The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-05
THE Dali Il
SHORT STORY
cod Feet.
BY r. RAY sAKER.

|. Copyright, 1920, by tine Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
w yHEN Dexter Runnels scamper.
w ed biithesomely up the brown.
stone steps Of the DollIver
home at five minutes to he fully
expected that within the next two
hours Marion would begin spelling her
last name with capital R. The ar.
rangements were all made. The min.
lister had been engaged, Dexter had
his license and honeymoon railroad
tickets and was dressed and groomed
for the ceremony but Marion was not
ct home.
Under Dexter's light brown overcoat
We're his best clothes They were not
full dress, because II was going to
be an Informal occasion and because
Dexter had no such outfit. He had
never found time to get measured for
formal afternoon clothes. His stock
business occupied his attention every
waking minute and he was almost
Inclined to begrudge the halliday need.
ed to have the connubial knot tied. 4
But things were going to change. He
had resolved to slow up his nerve
racling business pace when he be-
came established in his new home.
Not only had he resolved It. but Ma.
ricn had served an ultimatum that de.
manded It.
'I'm going to have my share of your
time whether we get rich or starve,"
she had said Its not only that
won't be neglected, but this inteusi-
fled activity of yours is making you
absent.minded, 1t wouldn't surprise
me II you forgot the date for our mar.
riage.a
But Dexter had marked the calen.
dar and he had not forgotten. Early
ihat morning he had wired: will
leave New York on 1880 train" This
gave him a good two hours leeway in
case the train was late, for Marion's
home city was only sixty minutes run
rom the metropolis. But the train
had been practically on schedule sci
Dexter had time to spare.
AS he pushed the bell button beside
the Dolhver door he felt that he was
shedding his business cares. No more
Irenzied finances for him. He had in
stalled an able manager in his office
and now he could take things easier.
And Dexter had Slowed up" in an.
other way-in the matter of caution.
lnasmuch as his shoulders soon would
be bearing the responsibilities OF pro-
viding q livelihood for two, he had
adopted a policy of Took twice." The
first consequence of the new policy
was a decision to back out of a deal
in new motor stocks for which ar.
rangements had been made in Detroit.
It looked like an Opportunity to reap
big profits, but there was also chance
OF going financially flat. Under the
old policy, he would have taken al
chance; under the new one, he was
afraid. SoSthis very day he had~sent
Wire to Detroit reading:
Call off the deal for while. I've
got cold feet.
The bell was not answered. so he
pressed 1t again; but still there was
10 response. II was queer that Ma.
rion's father had not met him at the
station with the automobile, but the
fact that no one answered the bell was
strange.
However, he reasoned probably
Marion was busy dressing, and the
rest of the household occupied with
other matters attending the marriage.
There were no servants.
He tried the door, but 1t was lock-
ed. he went to the rear entrance. but
encountered no more success there.
Furthermore, the blinds were down, a
fact he had NOT noticed when he ap.
preached the house. His mind had
been too occupied. Now IT was occupi.
ed fully as much, but less distracted
ly. A very concrete problem confront.
ed Dexter.
Finding all the doors locked. he
went to the garage. The door was fast.
ened, but through 2 window he ascer
tanned the car had been removed. I'll
looked as If the Delivers had gone on
an overnight trip, else the garage door
would have been left open.
Dexter, for all of his lifelong resi-.
dence in New York, had never seen
the whirlpool of Niagara; but now he
had an idea of how 1t would feel to be
caught in the seething vortex, for his
brain had been transformed into a
maelstrom. He was dazed as he turn
ed from the garage and started back
along the cement driveway. A call
from the house next door brought him
to o halt.
Mr.. and Mrs. Dolliver and their
daughter went away this morning in
their car said a man in a smoking
Jacket, looking out of window. "They
had trunk fastened on behind, so II
suppose they're going for tour"
Thanks, returned Dexter, weakly,
and he staggered from the premises
and wandered afmlessly down the
street, suffering from a wide-awake
nightmare.
He obtained room in hotel aud
sat down to study fhe nrohIar,. hut