The Washington times., 1924-04-14

the floor. Are you my employer,
Mr.. Lamarck?"
Luis had grown pale, but he
lifted his shoulders in depreciation.
I'VE won't call it that. We won't
quarrel about an office or hours"
Chickie opened her bag, drew
out the check, tore it swiftly, let
ting the long strips fall.
Luis watched her do that, his
soft eyes kindling: mot enough,
my dear?"
She made a rush for the door.
He reached it first, stood with his
back against it. Chickie demand.
ed: open the door,,
How about 5000? No? Cali it
$3.50 them"
f"Allow me to pass!
He breathed heavily, again that Y
satisfied CLEAN darling across his
face: you win, my dear Name 1t!
Anything you want"
Chickie's eyes blazed with con.
tempt but she was shaking and
suddenly afraid of her pitiful un-
control. She said, her voice
breaking: "Will you let me out?"
In the corridor a door closed,
then a cavernous silence-long
past on a Saturday afternoon.
No one passed.
Luis twisted the knob gently:
"Certainly-in moment-that
was a beautiful rage, my dear.
won't take it too seriously"
She wished for strength to beat
against him. Suddenly her eye
caught the telephone and she ran
to 1t, pulled off the receiver.
Luis shot open the door, moved
from it with a contemptuous
shrug. His face was livid with
passian. AS Chickie passed he
gave a low, sneering laugh: You
nave something to lose, sup.
poser"
She kept her head erect. her
eyes straight, but the blood rushed
cruelty like flame to her face.
And it seemed to her that she
walked through fire.. that she
smiled, pretending not to feel.
though she was almost in n faint
from it's heat.
Out in the blazing afternoon,
she found it, hard to- walk calmly.
she had a wish to forge reckless.
~ through the crowds, driving
her elbows against this one and
that.
Seeing Julie at the entrance TO
the tunnel she dropped a quarter
In the gnarled palm, saying abrupt.
ly: "How's Cora? And the bow"
She rushed on, not waiting for an
answer. At her exit Of the tun.
mel were several cheap jewelry
houses, junk shops and second.
hand furniture places.
Here her steps Jagged. She
looked at a display of abalone
shells cut into rings and brooches.
Suddenly she recalled Luis as
he slipped the flashing opals
over his fingers, his husky
voice murmuring: What do
you like better than jeweIs?"
She ground her teeth.
AS she turned the Garner she
saw Willie on the lowest step,
his leash dangling from his
mouth. Every Saturday they
went for a walk. and in some
mysterious way he was aware
OF time-aware when Saturday
came. Promptly at / o'clock
ne got his leash and sauntered
10 the steps awaiting Chickie's
coming. He did this on no
other day.
Now, seeing her, he came with
bound, leaping up with his
lmpudent cheerfulness to lick her
face. She stroked the tough,
muscular neck, closing her hand
over the long. moist nose.
her room Wilx1io 1n,I~1n5
his leash before her, picking
it up with a quick, imploring
look, dropping it again in his
fever of impatience.
Chickie said absently: Were
not going out" She stood with
her forehead pressed against
the window. The dog came
over shifting. He rested his
head against her arm, looking
up with a nobility of resigna-
ton as though he said: mot
going? Got the dumps? Then
I've got to have them, too,
suppose
She smoothed his neck, touched
by the utter devotion. 1t in.
creased the sense of desolation
a sthough she and the dog
were abandoned by the world.
But now there went striking
through her thoughts a burn.
ing resentment. He-she had
nothing to lose! And a sleek,
shabby fellow like Luis Lamarck
could tell her so.
And she had no job! And
she'd not look for one-indeed
she wouldn't! She had $3.50.
drift along and live on that.
1t didn't matter, anyway. She
kept wiping angry, childish tears
from her eyes.
The quiet. the droning, Sab
bathlike hush. in this room Of
hers kept whispering in her
ears, until she was whipped
with restlessness-Oh, it was
unbearable-this being so much
alone-this silence
She wished for a crowd
rush out and plunge herself
among q riot Of people-jostle
along-push and stamp-shout at
omeone-strike--
Then it seemed to, her moth.
ing was worth while, and every
one fooled himself about life.
But she, far more than others.
Why, on her table was Mar.
tha's letter Last night she
had read II like a prayer. She
loved Martha Blake from the
time she was little girl and
on Saturdays Martha always left
big spoonfuls of the cake dough
in the yellow bowl for her and
MARY to lick. Martha had such
a deep, mellow voice, such a
neaceahla fnlarancA AVIAN whnn