The Glenwood post., 1924-03-27

thin, too small; and then her hair was
no particular color. She wore glasses
OF an unbecoming pattern, that little
magnifed her very earnest onyx-brown
eyes; and her clothes to save
his life, after being with her day and
day for fourteen years, he couldn't
remember detail Of her dress; inex-
pensive. 1t would be that. The care
Of her mother must absorb most Of her
salary.
He had spoken Of her good taste,
exercised in the direction Of special
ties for automobiles; that was splen-
did, but 1t wasn't her best quality; she
was principally remarkable for the
energy of her mind, her energy and a
quality of determination, of-of cour-
age. But, at last. she was showing
the effects Of this; or, as he had said,
perhaps she was only tired He would
make her take rest; he'd shut the
office, close it down, he thought ex-
travagantly, If he couldn't get her
away by other means.
AS 1t was, he paid Miss Conifee as
much as he could get her to accept.
She had positively refused a further
raise. He wished, vainly, that Nanine
and Miss Conifee might be closer to
each other, as close as possible = :.
but on Nanine's account. This desire
suddenly recalled to him the startling
fact that Miss Conifee, except, once
when he had been Ill, to take dicta-
ton, had never been in his house. The
Conifees, mother and daughter, had
rooms in the congested city, but his
house was in a suburb. where 1t was
restful, quiet and green.
His customary train Of late after
noon carried him for forty minutes
through the city to its outskirts and
the development of which his home
was part. Eldreda was outside, in
a deep wicker chair, absorbed in a
magazine Of the moving picture world.
She was nineteen had large. appeal
ing eyes, spectacular pile Of natu-
rally blonde hair. and she had taken
third prize In a beauty contest con-
Quoted by Just such a magazine as
she was reading.
The photograph Of her upon which
this triumph had been based, greatly
enlarged, hung prominently on the
wall In the living room. In 1t her firm
shoulders were draped In a precari-
ously informal seeming piece Of silk,
her hair was dressed to its utmost ef-
fectiveness; and the celebrated, the ap-
pealing, eyes regarded the world with
an innocent and tender surprise. Her
mouth the photographer had softened
in shadow.
She nodded to her father, and In
stantly returned to the page before
her. Eldreda, he knew, was cross be-
cause he wouldn't send her to Oalifor-
MIA in order to complete the success
SO auspiciously begun. Sending her
He went on into the house, and up
to Nanine's and his room. His wife
was reclining on couch. Since she
had grown so fat she found 1t nee
essary to rest great deal. That fat
ness had come upon her so overwhelm-
ingly that any vestige Of struggle had
been doomed from the first. She had
simply expanded until she resembled
an inflated caricature of Eldreda.
'"rhere you are" she said languidly.
Eyes, here I am" he agreed; ~
thought, maybe, Nanine, the evening
was so fine we'd all take little ride
after supper"
"It blows my hair" she answered.
without interest, "and that back seat
is too short. To say nothing Of Ell
dradoso onv,pvovgov
Now look here" he cried, i've
heard enough about that back seat
and Eldreda's complexion and your
hair. There's nice little limousine !
fixed up and the owner can't pay for.
7 Well can get 1t right and I'm going
to buy 1t for you girls. How's that,
heyr
"It might be good and then It
mightn't," she told him; ut depends
If 1t roars inside. If 1t does 1t will
hurt my head"
'rd hate to think over the times my
heads been hurt through roaring" he
retorted, with display of spirit, "and
there is another thing I got to speak
of-that's Eldreda. I'm not going to
give her three thousand dollars to go
to California with. and she might as
we'll stop posing and posturing.
amt camera, amt q director, and
it'll get her nowhere"
"Sooner or later" Nanine asserted.
"What do you meanr' he demanded
heatedly.
Genius will be justified" she
added emphatically.
Suddenly he felt absolutely helpless ;
nothing he could say would move, az
feet, his wife. nothing touch his daugh.
ter. It might be wiser to give Bldreda
the money at once, to speed her into
the West. to the acclaim and fortune
80 surely-ln her estimation and her
mother's-waiting for her.
"Now II was West could get
about more" Nanine asserted. The
weather there, they say, IL elegant