White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-04-20
enthusiasm like that"

enthusiasm like that
They were whirling away down the
smooth turnpike leading back to the
city, while great touring cars swung
around them, past them and along
side them John, his attention divid-
ed between the girl at his side and
the stream of traffic, failed to notice
that a crippled bird had flown against
the radiator and had been thrown to
the side of the roadbed, But Gloria
had seen it. She asked him to stop.
And when he learned the reason the
desire to make known to her his
warm admiration surged through
him. Here was wonderful, indie
scribably clever girl, at whose feet a
city of society would bow. Yet she
had the tender heart of the true womi
an. She would stop on busy turn
pike to care for wounded bird
This was a pretty thought, sentiment
of John Emerson's kind How could
he tell her?
But when the two had backed the
low slung racing car to the spot at
which the bird had been struck,
Gloria failed to find it, and in their
search for 1t they were led away from
the road into a wooded thicket.
AS the girl approached the base Of
an old tree, she gave a startled cry
of fright as small snake came wind
ing its way along the lower branches.
John raced to her side. AS he reached
her, the girl fell backward. John
Emerson was there to receive her.
!. She was in his arms and before
either seemed to realize the situation,
the man had turned her about so that
he gazed directly into her eyes, Then
he gathered her closely to him and
kissed her.
A party of friends, who had swung
along the boulevard, noticing the
abandoned car, had stopped to in
vestigate, fearing an accident had be-
fallen the passengers. The honking
Of the horn Of their machine brought
the two quickly apart, and they
stood looking upon one another in a
strange embarrassed manner. Gloria
gasped and stepped backward, extend
ing an arm toward him, palm out
ward, as If to guard herself from
further advance. But John Emerson
knew that in her eyes there was not
resentment. He knew the look of
bitterness that comes into women's
eyes when they are not pleased. He
could not find it here. He did not
want to find 1t here.
On the journey into the city few
remarks passed between the two and
then only on subjects Of general in
terest. But all the way John watched
the girl out Of the corner of his eye.
He was very conscious of the aristo-
cratic tilt Of her pretty nose, the
loneliness Of her slender, white throat,
hidden partly behind costly furs and
laos.
Win they had passed over East
River Bridge and had headed into
the heavier traffic, John found him
self in some distress. Before two
blocks had been traversed he had been
the recipient of at least three sharp
rebukes from crossing policemen. At
the intersection Of one of the cross
streets, he had driven too closely to
the curb, and Gloria had placed a
trembling hand upon his own as he
tugged desperately at the wheel. At
the touch of her fingers he settled
back into his seat in utter content
ment.
"That was all I needed" he whis-
pered boyishly. "a little attention,
Gloria. Now we'll go buzzing through
it," And they did.
| At the girls home he assisted her
to the doorway, and he clasped her
hand in his own as they stood ready
to say goodbye.
you'll come tonight?" she asked,
smiling upon him.
"Of course, l will" he returned
CALAMITY And having promised, he
left her. He hurried across the side
walk, leaped behind the wheel, and
sped rapidly away
There was an unnatural light in
his brooding eyes as half hour later
he sat in his dressing gown in an
easy chair in his own apartment.
His valet, fussing with his masters
clothing, saw his fingers twitch re-
peatedly, and also saw him clutch his
forehead as IL in pain.
John Emerson was forming cody,