Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-14

remembered paying the check, as he
usually did when he dined with
Paroles. He recalled studying tho
time table and finding that he had
Just missed another train.
Maria's spirits rose then. He was
persuaded to accompany her and
Paroles to the music hall, In her
dressing room. while she was on the
stage, he played with the boxes Of
makeup, splashing the mirror with
various colors while Paroles sat 81
lently Watching
The alteration, he was sure, came
a little later in the cafe at "a table
close to the dancing floor. Maria
had insisted that Paroles and he
should wait there while she changed.
But" he had protested, II have
missed too many trains"
She had demanded his time table,
scanning the columns of close fig
ures.
There is one" she had said. "at
twelve fifteen - time for little
something in the cafe. and who
knows? II you are agreeable |
might forgive everything and dance
with you once, Bobby, on the public
floor"
SO he sat for some time. expectant,
with Paroles, watching the bolster
Gus dancers, listening TO the violent
music, slipping absent mindedly at
his glass. He wondered why Paroles
had grown so quiet.
Il mustn't miss that twelve-fif-
teen" he said. You know. Carlos,
you weren't quite fair to Hartley.
He's a splendid fellow. Roomed with
me at college, played on same team
and all that. Only wanted me to do
the right thing. Must say il was
the right thing. | won't miss that
twelve fifteen"
Graham" Paroles sneered, lis a
and Billy Sunday in the conscience"
Then, as Bobby started to protest.
Maria entered, more dazzling than at
dinner; and the dancers swayed less
boisterously, the chatter at the
tables subsidized, the orchestra SEEM
ed to hesitate as a sort of obeisance.
a man Bobby had never seen be-
fore followed her to the table. His
figure was loudly cloth
ed. His face was coarse and clean
shaver. He acknowledged the intro
auctions sullenly.
I've only a minute" Bobby said to
Maria.
Hn ir1, Enura,-ar RI icn J.;
glass indifferently to his lips. All at
once his glass shook. Maria's dark
and sparkling face became blurred.
He could no longer define the fea-
lures of the stranger. He had never
before experienced anything of the
kind. He tried to account for it, but
his mind became confused.
Maria" he burst out why are
you looking at me like that?'
Her contralto laugh rippled.
Bobby looks so funny! Carlos,
Leetle Bobby looks so queer, What
is the matter with him."
Bobbys anger was lost in the in
thru that mental turmoil tore the
thought Of Graham and his intention
of going to the Cedars.. With shak-
ing fingers he dragged out his watch
He couldn't read the dial. He braced
his hands against the table, thrust
back his chair, and arose. The room
tumblod about him. Before his eyes
the dancers made long nebulous
bands Of colour in which nothing
had form or conference. Instinctively
he felt he hadn't dined recklessiy
enough to account for these amaz-
ing symptoms. He was suddenly
afraid.
Carlos" he whispered
He heard Maria's voice dimly:
"Take him home"
A hand touched his arm. With a
supreme effort Of will he walked
from the room, guided by the hand
on his arm. And always his brain
recorded fewer and fewer impress
sions for his memory to struggle
with later.
At the cloak room some one helped
him put on his coat. He was walk
ing down steps. He was in some
kind Of conveyance. He didn't know
what 1t was An automobile, a car
riage, train? He didn't know. He
only understood that 1t went swiftly,
swaying from side to side thru a
sable pit. Whenever his mind moved
at all it came back to that sensation
Of black pit in which he remained
suspended. swinging from side to
side, trying to struggle up against
impossible odds. Once or twice
words flashed like fire thru the pit:
"Tyrant.-Fool to 60"
From a long immersion deeper in
the pit he struggled frantically. He
must get out. Somehow he must
find wings. He realized that his
eyes were closed. He tried to open
them and failed. So the pit persisted
and he surrendered himself, as one
accepts death, to its hateful black
ness.
Abruptly he experienced a momen-
tary release. There was no more
swaying, no more movement of any
kind. He heard strange, melan-
choly voice, whispering without
words, always whispering with a fu-
tile perseverance as If it wished him
to understand something it could not
express
What is it trying to tell me? he
asked himself.
Then he understood r. was tho
voice of the wind, and it tried to tell
him to open his eyes, and he found
that he could. But in spite of his
desire they closed again almost i'm
mediately. Yet, from that swift
glimpse, a picture outlined itself
later in his memory.
In the midst of wild, rolling clouds,
the moon was drowning face.
Stunted trees bent before the wind
like puny men who strained inpo-
IIy IN nIt