San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-05
By Holworthy Hall
illustrated by Hubert Matthew

sized you up-the way told you.
And then / forgot to keep on do
ing it. Nobody ever made me do
that before. And I've always
known that whoever did"
Involuntarily she put out her
hand to him. "Please don't say
any more"
"But 1 want you to hear all ct
it."
an believe everything = but
it's time to go. Really"
s"You've got to hear it. 1t be.
gan right at the start. You asked Z
me if I'd been in the war, and
He broke off short; he was
gazing directly over her head, and
on his face there was a look OIL
supreme CONSERVATION. An eid-
erly gentleman, plump and pros
nervous, had borne down upon
them, both hands outstretched.
The young man was struggling to
rise.
"Why, Major Giimore" cried
the elderly gentleman with aban-
don. "What in Sam Hill are you
doing in New York? Stopping
here. are you? So am /. Say, I've
heard you're talking about open
ing up one or two branches OF.
the plant. That straight? Be-
cause if it is, I've got to see if I
can't sell you a couple of hundred
thousand dollars worth of stee!
bars. Can l see you tomorrow.
The young man sat down again.
as if benumbed. The girls face
was averted, but he could seee
that her lips were trembling.
"Well," he said, uncertainty,
'that saves the preface, anyway.
But plaques on that man. j want
ed to break it to you myself"
q. She made no effort to speak to
him.
"You see," he said contritely,
'I'd made a heap of money-on
top of some that was left me. And
then I'd closed down my plant
when everybody else did. And
then it sort of got under my skin.
thought I'd like to get their sid,
of it. And the only way to undS-r,
stand the masses is to get dow7if
where the masses are. So | CAM
on here, and for two weeks Pvs
been living and eating and slee1
ing and parading with taq
chaps-trying to decide what
ought to do. What's best en1I
them. Because in the long rin
thatll be the best thing for every
body. And then you came along
and I thought it was funny at
first-youc taking me for one OF
the gang-and / wanted to 500
what a woman in your class would
think about it-and l was hungry.
too; so didn't lie and
All but inaudibly she said: Nv
class. Ny class! And the fool
you've made of me. Oh, the fool.
the foolw
He leaned toward her. "oh.
my dear"
"The day I've given to you,
when l wanted-oh, i did want to
help somebody that needed it. l
told you l couldn't do much. but.
| wanted to do what / couldH She
managed to lift her eyes; they
! were wet with tears of outraged
, pride. "And all you've done is to
make a fool of me. What you let
: me say to you. The only time in
! my life I've been in place like
. this! 1t was for you. l thought
: it would help you-you said 1t
would. l thought I was doing
} something so fine for YOU. And to-
have it-turn out-this way" <
: "My dear" NJ
Her voice betrayed her. at was
because / know how it feels-.o
: be one of the-the white-collared
people-in these days.
He caught her hand across the
table. "Whatw
Eyes. 1t is funny-isn't it? Ny
trying to do something for YOU
oh, I'm not a rich gsdabout; I'm
secretary-to a society woman
uptown. 1t was her car-yes-
, and these are her clothes. Il
. you've got to know it. They
, didn't fit her, that's all. And I'd
been out of a place all Summer
, and this mornin' I'd got my first
, months salary, and holiday
, and / did want to share it with
| some one who wasn't so lucky.
. And then-you!
His grip on her hand tightened-.
, "If it's true that you've got to nay
for everything you get out of life
maybe you've paid in advance
Maybe I'm not worth what you've
i paid. But if l am-and YOU cer-
, tainly said that if you could you'd
like to see some of my schemes
through-well, is there any reason
, why at least you won't talk II
: Overt"
He was to take her home, and
to meet her again in an hours
time, they must dine at the sans
place, and at the same table.
, As he beckoned to the waiter
! the girl said to him, IN an under
, tone which had symptoms Of botl
laughter and tears in it: BE-
y honestly-how am l ever going 10
J forgive you? How am ] ever 60
ing to trust you-after all that
perfectly CHASTITY deceit?'
i He had picked up the check ana
reached toward his inner pocket:
now he STAYED his hand and smiled
I lr,d;antlv "Deceit? / never hed