The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-06

much out OF place In a woman's shop
"a a bull amongst the provorbii
china, he wondered II IL would have
wearicd him as badly 20 have fol.
lowed Jill round--to have stood by
white she bought pretty things: 20
have been called upon 20 decide
whether blue or pink suited her best,
Lately he had rcsoiutcly avoided
thinking Of her. II he could help u,
had deliberately avoided meeting
her: and yet. tonight he was going
10 be q fool again. and 70 where he
knew he would meet her. and sit
near her. and talk 20 her.
Who was this fellow Rigden. he
wondered--and was there any truth
In Hillyards suggestion that he was
paying determined attention TO Jiil7
The thought was a stab.
OF course. some day she would
marry again; he shut hts eyes and
deliberately conjured the memory Of
tho early days OF their friendship.
Tho little shabby house In Acacia
Terracc--Jiil In her worn. cheap
ciothes--Jlll a. she used 20 look up
from her work when he came into
the office-Jlii as she had looked
when he first said he loved her. They
all passed before his mind like q
series Of beautiful pictures which
had once been hts. but which IN blind
ignorance Of their value he had
given away.
A man coming into the room
glanced casually At T.aiientyre and
then stopped. struck BY the hardness
and unhappiness OF his face.
"Hulio. Gig" he said abruptly.
Taiicntyrc opened his eyes. and
sat up with an effort
HULA he felt mechanically for
his cigarct case. Have q smoker"
Thanks" The other man took
cigaret and m II silently. watching
Tauantyre all the time. He had
dropped back again into tho depths
Of his chair. his thin. weii-kcpt hands
hanging listiessiy over the chair.
arms. the old blank look OF boredom
fallen once more over his face.
-Doing anything tonightY" Merre-
dew asked carclessiy. "ff not. como
along TO the Dcspards with me-
Sorry. I'm dining with Hillyard-
only Just accepted"
~weli. you won't want 90 stay
there all night: I'm not going to
Dcspards myself TIL about IL. the
fun never begins TIL then"
The fun7" Taiientyrs opened NJ.
lazy eyes little wider. 'oh. you
mean the gambling n Mrs.
Dcspard doesn't look out. she'll find
herself In . rather unpleasant corner
ono OF these days." he added list.
ie.eiy.
-Humphr' Mcrredew dragged for
ward a chair. and sat astr,ds II. his
arms folded across the back.
You're friendly with the I'm
ysrds--very friendly. aren't your he
asked suddenly.
II am---whyr"
"Only because think someone
ought OF get HlIiyard to drop Mrs.
eturgess = hint He looked away
now. . trnos Of embarrassment In
his fAcA
Il dorm undssseand.. zsrsnsyrs
aid aftsr . moment
'Ho-And IT'S rather difflcuft 70
sxpiaan-s Nsrsedsw ruhosd his chin
ag1tasediy. Look here" he went
on. you know what . crowd the
Despards are. ana what sort Of PEG
pie they get around them. IT'S all
right for anyone who knows the
ropse. and Just how fnr 90 trust
them. but for a girl like Mrs. stur.
gess it's--it's q rotten shame
that A.. A.
and give her the hint"
You mean that they're fleeing
her7"
Merredew nodded: he looked round
the room apprchensfveiy. and drew
HTS chair nearer 10 Taiicntyre's
Look here. Gig" he said. lower
ing his voice. I'm intercsted---andI
don't mind admitting H. She's
ripping woman--Mrs. sturgess--and
ana =. he coiored. and broke
off. shrugging his shoulders. Il 70
to the Despards lot. and she's al
ways there. There's q common
bounder named Rigdcn hanging
about her--nobody knows where he
came from. or how the ,Dcspnrds
Gt~*Nta W. uat linz tutttts /
they let anyone tack on--anyone
with money. that Is I tried to warn
Mrs. Sturgess--I knew It would be
delicate matter--she's a woman with
spirit. you know, and Of course
hadn't any actual right TO say
word. but well. did" lie
paused refiectiveiy.
Yes" said Tailentyre.
she heard me out. and then she
turned on me; never was 80 sur.
prised In all my life. She said that
she didn't care what Mrs. Despard
wns-shs said that she got little
enough pleasure out OF her life. and
that she was going TO enjoy herself
In her own way. IL they want my
money. they're welcome TO IT, she
said almost hysterically. It's no use
TO me anywayl-it can't buy happi.
pess' yes. that's what she said
every word. felt rotten. I can tell
you-just rotten, I'd always looked
upon her as woman who enjoyed
every moment Of her lifc--it only
shows how n clever woman can take
you in when she's up against It,"
"Wel7"
We'll. that's ALL" Merredew said
awkwardly. II apologized--I said ia
only meant II as friendly hint. and
then she smiled and said II was all
right; but there were tears in her
eyes. and---and--oh, felt rotten, I
can tell your
And she stili goes 10 Despard's7"
Nearly every night. believe:
so myself whenever ] can for that
reason; We were both there last
night. and she--Mrs. sturgess--lost
couple Of hundred pounds in about
10 minutes. I tell you. don't like
the look Of II. OF course. don't
mean that 1t isn't run on the
straight. and all that. but ;. we'll
l wouldn't trust that fellow Rigden