The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-03
CHATTER Nv

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He felt an almost morbid dread Of
minElinw with his friends he hated
the thought Of the marv ~or"- 49,
lations he would be forced to receive.
and the fire OF Kooo.na,u,N
which would surely be leveled at
him.
lie had hardly slept a wink all
night: q hundred times he had
cursed the impulse that had driven
him 10 ash Erica TO marry him. He
had no spark OF love for her. tho
n he had never met jim he would
probably have drtfted into marriage
with her mcnths ago. for no better
reason than that he was hard up.
and that she was willing to marry
him.
Sometimes he wondered that she
had not been more ambitious: he
would have bean genuinely amased
had anyone told him that beneath
al her artificiaiity and woridincss,
the Lady Erica was very fond
OF him. and that the fact Of his hest.
fancy 10 propose 10 her had hurt
the spciit beauty more than any
thing else could have done.
n ne had lain awake all night. she
had cried herself 20 sleep; she could
not understand In what way she
failed TO attract this man: she knew
perfectly well that he was marrying
her simply ana solely for her money.
But she would have him at any
price: for hts sake she had put up
with months Of abuse and rscrini
nations from her family. II mean TO
marry him. and there's an end Of
IT," she always ended an argument
calmly. "That is--aiways suppceinG
he asks me-" she supplemented. with
. sort Of dry humor.
You can have no PRIDE her
mother stormed At her. "A PENN.
less man IKE Cyrus Taiisntyre--~and
to dare to treat you ~ he does'
Where II your pride. Erica, =. ="
Perhaps never had any where
he II concerned Erica answered
YEARLY. Anyway. IT'S useless for
to argue: i've made up my mind"
Her father had stormed from an
other point Of view.
The man's = fortune hunter: tie
not you he wants at all. but your
money to pay his debts Not
one penny OF mine doea he get
(which won't break his heart-or
mine" his daughter responded un-
moved. Thanks 10 = deceased and
wealthy sodmother. Erica could AZ.
ford 70 quarrel with her father; she
had moro than sufficient money Of
her own to make u worth while: but
abe had never been % unhappy In
all her life a. ne was during the
night following her engagement.
He had never even kisaed her
APPARENTLY had not wished 10 kiss
her the thought ranked ana
hurt unspsakably.
She rang TAilentyrs up In tAe
morning. ana told him that her
father ana mother haa refused 10
congratulate her.
He frowned a ne fllprancy Of hss
voice
Perhaps thsy are VISA. be ~
hardly.
Erica laughed: nsAoay wouia
have guessed from her iaush that
there were ssars m her eyes.
-Perhaps 60" che agreed. There
was = little pause. thsn--
II think you'd better trot around
today. Just sos the look IT the thing.
you know she said. IF you let ne
know What time youu come. III -
TaIlentyrs said he would come 70
tea He sighed ~ be hung up
the receiver; he supposed that for ali
the rest Of his life he would have
TO dance attendance on this woman.
He shousht q I'm. ana wishsd ne
had not essn her Last night--hs
thought o. the past. ana would have
g1ven his soul 10 have n over again.
He made . poor pretense of lunch.
ing. ana FELL asleep afterward In his
chair. n was four o'clock when hss
man reused him ana reminded him
that he was due at Lady ElricA's for
tea
Taiisntyrs swors: his head Wa
splitting. he changed his clothes with
= bad grace. and drank neat
brandy before he went out His man
wished to order . taxi for him. but
TaIlentyrs refused. the afr would do
him good. he said.
he did not want TO SEQ Erica again
Lhe dreaded meeting her father and
mother. and receiving their luke
warm congratulations
Life was . horrible thing 10 him
that day--it seemed no purposeiess:
and then--then II seemed purposeless
no more ~ he turned the corner OF
the street and came face TO face with
jill.
The hot blood rushed to his
temples--for moment his usual
snngfroid deserted him.
Jill flushed a iittls. too. but she
was quite scif-composed.
i've Just been 70 tea with KAthy,"
she said saiiy. And she told me
the news must congratulate
you. tho I really thought you had
been engaged for ever 80 long" she
explained iaughingiy.
"You are very kind"
You let me think you were en-
gaged last night. you know jill
said accusingiy. Didn't I send 4 lot
OF kind messages for Lady El1ca7"
she asked lightly.
II believe you did but. a. a
matter Of fact. was not engaged
then the--the great event hap
pened after left your sisters
house" TaiIentyre's voice was dry
and expressionless: he turned his
head--they were walking on together
slowiy---and looked at her with
burning eyes. II have you 10 thank
for IT," he said.
For a moment Jiii's composure De.
serted her; she stared At him with
wide eyes ana parted lips; II seemed
~ II time bnd place were swept
away, and she was once more the
little girl he had first met in Henry
sturgcss' office.
Then she laughed.