The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-01-21
XII (contlnued)

XII (contInued)
There was no snobbery IN her
attitude. She had always been
too secure In her own exalted
state for snobbery, too protected
from climbers to conceive the
Il will maintain" impulse. and
she had escaped At birth that over.
powering sense Of superiority that
carks the souls Of high and low
alike. But 1t was tho first time
she had ever had the opportunity
to Judge by any standards but
those in which she had been born
and passed her life. As for CLAW
ering, hs was = gentleman. and
that was tho end Of that phase Of
tho matter % far ~ she was Con-
cerned.
It was only tonight that she had,
been conscious of q certain youth
full eagerness as she paced up and
down the hall waiting to hear him
run up tho steps. She had paused
snce and laughed at herself as she
realized that she was acting like q
girl expecting her lover, when she
was merely a coldly-no longer
even Observation-Disclosures woman,
bored with this enforced inaction
in New York. welcoming q little
adventure to distract her mind
from its breeding on the misery she
had left behind her in Europe. and
on the future to which she had
committed herself. And . mid.
night adventure! She had shrugged
her shoulders and laughed again
as she had admitted him.
But she felt NO disposition to
laugh as she sat alone In the chill.
ing room. She was both angy and
appalled, to remember that she had
felt 4 quivering, almost q disten.
sion Of her nerves as she had sat
there with him in the silence and
solitude Of thh night. That she
had felt . warm pleasure In the
interest that betrayed him into
positive impertinence. and that q
sick terror had shaken her when
she saw that he was making up
his mind not to see her again. She
had not betrayed herself for a mo.
ment. she was too old q hand In
the game Of men and women for
that, and she had let him go with.
out sign, secure In the confidence
that he was at her beck: but she
knew now. and her hands clenched
and her face distorted as she ad'
mitted It. that II he had suddenly
snatc ID her in his arms she
would have famed into passion
and felt herself the incarnation Of
youth and love.
Incredible. Unthinkable. She!
What should she do? Flee? She
had come to New York for one
purpose only. to settle her financial
affairs in the briefest possible time
and return to the country where
her work lay. But she had
been detained beyond expectation
for the slow reorganization Of one
of the companies In which . large
portion Of her fortune was invest
ed would not be complete withou
her< final signature. There wer.
other important transfers to b
made, and moreover Judge Tren
had insisted that she become thor
oughly acquainted with her bust
ness affairs, and able to maintain
an intelligent correspondence witt
her trustees when he himself hat
retired: She had shown q remark
able aptitude for finance and h
was merciless In his insistence, de
manding an hour Of her time ever!
day.
Business. She hated The word
What did It matter But sh'
knew that It did matter, and su
premely. She might have tn
beauty, i the brains, and the SO.
domination 20 win men to her wa,
OF. thinking hen che. launche,
herssl Ito Ne maslifiom' 81 poll
i o. !. q ..s.--- We. 70 -