Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-09

lord IL yon: ~ " ule .ano
Johnnis told the story OF the search
Tor her. with special emphasis on tn,
night Clay broke into three house:
in answer to her advertisement.
II never wrote It. 1 never though
Of that. It must have been
1T was that scalawagS Durand
y'betcha. I amt still wearin' my pin.
feathers none. He was sore because
Clay had fixed his clock proper"
i've got no place to go, except bach
home-and I've got no folks there
but a second cousin. She doesn't wan,
me. I don't know what to do. II
had q woman friend-some one &c
tell me what was best
Johnnie slapped his hand on hi.
knee, struck by a sudden inspiration,
Say! Y'betcha. by %jollies. I've got
'er-the very one! Louvre d-n-
you're sure whistlin'. We got a lady
friend. Clay and me, the finest little
there when the gong strikes. You'd
love her. I'll fix it for you-right
away. l got to go to her house this
afternoon an do some chores. I'll bet
she m right over to see you"
Kitty was doubtful. Maybe we
better wait and speak to Mr.. Lind
say about it," she said.
mo, ma'am. you don't know Miss
Beatrice. She's the best friend. Why,
I shouldn't wonder but that she and
Clay might get married one o these
days. He thinks a lot of her"
"Oh!" Kitty knew Just a little more
Of human nature than the puncher.
Then 1 wouldn't tell her about me
il I was you. She wouldn't like my
bein' here" .
"Sho! Won don't know Miss Bea-
trice. She grades way up. I'll bet
she likes you f1ne.'
When Johnnie left to go to work
that afternoon he took with him a
resolution to lay the whole case be-
fore Beatrice Whitford. She would
fix things all right. If there was one
person on earth Johnnie could bank
on without fail it was his little boss.
1t was not until Johnnie had laid
the case before Miss Whitford and re-
stated it under the impression that
she could not have understood that
his confidence ebbed. He had expect
ed ar eager interest, a quick enthu-
siasm., Instead, he found in his young
mistress a spirit beyond his under
standing. Her had a touch
of cool disdain, almost of contempt,
while she listened to his tale.
oHe dohcu IO QuSSIAOAS anu Ilduc
no comments. What he had to tell
with chilly silence. Johnnie's
guileless narrative mad made clear to
her that Clay had brought Kitty home
about midnight, had mixed a drink
for her, and had given her his own
clothes to replace her wet ones.
Somehow the cattleman's robe, pa
jamas and bedroom slippers obtruded
unduly from his friends story. Even
the Runt felt this. He began to per-
ceive himself a, helpless medium of
wrong impressions.
II suppose you know that when the
finds out she's there he'll send her,
packing" So Beatrice summed up
when she spoke at last.
mo. ma'am, I reckon not. You
see We done told him she is Clay's
sister jes' in from the west" the
puncher explained. ~
'Oh. I see." The girls lips curled
and her ~clean-cut chin lifted a trif1e.
don't seem to have overlooked
No. I don't think I care
to have anything to do with your ar
rangements.'
Beatrice turned and walked swiftly
into the house. A pulse of anger was
heating in her soft throat. She felt
a. SCIoS VI d6C. - SloS LAIiuSoy
she had given herself generously in
spirit. She had risked something in
introducing him to her friends. They
might have laughed at him for mis-
slight social lapses. They might have
rejected him for his lack Of back
ground. They had lone neither. He
was so genuinely a man that he had
won his way instantly.
Pacing up and down her room. lit
tie fists clenched, her soul in passion
ate turmoil. Beatrice went v it all
again as she had done through a
sleepless night. She had given him
so much, and he had seemed to give
her even more. Hours filled with a
keen-edged delight jumped to her
memory; hours that had carried her
from the falseness of social trib-
BILE to clean, wind-swept, open spaces
of the mind. And after this-after he
had tacitly recognized her claim on
him-he had insulted her before her
by deserving his guests to go
off with this hussy he had been spend
ing weeks to search for.
Not for a moment did she admit,
perhaps she did not know, hat an in
sane jealousy was flooding her be-
ing, that he Indignation was based
on personal as we'll as moral grounds.
primitive stirred her-a
flare of feminine ferocity. She felt
ready for eruption. If only she could
get a chance to strike back in a way
that would hurt, to wound him as
deeply as he had her! .r.l
Pat to her desire came the oppor-
Clay's card was brought in
to her by Jenkins.
TELL Mr.. Lindsay I'll see him in a
few minutes" she told the man.
The few minutes stretched to a long
quarter of an hour before she de-
scended. AS soon as his eyes fell on
girl in the close-fitting gown was a
stranger to him. Her Eyes, star-bright
and burning like live Goals. warned
him hat the friend whose youth had
run out so eagerly to meet his was
hidden deep in her today.
II reckon I W you and Mr.. WHIT
ford an apology" he said. "No need
to tell you how l happened to leave
last night. I expect you know"
why take the trouble? I think I
She spoke in an even,
lance. your friend. Mr.. Green. has
carefully brought me the details I
didn't know"
Clay flushed. Her clear voice car
ried an edge Of scorn. you mustn't
judge by appearances. I know you
wouldn't be unfair. I had to take
her home and look after her." III
1T don't quite see why-unless. of
course. you wanted to-" the girl an
swered. tapping the arm Of her chair
with impatient finger tips, eyes on the
clock. But, of course, 1t isn't nee
essary I should see"
Her cavalier treatment Of him did
not affect the gentle imperturbability
of the westerner.
Because I'm a white man, because
a little girl who came from my
country and can't hold her own here.
because she was sick and chilled and