The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-05

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xxxIv (continued)
It was impossible to ignore Mrs.
Oglethorpe's appeal. and It was
equally impossible to refuse to
aid in the hunt for that damnable
Janet when her distracted father
and his own intimate friend took
ibis cooperation as . matter OF
coure. And even II he had re-
manned at home. no doubt she
would have wiggled her way in
before he. could shut the door in
her face. Then there would have
been the devil to pay. for she
would have seen to II that he was
hopelessly compromised. No doubt
she would have run out on the bal
Cony and screamed for help. Her
failure was the one saving grace
In the whole wretched night.
But she had planted her stings.
He was in a fine frame Of mind
to make love to a woman. He had
pictured that scene as one OF the
great moments of life. 90 subtly
beautiful and dramatic, so exalted
and exulting. so perfect In its very
tncompleteness. that not a lifetime
OF suffering and disappointment
could blur it. And he fell, exactly
like the fiat tire Of Janet's distin.
guished vernacular. Even his body
was worn out. for he had had but
nine hours sleep in two nights.
What q dead dnch the playwrights
had. A man might as we'll try to
breathe without oxygen on Mount
Everest as attempt to give his own
life tho proper dramatic values.
He was . cursed puppet and Life
itself was curse. \
He excoriated himself for his
susceptibility to mere words: he
Who juggled in words, and often
quite insincerely when 1t suited his
purpose. But that rejuvenated old
and that old Zattiany wo-
nan" crawled like reeking vapors
across some fair landscape q man
had spent his life seeking. plotting
put its loneliness. turning it to q
noisome morass. $780, 8
He had used equally caustic
phrases when some young man he
knew had married q woman only
ten years older than himself, and
when old men had taken to them
selves young wives. And meant
hem, for he was fundamentally as
and conservative as
Ill men, ... But he. cared less
hat he would be the laughing
|tock of New York than that his
'wn soul felt like boiling pitch and
hat he was ashamed or him self.
He looked at the clock 1t was |
wenty minutes to four. There
vas neither love nor desire In him !
md he would have liked to .arow
.imself on the Tdivali ard g eep.
But he set his teeth and got to his
eet. PIE would so through it, play !
ips somehow.
He felt better liz the nipping air |
md soon began to walk ,briskly. |
Ind then as he crossed Park Ave |
.ue and entered her street he saw
wo men coming down her steps. |
hey were Mr.. Dinwiddie, and the |
goodlooking young man
;hom Osborne had brought to the
OK on Monday night. The young
nan was smiling fatuously.
A wave of rage and jealousy
wept Clavering from head to foot.
he, at least, could have kept these
ours sacred, and she had not only
eceived this grinning ape, but evi. 7
emily given him q delectable NOR
el to chew on, He could have
nocked both men down. but he
7as not even permitted to pass
h EN- by with a scowling nod. An
Their contretemps
Dinwiddie hailed him delighted
"Good old Lee! Haven't seen
GU in an age. Where've you kept
oursek? Know Vane? Mothers
n old friend OF Mary's. He's head
yer like the rest Of US. Who says
re don't live in the age Of mira
les?" &t ID
"Yeh. ,ain't life wonderful" Cha.
ering's jocular faculty was en-.
.ebled. but 1t came to the rescue.
lie was staring at vane. Evident
!, this young man was unim.
ressed BY seaging phrases and he
lust have heard several, for. II he
Alright. Polly Vane"
It'll "her head like a billiard ball."
tho "wore a wig for decency's
ake." had been one of the most rel
entful women at the luncheon! h
or moment he had queer i'm.
resston that his stature had d.. ,
finished until the top of his head
tood level with this glowing young
ANS waistcoat. And then he shot
p to seven feet. Something had
lrned over inside him and vom.
ed forth the pitch and it's vapors.
ut he still felt angry and Jealous.
10 managed to reply. however:
swell, I must be getting on.
lave an engagement at four. See /,
GU in q day or two. DIM" Hell
odded to young vane and il an.
Their moment he vas taking Ma.
0>AAt>.-S. l.