The Washington herald., 1922-10-01
The Beautiful
And Damned
Continued from Yesterdoy.
By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Upon this refusal Anthony had
started to the telegraph office iIi-
tending to wire Gloria to come
South-he reached the door and re-
ceded despairingly, seeing the utter
impracticability of such a move.
Then he had spent the evening
qusrrelins irritably with Dot, and
returned to camp morose and angry
with the world. There had been a
diesgreeable scene, in the midst of
which he had precipitately depart
ed. What was TO be done with her
did not seem to concern him vita'ly
1T present--he was completely abb
sorbed in the disheartening silence
of his wife.
The flap of the tent made a sud-
den triangle back upon itself. and
a dark head appeared against the
night.
"Seargeant Patch?" The accent
was Italian. and Anthony saw by
:he belt that the man was a head
quarters orderly.
want me?"
Lady call up headquarters ten
minutes ago. Say she have speak
with you. Yer important"
Anthony swept aside the mos
quito meeting and stood up. 1t
might be wire from Gloria teie-
phoned over.
she say to get you. She call
again 10 O'Clock"
"AlI right. thanks" He picked up
his hat and in a moment was strid-
ing beside the orderly through the
hot. almost suffocating darkness ;.
over in the headquarters shack he
saluted a doing night-service o.
ficer
sit down and wait" suggest" 1
the lieutenant nonchalantiy. Cir
seemed awful anxious TO speak to
you"
Anthony's hopes fell away.
Thank you very much. sir" AMI
as the phone squeaked on the side
wall he knew who WAS calling.
This IS Dot" came an unsteady
voice. i've got To see you"
Dot. told you ! couldn't get
down for several days"
I've got TO see you tonight. It's
important"
IT'S too late" he said coldly;
its 10 o'clock and I have to be IN
camp at H."
An right" There was so much
wretchedness compressed into he
two words that Anthony felt
measure Of compunction.
What's the natter
Il want to tell you Coodby."
"Uh. don't be a little IDIOT. he
exclaimed. But his spirits rose.
What luck If she should leave town
this very night, What a burden
from his soul But he said: You
can't possibly leave before tomor-
row"
Out Of the corner Of his eye he
saw the night-serviCe officer re-
carding him quizzically. Then,
star,linCly. came Dots next woris:
Il don't mean leave that way.
Antbony's hand clutched the r.
cciver fercely. He felt his nerves
turning cold as II the heat was leav-
ing his body.
What"
Then quickly in a wild broken voice
he heard:
Good d-by-oh. good-by!'
CuI-lup, She had hung up the re-
ceiver. With n sound that was half
a gasp. half a cry. Anthony hurried
from the headquarters building. Out
side, under the stars that dripped
like silver tassels through the trees
Of the little grove. he stood motion
less. hesitating. Had she meant 10
Kill herself?-oh, the little fool, He
was filled with bitter hate toward
her. In this denouement he found
II impossible to realize that he had
ever begun such an entsnIIement.
such mess. a sordid melange Of
worry and pain.
He found himself walking slowly
away. repeating over and over that
I was futile to worry. He had best
go back to his tent and sleep. lie
needed sleep. God, Would he ever
sleep aCain" His mind was in a
vast c'amor and confunDn: as he
n a panic and began running. not
toward his company but away from
1. Men were returning now-he
could find 4 taxiCab. After a min
ute two yellow eyes appeared
around a bend. Desperately he ran
.oward them.
"Jitney' Jitney." It was
an empty Ford. Il want TO
80 TO town
Cost YOU ST.
"AIl right. II you'll just hurry
After an interminahle time he
"an up the steps Of a dark. ram
ShackIe litt'e house and through the
! loor. almost knocking over an inn
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