The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-10-16
1T ISN'T MUCH
OF STORY
By FRANK WALL

that it was his good qualities rather
tina his bad ones that brought him t.
disaster.
In the first place he was a perfect
fool where were concerned
Then again, he was altogether toe
much in earnest where his heart was
involved. And lastly. he was of a
passionate temperament. The last two
qualities sad been wished on him by
his ancestors and the first was just
natural to him.
He lived in one of those ~nOndescript
rooming houses in the Bohemian cen
ter of New York, and he had two
charming neighbors. On one side of
him there was Mary Content, engaged
in the Legitimate line" of theatrical
work. an elusive piece of loneliness,
gay and tender by turns and nothing
long, save where her heart was CON
cerned. In that respect she had all of
Storms tremendous quality of earnest
ness, and something over. One might
surmise that she would be slow to give
her heart, but staunch as a rock when
it was given; but in the event of dis
i%llusionment she would be adamant.
Marie LedOux, the vaudeville artistic
who occupied the room on the other
side, was of another clay. Beautiful
in a full-feshed fashion, with deep,
s%lumberous eyes that could fame at a
mere idle impulse, she was a magnif-
cent animal. There are women that
way. In her case, n might surmise
that her heart would be moved easily,
as a leaf is blown before every passing
wind. One might surmise, too, that if
her vanity were touched she would
play with a man as a cat plays with a
0 before striking the life out of
it.
She usually returned from her thea
ter about midnight, and had given her
self a standing invitation to call in at
Storms room for a cup of coffee. That
is where the first scene in the little
comedy was staged: Storms room,
cheaply furnished in r~ooming-house
style, small table in center, with COT
fee cups, a chair on either side: Storm
and Marie discovered seated.
Marie is telling of her triumphs,
which an experienced hearer
would deduct the usual trade discount
but Storm, not being experienced, /
swallows it hook, line and sinker. Yet
he has his limitations, and they are
reached when she passes on to lament
the quality Of the femininity in the
rOoming house. :
i haven't a rival here" she says
complacently. !
Perhaps he sits up a little more I
erect at that. Perhaps something in {
tangible but opposing in the look he I
gives her stirs her easy vanity. I'm |
.ovelier than any here" she says.
with one exception" he says quiet !
", putting his head in the lions :
mouth, as it were. :
without any exception" |
"You are lovelier than any other l
woman in this house with one excep- l
-ion," he says, a little unsteadily. S
But that exception makes all the rest
If you as nothing to me-" t
Marie laughs a little and changes r
he subject. They talk Of Indifferent '
matters, while her eyes regard him {
With a strange in%tentness. 1t stirs him
profoundly. Then she rises to go and !
n that moment she lifts her face =
lowly to his. Her eyes are cleaning l
ike pools of fire. Her lips move sinu- '
,usly. a
I'm lovelier thar she Is" she whis- c
Ders.
NO." he says doggedly. "You are }
evely, but she is more lovely to me-"
She throws an unsteadiness into her
-oice that shakes him for a moment.
Say Pm more lovely than she is" she t.
avs again: "Say it say it r
. say yes ..." v
NO." he says harshly; 81 won't" .
And she only smiles at his harsh =
less. =
She continues to call at his room {
very night, but she always talks of II
usual matters. But about a week la l
er she invents a secret to tell him and c
forward to whisper it so that her a
air brushes warmly against his face;
nd then, at something she sees in his s
yes, she holds him swiftly. U
"Tm lovelier than she u.s." she whis-
ers. r
He thrusts her roughly from him ::
she falls back in her chair. Her =
yes are closed and he draws nearer,
I'LL of remorse. "
"Ah," he says. 1--WE hurt you" tt
Her eyes open slowly, flashing full Il
nto his. "Say I'm lovelier than she S
she murmurs; and he stares at W
er with a kind Of wildness, and then d
and runs out of the room. And h
gain she smiles at her own thoughts. q.
He goes back to his own room. Per-
APPS Marie, when she arrives, see the !,
ign for which she has been waiting ~
it is just a chance shot on her N
art. She comes in more quietly than d
Isuol and in somQ StranOa fashion the a