New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-08-30

ways mad TOO much conscience, Mr.
Cornet."
..'Of course I'm going to pay"
The. dress cost only about twenty
dollars-at sale. And it doesn't
seem to be even damaged. OF course
1T will have to be cleaned. To save
you the embarrassment l see grow
ing in your face, ri gladly send the
bill to you If you Ike.
In the bright street light he looked
up, studying her face. Her skin had
a healthy freshness, pink like the
marvellous pink of certain spring wild
flowers, and she had delicate ,girlish
features that wholly suited his ap-
praising eye. This girl in his car
was in her early twentiesAover,
rather than under-of medium height,
with the slender strength of an expert
swimmer, yeet her beauty was that of
a child. .e.4 ....
He couldn't tell, at first, in just
what her beauty lay. NOther girls had
fresh skins, bright eyes, smiling lips
and masses OF dark lustrous hair
and some of them even had the sim
plicity of good manners. Ned had a
quick sure mind, and for moment
he unused. over his wheel as he tried
to puzzle it out.
But soon after this Ned Cornet
caught himself with whispered
oath. He was positively maudlin.
The excitement, the near approach to
tragedy, the influence of the liquor
manifesting itself once more in his
veins were making him stare and
think like a silly fool. The girl was
a particularly attractive shopgirl or
factory worker, strong and athletic
for all her appealing slenderness
doubtless pretty enough to waken
considerable interest in certain of his
friends who went in for that sort of
thing, but he. Ned Cornet, had other
interests. The gaze he bent upon
her was suddenly indifferent.
They were almost at their destina-
ton now, and he did not see the sud-
den decline of her mood in response
to his dying interest. Sensitive as a
flower to sunlight, she realized in a
moment that barrier of caste had
dropped down between them. She
was silent the rest of the way.
Would YOU mind telling me what
you do-in the way of work, I mean"
he asked her, at her door. MY |
father has business that employs |
many girls. There might be a
chance"
Il can do almost anything with a
ieede, thank you" she told him with
perfect frankness. Fitting, hem
stitching, embroidery could name
4 dozen other things"
1--WE employ dozens of seamstresses
and filters. / suppose can reach |
you hereafter work hours. I'll
Keep you in mind" Wv ~.
An instant later he had hidden her
good night and driven away, little
Dreaming, that, through the glass
pane of the door, her lustrous blue
yes had followed the red spark that
vas his tail-iight till it disappeared
n the deepening gloom,
II.
Ned Cornet kept we'll within the
'peed laws on his way back to his
ather's beautiful home on :. Queen
pleased with himself, and his thoughts
we're DuSy. IneTe WOuIu De some
ort of a scene with Godfrey Cornet,
he gray man whose self-amassed
wealth would ultimately settle for the
Iamages to the ''jitney" and the af
ront to the icipality-perhaps
nly a frown, a moments GOODNESS
bout the lips, but scene neverthe-
ess.
No one could look at Godfrey Cor
let and doubt that he was the vet
raj of many wars. The battles he
ad fought had been those OF eco
omic stress, but they had SCARED
i'm none the less.
Every one of his fine features told
he same story. His mouth was hard
nd grim, but it could smile with the
indest. most boyish pleasure on occa-
ion. His nose was like an eagles
eak, his face was lean with never
agging muscle, his eyes, coal black.
ad each bright points as of blades
f steel. People always wondered at
is trim, erect form, giving little sign
f his advanced years. For all the
lxury with which he had surrounded
Is wife and son, he himself had al
avs lived frugally: simple food, suf-
,ient exercise, the most personal and
stalled contact with his business
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