Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-21

1 sSssS ~ ..H- tL|.. .
TWELFTH LNSTALLMENT.
The Doorplate.
.YHERE the girls came in, one with toast
= and the other with cocoa. Jerry loved
III them both. differently. The touch Of
their tender hands was the sweetest
tonic he had ever known. They scoldcd
him, and fused over him., renewed the fluff
to his pillows; and one of them fed him
toast and the other hot cocoa; and he knew
that he had nothing of which to envy the
gods.
I'm going to get this way once a week."
he said.
".5What?" cried Nancy.
Eyes, ma'am. This is worth all the bumps
q man could take in a single night
"You poor NUT" said Jenny; if you ever
come in this way again you go t tn hos
pital.1 We're through. We haven't had any
sleep yet on your account"
"You mean you two sat up all night with,
me? I wonder If I'll ever appreciate my
luck? supposing I'd moved in somewhere
else!" T.
Horrible thought" said Nancy lightly.
8"I didn't bring in the puppy. He's full Of
pep and wants to romp. But I'll bring him
in before I go to the theater tonight"
"ThatIl be fur !"-wondering whether it
was the puppy's throat or his ears that she
kissed oftenest. The funny little codger!
Nov you two run along and get some
sleep. I'm all right. Hicks are hard to kill"
did you lose much? - asked Jenny.
4. Not enough, to hurt he answered. He
could lie easier these days, almost blandly;
that Is, he could utter harmless fhs serenely,
since these would never react except upon
~ himself.
81 wondered" said Jenny. "They might
a. got your whole roll"
" They didn't"
Nancy, returning alone to her room, drew
upon all her courage and telephoned Craig's
home; but Craig had not yet returned from
the country. For a short time her thoughts
were confused. A strange kind of lover, not
to telephone, not to send her even a note!
The deed must be done, it was inescapable:
but for all that her: immediate sensation was
OF relief, with an undercurrent Of shame that
she should welcome this respite. The longer
1t was delayed the harder to do. But one
decision she had come to irrevocably: she
would not hide behind the telephone or a
e letter; she would make her miserable con-
xession here in this room; face to face with
him. Else her self-respect would always be
. shattered thing. She would not try to
escape any hurt that was due her. But, o.
to have il over and done with, over and done
with! Still dressed. she flung herself upon
the lounge and slept until four.
Soon after becoming a tenant Bancroft
had had a bed lamp installed. This day the
5anitor had rugged up the key so that Ban.
croft could have light or darkness merely
by pulling a string. At nine o'clock that
!. night he shut of the light and talked softly
to Ling Foo, who occupied a side of the pill
low and snored frequently, because at Ger.
f6Sn4 ono1os ~ uuoa hord for him fn hrootho
easily with that joke of q nose.
You're a lucky pup, Ling"
Ling Zoos tail admitted the soft impeach-
ment. ~
She took a lot Of trouble for you one
night: mud and rain. and all that. SO you
81 wouldn't be thirsty"
Ling Foo remembered that night
OF course, I'm a fool"
Ling Foo didn't know about that.
81 haven't q chance in the world; but it's
& kind Of hard. De you think she loves any.
body else?r
Me- said Ling Foo's tail.
mean, does she care for Craig? I
shouldn't blame her. Craig has everything.
He knows all the tricks of attraction; and
TIN only a poor hick from the sticks, as
1 Jenny would say. Lord, how the man can
play the piano! And I can't pick out : Yam
kee Doodle : with one finger"
&. Music tickles my ears" said Ling Foo's
tail, " and makes me sing
We human beings are funny, Ling. I
n want to know the future: and yet II the
eminent lady frcmkCumae entered at this
sStm0ment ready to foretell, Idfboots her hence.
Because hopes the only thing worth
having; and all hope would vanish II we could
know tomorrow. There wouldn't be any good
stories &ettther: A story is alwayS somebody
z#ssise,s hope. Ling. I'm all Hinged mp because
Craig turkey choked md Sounds funny,
aad0esn,, III? Truth. though. Well, letih 60 to