The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-11-16
They became simultaneously aware

stared at each other and Betty In
stinctively looked back over her shout
der. There stood Jasper in the door
way of the room. He looked like the
most casual of visitors TO an art gal
lery, he carried catalogue in his
hand. When he saw that he was seen
he smiled easily and came over to
them.
you will have to forgive me-" he
murmured pleasantly; you see, 1t was
necessary to see you both together and
Betty is not willing to allow me an
interview. l am sorry to have chosen
a public place and to have used trick
to get you here, but l could not think
of any other plan. This is really pri-
vate enough. have arranged this ex-
hibition for Foster and 1t is closed to
the public today. We got in by special
permit-a fact you probably missed
And, after all, civilized people ought
to be able to talk about anything with
out excitement"
Betty's eyes glared at him. II VIII
not stay This is insufferablel"
But he put out his hand and some
thing in his gesture compelled her.
She sat down on the round, plush seat
In the middle of the room and looked
up at the two men helplessly. Joan
had once leaned in a doorway, silent
and unconsulted, while two men, her
| father and Pierre, settled their prop
erty rights In her. Betty was, after
| all, In no better case. She listened.
whittier and whittier, till at the last she
slowly raised her muff and pressed 1t
| against her twisted mouth
Moreno stood with his hand resting
ON the high back of the circular seat
almost directly above Betty's head. 1t
seemed to hold her there like bar.
But it was at Prosper he looked, to
Prosper he spoke. MY friend he be-
gan, and the accentuation of the
Hebraic quality of his voice had an
instantaneous effect upon his two lis
teners. Both Prosper and Betty knew
he was master of some intense aglta-
ton. They were conscious Of an in
creasing rapidity of their pulses. my
friend, thought that / knew you fair
ly well, as one man knows another,
but find that there have been certain
limits to my knowledge. How extraor-
binary 1t is This inner world of our
own lives which we keep closely to
ourselves have friend. yes. very
good friend, very dear friend"-the
ironic insistence upon this word gave
Prosper the shock of a repeated blow
land fancy, in the ignorance of my
conceit, that this friends life is suffi-
GENTLY open to my understanding. l
see him leave college, / see him go out
on various adventures. / share with
him, by letters and condolences, the ex-
element of these adventures. l know
with regret that he suffers from i'll
health and goes west, and there, with
great deal of sympathy, l imagine
him living. drearily enough, in some
small, health-gising western town,
writing his book and later his play
which he has so generously allowed
me to produce"
what the devil are you after, Jas
PERI"
But 1 do my friend an injustice"
went on the manager, undiverted. His |
career is infinitely more romantic. He !
has built himself little log house
the mountains, and he has |
decorated it and laid in a supply of |
dainty and exquisite stuffs. l believe
that there is even an outing suit, small
and narrow"
MY Cd !" said Prosper, very low.
There was a silence. Jasper moved
slightly, and Prosper started, but the
Jew stayed in his former place, only
that he bent his head a little, half
closed his eyes, and marked time with
the hand that was not buried in the
plush above Bettys head. He recited
In q heavy voice, and it was here that
Betty raised her nun
Jasper is dying BY the time you
get this letter he will be dead If you
IAN forgive me for having failed In
last year, come back. What
have been to you before, / viii be to
you again, only this time we can love
openly. Come back
II am going madi' said Prosper
iarshly, and indeed his face had a
,inched, half-crazy look.
The Jew waved his hand "Oh, no,
10. no. 1t is only that you are making
discovery. Letters should be burnt,
ny friend, not torn and thrown away,
Tut burnt" He stood up to his state
lest height and he made a curious
nd rather terrible gesture of break
ng something between his two hands.
l have this letter and l hold you and
he said softly-"sol"
Betty spoke. II might have told you
hat loved him, that l have loved
i'm for years, Jasper. If you use this
IL you bring this counter
uit, it will bring about the same, the
cry same, result. Prosper and l."
he broke off choking.
"Of course. Betty and / will be
larried at once, as soon as she gets ,
err divorce, or you get yours" But
rosper's voice was hollow and
trained.
you win be married. Betty" went
n Jasper as calmly as before. lyon