daphne. He noted the other box.
Daphne had not dared to open it.
Bayard ripped the envelope from it's
cord and read:
"Bayard Kip to Dutilh, DR.. Parch-
mentioned gown, for Miss Daphne
Kip, two hundred and seventy-five dol
lars"
He was parchment-toned himself as
he shook the statement at Daphne,
and whispered, huskily, whats this?'
Daphne could not muster any cour-
age. She explained with craven re-
morse, II saw a gown that II needed
there, and IL He offered to let it
on your account till 1 could get the
money"
Bayard was choked with wrath and
q terror greater than hers.
II 60 to my office and work like q
fiend all day, and l come home to find
that my wife and my sister have run
me into debt for-five hundred and
fifty dollars. And the firm, the big
firm I work for, had to extend a note
for seven hundred and fifty because
we couldn't meet itw
His mother tried to stem the tide of
Bay,rd's rage, to turn his wrath with
n soft answer:
II guess it's all my fault, honey. The
dresses looked so pretty on the girls
urged them to take them. You ought
to see how beautiful they are. Go put
the dress on, Daphne, and let your
brother see how sweet you look In it. >
Sweet! She looks sweet in it It..
beautiful And that justifies anything
Lord, what did you make 'em out Of
these womenW
Mrs. Kip nudged Daphne and whs
pered, go on, put the dress on; lei
him see you in it."
She spoke with great canniness, but
Daphne stared at her with derision
and edged away and spoke in a tone
as biting as cold blue vitriol.
"Put 1t on, motherl Do you think
I'd ever wear the thing? I'll send II
back tomorrow morning at daybreak
And I'll never take a thing that any
man pays for as long as I live"
Bayard roared at her over his shout
der: "You won't take anything that