Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-07
Nancy's Reckless Mood

00NE. Inut siBHhHeu N"SAc "O"'N
Vie other daggcrs. Rather silly, he
considered It, for man Of Stewards
Mentality, to stoop to such cheap
tAeotrical devices. TO wear him down
Nth terror; well, that could not be
done.
Stewart had key to the house and
key to door No. 4. Emphatically TINT
vns not pleasant to contemplate. More.
o,er, the man had acquired much in
formation as to the habits of the ten.
ants; knew when his entrance would
not DO observed. Still, Bancroft was
reasonably certain that whatever was
n bnppen to him would not happen In
this house.
He dropped tho dagger scornfully into
the bureau drawer, and went to bed.
II he had any dreams. he could not re-
member them in the morning. Which
puts tho kiss into the picture again {;
be had not meant anything by 1t.
THANKSGIVING Day came, with Its
cheerful turkey cranberry atmosphere.
Seven. .cighths Of the human beings were
saunt Of eye and empty Of belly; but
there was plenty in New York, and
much Of this plenty would be wasted
thoughtessly.
exhibited the proper excitement over
the prospect of going to Craig's bcauti-
To her, it was n tremendous event. a
real home, not stuffy fiat or apart
uent; elbow. room. with Oriental rugs
and pictures. silver and cutglnss and
laced table linen, n butler and n sec.
Nancy laughed at these rather child
ish party manifestations. Today Jcnny's
ear was not keen enough to note the
hard quality Of this laughter. Nancy
was having one Of her defiant and reck.
less moods. That her speech was not
bitter was due to her love of Jenny and
her native kindness that had no wish
10 cast a shadow on Jcnny's great day.
But she was bitter to the bottom of
her soul. To eat Thanksgiving dinner
In a stranger g house, because she had
no house of her own! The food would
have taste Of wormwood.
A thought crcpt in. 1t was vague and
Shadowy at first, and without nobility :
but 1t spread ag shadows spread; and
as she began to sense fully the import.
she tried to force it out of her mind.
But shadows are indestructible save by
light the shadows OF the mind are uis
spnted only by revelation.
After the matinee. on tho way from
the theatre to Craig's, Jenny uncon.
sciously saved the ride from utter dull
ness. Most Of her slnngy commentaries
were laughable, but the laughter Of her
audience was Of false and empty
quality.
Craig was in highly nervous state
Of mind. lie had neither eye nor car
woman who had first trapped his fancy,
then his love. lie had overcome her
aloofness by never attempting to step
beyond the line she had drawn. by now
she must have some inkling of what his
real intentions were.
Bancroft was also in n peculiar state
Of mind. lie had tho absurd sensation
OF being a thinking puppct on wires.
and that Craig was manipulation. lIc
was in this luxurious sedan against his
VIII; he was about to enter Crnig's
home against his will: he would have
% eat this mans food against his will.
20 clairvoyance was necessary; he
knew that he and Jenny had been In
vlted solely because Nancy would have
!etused TO enter Craig's home without
tnem; All through tho dinner Craig
would DO secretly resenting their pres
hooks and corners; and ho. Bancroft,
Was determined to mako these little
conversations 40 short as It was politely
possible. ''''e''
But he reckoned without Jenny, who
aad premonition OF what this dinner
truly signified. II Nancy married Craig.
Jeremiah would bo unattached. Even
Jenny, philosopher that she was. could
poe utterly abandon hope. So she laid
per plans to use every device to hold
Ssremiah at her side.
90 then tho spirit Of Thanksgiving
so0ed solely with Craig's maiden
aunt. whose amiability set the guests
immediately at their ease or at such
ease as their general perversity would
First, Craig took them about Tho
objects. Everywhere was unostcnto.
Sous luxury. With consummate skin
~ exhibited the treasures Of his mind.
Wo; Then he sat down at tho pinno
sa9 Played until dinner was announced.
.,pr Seper and deeper Bancroft de.
sadsd Into the abyss; farther and
tner Nancy drifted out to sea. And
SSnay, noting the eyes Of the two men
waenevrr they looked at Nancy, which
~ almose constantly--Jenny threw
oars overheard and drifted. too,
1as aunt alone found tho turkey
ssS. 1t was bitter to Bancroft and
Nslsss to Nancy and Craig. Jenny
SVr thought about the turkey, one
Wex or the other. N"1
III HSae dinner was not prolonged, as
0sa srls had to be at the theatre be.
cs,ts. ven.th!rty. In the end Craig
snv ss'nsraied aN BANCROFT; not because Of
Ss3 superior ability, but because he
tsmnns ~ aniy 10 Jenny; Jenny. who had
snd snd'vrasl!y wa ceased to be Il good sport"
nos was was prey to love- malice. She did
~ ~ ,s care now much she hurt herself,
%mx ~ she could hurt Jeremiah.
n iows wss u 40 longer blind: The boy was
9! thy luck In the world. Who V wonid
sseon have her name in ths III ii.bts m'u'a
sss salary. offers from the movies. ths
ioHd et her feet; while ali jenny Nal.
~ could set out Of life was a kiss That
HsSnt meant anythlngl
% she pushed him over n ths nhoro.
sHa' and found that there were no
wsMe Me songs or jRzz records, but her
ccIAc .Mce rose above the shock OF this dis.
Tssy;; 90 she plucked out Of the case
~: Aida record, and pretended that
,SSe Hnew all about 1t, WATCHING him
"S while from the corner of her eye. ~
h.SS was not difficult task JENNY
cs~s. taken upon her shoulders. Ban.
s'Yss understood the maneuyer. hut
was no way to cope with Il ex.
~ open rudeness 10 both Jenny
vraig's aunt. and he was incsna.
~ ot that. He knew he was tranncd.