Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-08
CHAPTER VI.
Beatrice Up Stage.

Beatrice Up Stage.
If you vision Clay as a man Of bat
ties n violent death. you don't see
him as he saw himself. He was a
peaceful citizen from the law-abidins
flung into the whirlpool of New York
that violent and m~elodramatic mis-
haps befell this innocent.
This was the version of himself that
lie conceived to be true and the one
he tried to interpret to Bee Whitford
when he emerged from the hospital
after two days of seclusion and pre-
scented himself before her.
1t was characteristic of Beatrice
that when h looked at his battered
face she asked no questions and made
no exclamations. After the first start
led glance n might have thought
from her expression that he habitu-
ally wore n black eye, one swollen
lip. n cauli1ower ear, and a strip Of
sauze across his cheek.
The dark-lashed eyes lifted from
him to take on a business-like direct
ness. h rang for the man.
Have the runabout brought round
at once. Stevens. I'll drive myself"
she gave orders.
With the light ease that looked silk
9 I, n strong she swept the. car into the
lark. Neither she o Clay talked.
Soth of them knew that an explana-
zion of his appearance was due her.
and in the meantime neither cared to
fence with small talk. She drew up
10 look at some pond, lilies, and they
talked about them for a moment. after
which her direct eyes questioned him
frankly.
He painted with a light brush the
picture of his adventure into Bohe-
2 mia Thu 6afoi1r no f11n1 in r.h;~
sically, in the picturesque ph~raseology
2of the west. " Up stage on his canvas
was the figure of the poet in velvet
een That Son of the Stars he did
full justice. Jerry Durand sand Kitty
Mason were accessories sketched
casually.
Il gather that MIR. Lindsay Of Ari-
iona was among those present. Be-
atrice said. smiling.
Il was givin' the dance" he agreed,
and his gay eyes met hers.
Since she was a m one phase
of his story needed expansion,for Miss
Whitford. She made her comment
ca%relessly while she adjusted the
mileage on the speedometer.
Queer you happened to meet some
one YOU knew down there. You said
you knew the girl. didn't you?"
we were on the same train out of
Denver. I got acquainted with her"
Miss Whitford asked no more ques-
tons. But Clay could not quite let
the matter stand so. He wanted her
to justify him in her mind for what
had told her story of Kitty Mason
and Durand.
II couldn't let him hypnotic that
little girl from the country, could -"
he asked.
Il suppose not" Her whole face be-
gar to bubble with laughter in the
way he liked so well. But you'll be
q busy knight Grant if you under
take to right the wrongs of every girl
you meet in New York. Don't YOU
think it possible, that you rescued her
out of a job?'
The young man nodded his head
ruefully. That's exactly what I did.
After all her trouble gettin' one I've
thrown her ou; again. I'm a sure
enough fat-head."
You've been down to find out -
she asked with a sidelong tilt of her
quick eyes.
Yes. 7 went down this mornin'
with Tim Muldoon. He's a policeman
met down there. Miss Kitty hasn't
been seen since that night. We went
out to the Pirates Len, the Purple
4 Pup, Grace Godwin's Carrot. and all
y places where she Used to sell
cigarettes. None of them have seen
ANYTHING of her."
S that really your championship
hasn't, been so great a help to her
after all, has it,"
And / suppose it ruined the bust
ness OF the mar that owns the Sea
Siren"
II don't reckon so. I've settled for
the furniture. And Muldoon a v
when 1t gets goin' again the Sea Siren
Will do a big business on account of
the fracas. It's Kitty I'm worried
about"
Il wouldn't worry about her il l
were you. She'll land on her feet"
the girl said lightly.
Her voice had not lost it's sweet
cadences. but Clay sensed in 1t some
thing that was almost a touch of cool
contempt. He felt vaguely that he
must have blundered in describing
kitty: Evidently Miss Whitford did
not g her quite as she was.
The young woman pressed the
starter button. I'VE must be going
home. / have an engagement to "a
-fding with Nj. Bromfield."
The ms beside the girl kept his
smile working and concealed the lit
tie stab of-jealously that dirked him.
ysEO1sn Whitford had confided to Lind
Sany that his daughter was practically
engaged 70 Clarendon Bromdield and
that he did not like the man. The
range-rider did not like him either,
bIitF he tried loyalty to kill his distrust
;s0fs the &lubfnan. II Beatrice loved
him. there must be good IN the fellow
sClay rneant 70 bega good loser any
Thsresh.a been moment. when the
> s sms Via Nutrient nsa hops an'c ona 4
B44sIl4 Z hAAm AN = snnnrvfn~ 49,.