The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-22
CHAPTER K.

ceiVed him cordially, but Mrs. Hardy
eyinced no more warmth than prOpris
ETY. demanded. Eden, however, al
| lowed himself no annoyance over
that A very much greater grievance
had been thrust upon his mind. Con-
ward had preceded him and was al
ready q guest of the Hardys.
Dave knew Coward well enough
to know that purpose always lay-be-
hind his conduct, and during the small
talk with which they whiled away an
hour his mind was reaching out
acutely, exploring every nook of pos
sibuity, to arrive if it could at some
explanation of the sudden interest
which Coward was displaying in the
Hardys. These explanations narrowed
down to two almost equally unpala-
table. Coward was deliberately SCI
ting about to capture the friendship,
perhaps the affection, of either Mrs.
Hardy or Irene. Strangely enough,
Eden was more irritated by the for
mer alternative than by the latter
Perhaps this attitude was due to sub
conscious recognition of the fact that
he had much more to fear from Con-
ward as a sutton for the hand of Mrs.
Hardy than as rival for that of
Irene. Coward as a prospective
father-in-law was a more grievOus
menace to his peace of mind than
Coward as a defeated rival.
The more he contemplated this as
pect of the case the less he liked it.
To Coward the affair could be moth
ing more than an adventure, but it
would give him a position of a sort
of semi-paternal authority over both
Irene and Eden.
When at length Mrs. Hardy began
to show signs of WEAKNESS Irene
served coffee and cake, and the two
men, taking that as an intimatiOn that
their welcome had run down, but
would rewind itself if not too con-
tinually drawn upon, left the house to-
gether. On their way they agreed that
it was very delightful night.
Dave turned the situation over in
his mind with some Impotence Irene
had now been in the city for several
weeks, and ne had had opportunity
for scarce a dozen personal words
with her. Was he to be baked by
such an insufferable chaperonage as it
| seemed the purpose of Mrs. Hardy
| and Coward to establish over his
love affair? No. In the act of IN
dressing he told himself, NO" suit
ing to the word such vigor of behavior
that in the morning he found his
shoes at opposite corners of the room.
Several days passed without any
word from Irene, and he had almost
made up his mind to attempt another
telephone appointment, when he met
her, quite accidentally, in the street.
She had been shopping, she said. The
| duty of household purchases fell
mainly upon her. Her mother rested
in the afternoons
''HOw about a cup of tea" said
Dave. "And a thin sandwich? And
a delicate mOrsel of cake? One can
always count on thin sandwiches and
delicate mOrsels of cake. Their func-
ton is purely a social one, having no
relation to the physical requirements -
Il should be very glad" said Irene
They found a quiet tearoom. When
they were seated Dave, without pre-
liminaries, plunged into the subject
nearest his heart.
81 have been wanting an opportu-
nifty to talk to you-wanting it for
weeks" he said. ''But it always
seemed
Always seemed that you were
thwarted," Irene completed his
thought. ''You didn't disguise your
annoyance very well the other night. y
"Do you blame me for being an
noyed?"
mo. But 1 rather blame you for
showing it. You see 1 was annoyed
too"
''Then you had nothing to do with
with bringing about the situation that
existed?"
Certainly not. Surely you do not
| think that 1 wOuld-that 1 would"
II beg your pardon, Reenie," said
| Dave, contritely. 81 should have
known better. But it seemed such a
strong coincidence"
| She was toying with her cup, and
for once her eyes avoided him. You
| should hardly think, Dave" she ven
tured-"you should hardly conclude
| that-what has been. you know, gives
you the right-entitles you
TO monopoly of your attentions?
Perhaps not. But it gives me the
right TO fair chance to win monop-
/ oily OF your attentions"
He was speaking low and earnestly.
and his voice had deep, rich timbre
in it that thrilled and almost fright
ened her. She could not resent his
ightforwardness. She felt that he
| was already asserting his claim upon
her. and there was something tender
and delightful in the sense of being
claimed by such n man.
81 must have fair chance to win
that monopoly" he repeated. sHow
did it happen that Coward was pres
! ent?'
81 don't know. It just happened
a little after you telephoned me he
called up and asked for mother, and
the next thing 1 knew she said he was
coming up to spend the evening"
Dave dropped into a sudden reyerie
It was not so remarkable as it seemed
that Coward should have telephoned
| Mrs. Hardy almost Immediately after
he had used the line. Conward's teIe.
phone and Dawes were on the same
| o;ros1ifs s< xUaS a Sfn1Ia oa+%s,. =.