The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-02-21
Mo. And sho wasn't thinking Of it.
CHAPTER TX
Julian


rs all very well. There ! was.
sneering M Polly because abe drifted.
What was 1 doing7 Perhaps We all
drift. perhaps We can DO nothing else
What did ] 90 IN the next monthaq
FIRST u was May. then June. then
July SIN there i was, earning my
two pounds ton 20 three pounds &
week. attracting. repollinE. hestltat-
Ing, yielding, holding myself back,
and merely growing "A little older.
Things seemed 10 happen 20 other
women. Thus. toward the end Of
july. n sudden greatness camo over
Lawrence knighton, A special license
WAS bought. az . o'clock In the morn
ing. by Polly'a request. We went 10 sse
linda married at tho registry office
OF ~ Georges. Hanover square
Tho ceremony was short. linda was
maryelously cool. certain OF herself.
BY the side OF this half degenerate
arlstocrnt lie did not seem con-
scious OF tho mistake h, was making.
hut was he7 a. tho simple formali-
ties went on. considered the bcautl-
fui Hilda.
She was amazing. wondered
whether her calm beauty concealed a
violent temperament which rhe could
restrain only by measured speech
and habits
The marriage was concluded. She
smiled. She had not brought her
people 10 the wedding: had she al
ready developed tact7 II was clever
OF her not to have n church mar
riRge. for this would make KnlEhton
feel less married. what would be-
come 81 herr II would be- difficult
20 ciyilizs her, But there was a
foundation IN her kissed her. We
all Kissed her Cool and stately she
got into the car and drove away We
mover saw them again heard late
~ that Knighlon'a father r. dead.
Hllda II a peercss now, I have no
doubt that she retains tho cool. es-
tablinhed voice that eonceals desire
She r. Is. at the height OF her beauty:
feel that she consoles aged cabinet
ministers when their party IL restless
BY telling them that every cloud has a
silver lining.
II
Toward tho end OF July. while /
was working on tho hands Of a new
customer. ! was overwhelmed by his
beauty. He lay, negligent. talking
very little. but from time 10 time /
threw him a furtivc glance which
no met without excitement He
looked about 30. was rosy-rnced. with
rather up-tlted nose. Bright blue
eyes cleaned under nrched browr
that shone like bright gold. and u
high forehead led up 20 a mass or
wayy golden hair. To ~ he was
terribly beautiful. like ono OF thosa
insolcnt little plaster Apolloa Ito
had no defect az all. for tho chin was
small but strong. tho lips. red and
curling. were cruel and exquisite
Tho hands wers thin. but not weak.
As manlcursd him I thought that
he was together cffcminatc and n
savage. the broodlug outcaat OF an
Imperial race. some rotten but deli
rious Hnpsburg We talked very III
tic that time. FOR his beauty made
me shy. NtEllkenily. hc asked mo n
few questions: what was my namog
Had been hero iong7 lie did not
seem 20 notice the replies. He made
no advances 10 me, but merely kept
his eyes upon mo with an air Of
quiet satisfaction. when no got UP
10 20 he looked nt HIS nails and said:
You work well" aud went out. Civ
Ing mo sixpcnee. without promising
%. return.
He must have disturbed me. for
could not forget him In tho following
days After three days became
silly. began 10 wonder whether he
would come In again. Ho puzzled me.
this cool beauty. ~ no did not come.
told myself that he was cffsminRte.
that man ought not 70 look like
that / was unjust. for his good
looks hid no weakness: under the
dollcacy OF the skin surfaces lay
broad bones
He disturbed mo 20 much that a
widower OF g, who had been pcree-
cutting me. nearly succeeded. His
name WIS Doctor Henley. pleasant in
n solid way. For two months he had
been asking mo 10 dine with him. /
refused. don't know why But this
did not stop him: Indeed. his ardor
grew. ] had 10 let him kiss mo nj
last IL was easier than TO 20 on
struggling. ! could not repel him
quite, for. after all. this was my
trade. Was Il because OF Julian that
] went out with Doctor Kenley7 That
after tho theater no took me for n
walk in tho park. where, 10 my horror