The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-12

had hit upon the right words.
That's right" he said, that's just all
right. You see I'm not angry now
I'm awfully sorry smashed things up.
I'd like to ask you to forgive me, but
you seem a little distant to me. Tell
me-" he raised his voice again, You've
had time TO sleep il off. You're not
angry with me now?"
mo, Dicky," ! answered, still at ran
dom. His repetition seemed so silly,
but his words were not confused. He
evidently knew what he was talking
about. Perhaps he was not so drunk
as / had thought. But his next words
undeceived me.
We'll. if you are not angry, get your
clothes on and come with me hack to
LIS" he said. BEST time you ever
saw. Everybody drunk but Harry and
me. We said we'd stay sober so we
could come up and get you. Harry is
downstairs in the taxi now. He wanted
TO come up with me, but / wouldn't
let him. Suppose / would let strange
man come up to my apartment when my
wife might not be dressed. Neveri"
He drew himself up with an air of Of
Tended virtue. Evidently he quite fan
cied himself in this role Of protector OF
his wife's privacy, for he went on rem
iiniscently:
| Tim surprised at you I said to
Harry. What do yoS mean by propos-
ing such a thing? Do you suppose I
should offer TO come up in your apart
ment IL your wife wasn't dressed? I
don't think / ought to let you stay in
this taxi at all. such an improper prop
osition.' / would have made him get
out of the taxi too. but Harry cried.
just broke right down and wept, Harry
did; never saw a man so ashamed OF
himself in my life. He said If would
forgive him this time he wouldn't ever
ask to do such a thing again: he said
\ he'd stay in that taxi waiting for me
till he'd froze over before he'd try 10
come up, no matter how long / stayed"
He was So absorbed in his language
! that he did not see me edging closer 70
lmy bedroom door. I remembered thank
fully that the key was in its lock- /
wanted nothing so much as the refuge
of my room, but I did not intend to
risk Dicky's anger by going into il IL 1
could get him TO go away or go to. bed
quietly.
And there old Harry is" Dicly went
on, listening TO the little song. Click
lily click, clickity click, clickity click a
lcloss."
DicI<y sang the last words with a
great flourish. AS he attempted TO beat
time with his cane he swayed a bit
more than usual and sat down sud
denly on the table. He looked at it
vacantly.
This is a queer chair you've got here.
Madge. Too high, too high altogether.
Fellow could break his neck. mean lis
back, trying TO sit in that chair.
was surprised at you having such a
thing around"
well, IL that isn't one on me-" he
said joyously. Thinking a table was a
chair. Now IL anybody else had made
that mistake I'd say he was drunk. II
you'd make it, Madge, I'd be sure you
were drunk. IL old Harry out there
in the taxi, IL he'd made IT, I'd know
he was; but not Dicky. No, no. I'm
sober as a Judge, maybe three. / may
get good and drunk before morning.
| but now I'm as sober as"
''Madge you're the prettiest thing IN
that bathrobe I ever saw. I'm so glad
you're not angry at me. You've had
time to sleep it off, haven't your"
He dropped his stick and came to-
ward me unsteadily. knocking into
chairs as he came. I turned and ran
lswiftly into my bedroom, slammed the
door, turned the key and IN an un-
reasoning frenzy of terror dragged my
lbed and dressing table against Il.