Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-23
BY Will Payne

triumphant message, she hesiAted an in.
slant, as though somewhat at a loss. then
laughed:
I'm fact. he came to ask me to 60 to the
theater with him. He has tie tickets" She
had to laugh, for it was a sort of ahsurdity.
In a start of anger and indignation Har-
wood almost blurted. "TeQ-him you'll do no,
such thing:." But he OWNED that she had
already accepted-saving her brand from the
burning! His anger turned silently to krom.
"Impudent ~blackguard!" he thought. But
he composed his voice to its pleasantest as
he safd to her:
Bessie. you mustn't let him impose on
you. Theater's no harm. I supp0se-only it
might be overdone."
well, / shouldn't care to make it an occu.
patton" she confessed, in a sort Of whimsical
thoughtfulness " But I think I can help. I'm
Very willing to. I suppose he'n get over it
soon."' She meant get over his acute strug-
gle with temptation.
Hope so.'' said Harwood. Maybe you
can find out what he's doing about the mod
els and the patent applications. He hasn't
been near me for two days.. He spoke
lightly mere suggestion casually thrown
out. 49,
1t was-he felt-a very difficult situation
= to talk to~her about. There was Steinman;'
there was Curtin: complicated factors. There
was Krom's colossal cheek in asking her to
goto the theater with him. yet his own situa-
tion with Krom was so dubious at the p,o.
ment' and she was a sort Of string to. hold the
inventor by. Tomorrow, Thursday, was the
day Krom had named. Best say no more
and see what tomorrow would bring forth.
After all. no real harm could come of her
going to a theater with the brute. So he
said no more to her.
1t sort Of haunted him from time to time
during the evening. however. Bess, beauti-
full and radiant. somewhere downtown with
that big ~blackguard! OF course it was absurd.
to suppose that any real harm could come
of It. After all. Bess was the kind Of girl who
was very competent to take care Of herself
thank goodness! Yet she was sitting beside
krom-maybe going to supper with him.
Sort of a haunting idea.
At half past eleven he called up the Deer.
moore hotel. Miss Maiden had not returned.
AS he. hung up the receiver his brow and
heart were contracted. Damnation! Could
there have been a fearful b1under? But ut
a theater, or at supper after the theater--a
lot Of people about; lights everywhere: cabs;
police-safe enough! She was sufficiently
acquainted with, the town to know where 10
go and where not; safe enough! Eut there
was q deadly pull OH his nerves all th"
same-and a deadlier anger against kroln AL
the while, no matter what had happened.
At a quarter to twelve he broke Il temper
ate habit and mixed himself a glass Of
whisky and water to case the internal hurt
in, his nerves. In spite of that his fingers
trembled slightly when he lit a cigaret. Fac
ing the floor.
He flew to the telephone when it tlnhled,
and there was the dear, clear voice in his
oar: This is Ress. Just got in. l found
word to call you up. What is it?
He fairly laughed into the instrument as
he. answered. Nervous about you. Bessie:
wanted to know you'd got in all right before
l went to bed"
The voice came hack, softly mockins.
"Oh.h.h! Is that all? I thought some
thing'd happened. Why wouldnt l get in all
right? Foolish" But there was fondness;
in. the mockery: and he reflected, happily.
that he had got some credit with her rs a
lover by being anxious. SO it was"all right!
But he thought decisively. "All the same.
that will not happen again!"
She told him about. il next morning.
They'd fairly made a night Of it, dinner at
the College Inn. %theater, supper--and her
cavalier had gallantly seen her to her hotel
in a cab. He had suggested theater again
Saturday evening; but she had let him know
that she didn't care a great deal about the
, theater; besides she had an engagement for
Saturday evening. She coucluded on a tl
umphant note:
"And he is coming to see you at 10 o'clock
this morning. I'm sure it Is something I'M.
nortait from what little he said. He told
me ne was anxious TO set the picture bnsi'
ness finished
It was Il quarter past ten: however. when
krom came coolly into her cnbinet. carrying
his familiar black bag. lie went at once
to Harwood's room; where be greeted thc
lawyer with a grave, Coco morning ano
placed his bag OH tho desk. But he was jr
no burry-deliberately taking of his ne"
oyercoat, which he folded and placed ON q
chair, putting his hat on top OF it; then seat
ing himself, the eye with the cast III 1t TO
ward HAYWOOD.
The lawyer, with taut nerves, was taklns
stock of him during these movelnents-witf
= deeply ~jrritated sense CT the mans bulk
and elaboration; his mere phlegplatic mass
Dealing with him was like trying to push Z
hippopotamus out of the path.
"Well, I'VE brought the stuff" said kron,
his very voice sounding ponderous' "HaVt
YOU got the money!
So they were back again where they .haf
lett on Monday! Harwood hardened. his VII
J.. In order to smother his irritation and pre-
serve a composed face.~He went over Ill
argument again: He could advance kron
no $3.50, 900 or any other sum until the paten
records had been examined, their patent ap
plications filed. and the apparatus tested
in short, until there was a clear title. BE
i sides, his money was tied up; he could rails
no such sum as krom mentioned at present
With a clear title to the patents raislnl
money would be easy. krom listened stole
ally. ~
49, l Deen square Will yo4, VA. -
-, he observed, land I figured you'd. be squar
with me. But I don't think YOU are squar
with me now. All this business about hxin'
up the patents and so on might take
= month. That law stuff is always slow. 70
knowthe kind Of a jam I'm In"
He lifted a large hand to tug at his mu:
N tache, the eye with the cast in it looking II
scrutable. Peter Green dropped in to We
me, yesterday-said he'd come over TO loa
around town. He borrowed a hupdxcd DO
lars of ne. He didn't; say anything outright
but | guess he's got something In his nu
about Sseinman. I thought 1t was good pc
icy to lend him a hundred dollars-and that
about, all the money I had. Something ma
break loose, you see. may have TO .hgh
out Of here any minute. Then where'd ! be?
"Well, where would I bel" HARDWOOD coui
tered, you've got everything connecte
|, with the. invention in your own hands"