South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-10-10

E
/ should have fled shrieking down
the stairs at the sudden appearance
of Grace Draper in the house l was
inspecting with a view 10 its pur-
chase. All my old aversion TO the
girl, my very real terror Of her,
swept over me until 1 found myself
as near utter panic as I ever had
been in my life.
But pride. that most potent of
stimulants. came to my rescue. OF
all people in the world. this woman
was the one before whom / could
least afford TO show any sign Of
white feather. Unthinkable that she
should see me quail even for an in
slant; 1 summoned every bit of will
power I possessed, and spoke to her
cOolly. steadily.
"Ah, Miss Draper, is It not? [
hardly recognized you at first But
your voice hasn't changed"
/ had spoken only the simple truth
but with any other woman than the
one before me I would have tactful-
~ refrained from commenting upon
the marked alteration in her APP
pearance. But there was no room
in my heart for truth toward Grace
Draper. and | am afraid there was
meanness enough in my soul 1T that
instant TO rejoice at the change
which had come to her.
For she was no longer the vision
Of beauty which Dicky had so adj
mired in the first year Of our mar
! riage when she had been the model
for so many Of his illustrations. At
that time her beauty had been fault
less. and 1 had always felt myself at
a marked disadvantage beside her.
But even the few years since then,
though they had touched me lightly
enough, had decidedly aged her.
probably because of the combination
with them OF a code Of life far re-
moved from mine and Of the ZEN
alties which she had suffered for her
| crimes.
She was still attractive. her figure
was still lissome, but it and her fea-
lures were far too thin. while the
! brilliant colOring which of old was
one of her chief attractions had been
.
beneath it was an unbecOming pal
/ lor. materially detracting from her
| old charm. There was a hardness
a touch of cheap vulgarity about her
/ also, which made her only a carl
cature OF the woman. she once had
] been. But her lustrous dark eyes
were still beautiful, full Of I'M
/ quenchable fire and spirit. But de-
spite them, however, my old jeal-
ousy Of the girl slipped from me for
ever. I no doubt had cause 70 fear
her. but in this moments concen-
/ trated gaze at her I knew that never
could Dicky De attracted by her
again. I knew also. without vanity
/ that the tables had turned. and that
now had the advantage OF her in
personal appearance.
That she realized the same truth
as she looked at me - nay, more,
knew that l had seen Il also-was
evident in the sudden curling Of her
lips back over her teeth. while into
her eyes for a fleeing second there
came the expression of something
catlike preparing 10 spring.
HOW / ever Itlu. lily ElUullu Ut-
fore that look I do not know. but
stand motionless I did. looking calm
~ into her eyes. But when the saw
age look faded and was replaced by
something inscrutable. I knew that
nothing in my action had changed
her intention. She had forced her
self into passivity.
De- "Tt fs hardly - ha axnectad that
( I should be unaltered. is it?" she
Z asked with a little smile. which. in
I spite Of my aversion to her. 7 had
/ 10 admit was full OF genuine pathos.
/ Prison life is not generally condu-
Give 70 the preservation Of ones at
! tractiveness."
I turned involuntariiy toward the
woman who had admitted me into
the house. wondering that Grace
/ Draper should speak Of this chapter
in her life before her But she was
/ no longer TO be seen. and the wom-
an opposite me laughed lightly at
, my gesture.
ooh. Linda ia a good scout" she
! said. "She won't listen 20 anything
not intended for her ears Besides
[ she knows all about me I knew
/ her years ago before she was mar
ried. and we've kept up a sort Of
/ friendship ever since. enough so that
7 was able 10 use her 10 get YOU
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