The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-17

II
~ Want to Go to That Danes!" I,
But he put that aside now; he was
going to that dance, and he was going
to stay there as long as the music
sounded, or rather as long as the
brown eyes, brown hair and laughing
lips Of Anita Richmond were apparent
to him. What's more, he carried out
his resolution. ...,
l. Again and again Fairchild's eyes
searched the crowds, the multicolored,
overdressed costumes Of the women,
the old-fashioned affairs with which
many Of the men had arrayed them
selves, ranging all the way from high
leather boots to frock suits and stove
pipe beaver hats. From one face to
another his gaze went on; then he
turned abstractedly to the long line
of tables, with their devotees Of keno
and bought paddle. "~ -
From far away the lrone OF, the call
or sounded In q voice familiar, and
Fairchild looked up to see the narrow
eyed, SCARED face Of Squint Rodaine,
who was officiating at the wheel. He
lost interest in the game; lackadais-
ically he placed the buttons on their
squares as the numbers were shouted,
finally to brush them all aside and de-
sert the game. His hatred Of the Ro-
DANES had grown to a point where
he could enjoy nothing with which
they were connected, where he de-
spised everything with which they
had the remotest excepting,
of course, one person. And as he rose,
Tairchild saw that she was just enter
ing the dance hall.
Only a moment he hesitated. Maui
rice Rodaine, attired in mauve frock
suit and the inevitable accompanying
beaver, had stopped to talk to some
one at the door. She stood alone, look
ing about the hail, laughing and nod
d!ng-and then she looked at him
Fairchild did not wait.
From the platform at the end Of the
big room the fiddles had begun to
squeak, and the caller was shouting
his announcements. Couples began to
line up on the flotr.' The callers voice
grew louder: <~'s'T $780,.
Zone more couple-then the dance
starts. One more couple, lady an a
gent! One more"
"Please!" Robert Fairchild had
reached her and was holding forth his
hand. She looked up In half surprise,
then 4demurred.
"But I don't know these old Dances"
"Neither do Tor any other, for that
NATTER" he confessed with sudden
holiness. But does that make any
difference? Please!"
She glanced quickly toward the
door. Maurice Rodaine was still talk
ing. and Fairchild saw little CLEAN
come into her eyes-the CLEAN that
shows when a woman decides to make
some one pay for rudeness.
Fairchild's hand was still extended.
Again Anita Richmond glanced toward
tho door, chuckled TO herself while
Fairchild watched the dimples that the
merriment caused, and then-Fairchild
forgot the fact that he was wearing
hobnailed shoes and that his clothes
were worn and old. He was going
forward to take his place on the dance
floor, and she was beside him!
Some way, as through a haze, he
saw her. Some way he realized that
now and then his hand touched hers,
and that once, as they whirled about
the room, in obedience to the monarch
on the flddler's rostrum, his arm was
about her waist, and her head touching
his shoulder. 1t made little difference
whether the dance calls were obeyed
after that. Fairchild was making up
for all the years he had plodded, all
the years In which he had known moth
ing but a slow, grubblng life, living
them all again and rightly, in the few
swift moments Of a dance.
The music ended, and laughing they
returned to the side of the hall. Out
of the haze he heard words, and knew
indistinctly that they were his own:
s"Will-will you dance with me again
tonight?" .&..-
Selfish she chided.
"But will you?" .a5
For just a moment her eyes grew
serious. 49,, s.s&., g.. 1s%- = g..
did you ever realize that we've
never been introduced7"
Fairchild was finding more converse.
ton than he ever had believed pos
sible. t. t .-as;
"No-but I realize that don't care,
If youll forgive it. believe that
I'm gentleman" *$t
$50 do Tor I, wouldn't have danced
with you"
''Then please" .@-
"Pardon me-" She had laid q hand
on his arm for just a moment, then
hurried away. Fairchild saw that she
was approaching young Rodaine,
scowling in the background. That per
son shot an angry remark at her as
she approached and followed it with
streaming sentences, Fairchlld knew