The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-12-08

stantly hesought.
Saw your husband driving away.
I've got TO see you. | can't stand
H. Come for a walk. l know, Poo
Pile might see us. But they won't
II we hike into the country. IN
wait for YOU by the elevator. Take
as long as YOU want to.-oh. come
auiekf'
in few minutes" she promised
She murmured. "I'il Just talk to
him for a quarter OF an hour and
come home" She put on her tweed
coat and rubber overshoes. consider.
ing how honest and hopeless are rub.
bers. how clearly their ehaperonage
proved that she wasn't going TO a
lovers tryst.
She found him In the shadow OF
the grain elevator. sulkily kicking at
rail of the side-track A. she came
toward him she fancicd that his
whole body expanded. hut he said
nothing. nor she; he patted her
sleeve. she returned the pat, and
they crossed the railroad tracks.
found road. dumped toward open
country.
Chilly night. but like this mel.
anchoiy gray" he said.
Yes"
They passed a moaning clump OF
trees and splashed along the wet
road. He tucked her hand into the
side.pocket Of hts overcoat. She
caught hts thumb and. signing, held
" exactly as Hugh held hers when
they went walking. She thought
about Hugh. The current maid was
In for the evening. but was u SAT.
TO leave the baby with herr The
thought was distant and elusive.
Erik began 10 talk. slowly, reveal.
ingly. He made for her a picture OF
his work In a large tailor shop In
Minneapolis: the steam and heat. and
the drudgery: the men In darned
vests and crumpled trousers. men
who rushed GROWERS OF beer and
were cynical about women. who
laughed at him and played Jokes on
him. But didn't mind. because 7
could keep away from them outside.
| used TO 80 10 the Art Institute and
the Walker Gallery. and tramp clear
around Lake Harriet. or hike out 20
the Gates house and imagine II was n
chateau In italy and lived In u. 7
was a marquis and COLLECTED tapes
tries-that was after was wounded
In Padua- The only really bad time
was when a tailor named Finkeifnrb
found diary I was trying to keep
and he read u aloud in the shop
Il was a bad fight" He laughed
Il got fined five dollars. But that's
all gone now. Seems as tho you
stand between me and tn. gas stoves
the long flames with rnauve edges.
licking up around the irons and max.
ing that sneering sound all day
aaaashr'
Her fingers frightened about his
thumb as she perceived the hot low
room. the pounding Of pressin q irons.
the resk Of ecorched cloth. and Erik
among gixgiins gnomes Hts finger.
top crept through the opening OF her
glove and smoothed her palm She
snatched her hand away. stripped off
her glove. tucked her hand back Into
his.
lie was saying something about .
Il WttfA-tttt t'fTVtta AH tAtf trNn-
guilty she let the words blow by
and needed only the beating wings
OF his voice.
She was conscious that he was
fumbling for impressive speech.
Say. uh--Caroi. I've written q
poem about you"
That's nice. Let's hear IL
Damn II don't be NO casual about
IL, Can't you take me seriossiyy''
MY dear boy. II took you ser
iously---' I don't want US to be
hurt more thsn--more than we will
be- Tell me the poem. I've never
had a poem written about mer'
1T isn't really q poem. It's just
some words that love becaue Il
seems TO me they catch what you
are. OF course probably they won't
seem 20 TO anybody else. but
| Well
Littie and tender and merry and wise
With eyes that meet my eyes.
DO you get the idea the way I
DOR
'sYee' I'm terribly grntefuIr' And
she was grateful-whilc she imper.
sonaily noted how bad verse II was
She was aware Of the haggard
beauty In the lowering night. Mon
strous tattercd. clouds sprawled
round a foriorn moon; puddiea and
rocks giistened with inner light
They were passing a grove OF scrub
poplars. feeble by day but looming
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