The Bismarck tribune., 1925-11-28
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2S, 1925

What's the matter? Have YOU
trimmed all the leading citizens?"
I've finished my work. if that's
what you mean."
Nov you're going to try your
hand at box-rustling, eh!"
Rouletta's expression altered: she
regarded her inquisitor more in
tently. you know I'm not" said
she; What are you driving att"
Wen. why don't you? Are you
Yes The visitor spoke coldly.
She turned away, but Laure stepped
close and cried, in low, angry voice:
| oh no. you're not You've
fooled the men, but you can't fool
us girls. I've got your number. /
know your game"
My game? Then why don't YOU
take Shift in the gambling-room? ?
Why work in here's
You understand me-" the other
persisted. TOO good for the dance
hall. en-: Too good to associate with
US girls: too good to live like US
Ion stop at the Courteau House. the
respectable hotel! Bah! Miller fell
tor you, but-youd better let well
enough. alone =
That's precisely what l do. If
mere were better hotel than the
Gourteau House Id stop there. But
there isn't. Now. then, suppose YOU
tel me what really ails YOU"
Laura's dusky eyes were BLAZING
her voice was hoarse when she an.
swered: be-. = o'
"All right. III tell YOU. l want
you to mind your own business. Yes.
ana I'm going to see that YOU do.
You can't 60 home alone. can YOU ;
Afraid of the dark, + suppose or
airalo some man will speak to you>
My goodness! The airs you nut on
|-yon' Sam Kirby's girl, the daueh-
ter of a gambler, a."
Leave my father out of thi, T"
:here was something of Sam Kirbv's
force in this sharp command. some
thing Of his cold. forbidding anger
IN his daughters face. Hes nv re-
i,gion. SO you d better Law of of him.
your toes?" va
well. you tread on them everv
.me you stop at the gold-scale., If
you want to know. | have a re-
hg'on, too, and its locked up in the
cashiers cage"
There was pause; the girls an.
pfaised each other with mutual dis
You mean Mr.. Phill;p.7"
II do. See that Won cali hin, .A6;.-
ter. and learn to walk home alone" :"
Don,t order me. l can't take
!aure was beside herself at this
defiance. She grew blind with rage.
50 much Sc :.ia: size uid not nouce
Phillips himself; he had approached
within hearing distance. you've cot
the boss: he's crazy about you, but
Pierce is mine"
What's that?" Il was Ph;llio,
about mel" Both girls IS" stated ta1f
Laure turned upon him furiously.
I'm serving notice. on this faro
dealer. that's all. But it goes for
you. too" -.
Phillips eyes opened, his face
whitened with an emotion neither
girl had before seen. To Rouletta
he said, quietly:
The other boys are busy, 50 I
came to take you home.'
Laure cried. wildly, hysterically:
Don't do It! l warn your
Are you ready to go?"
All ready" Rouletta agreed. To-
gether they left the theater.
Nothing was said as the two trod
the snow-banked streets; not until
they halted at the door of the Cour.
she said:
Il wouldn't have LEI you do this,
only-l have temper"
$50 have J." Pierce said, shortly.
ITS hrmiliating to own up."
i was wrong. ! have no tight to
hurt that girls feelings"
"Right?" He laughed anerilv
"She had no right to make a scene"
why not? She's fighting for her
own. isn't she? Shes honest about
it. at least" Noting Pierce's expires.
sion of surprise, Rouletta went on:
~ on expect me to be shocked. but
I'm not. for I've known the truth in
a general way. You think I'm going
TO preach. We'll, I'm not going 70
DO that. either. I've lived a queer
lite: I've seen women like Laure-
in tact. | was raised among them
and nothing they do surprises m.
very much. But I've learned a good
many lessons around saloons and
gambling places. One is this: never
cheat. Father taught me that He
gave everybody square deal, in
Guiding himself. Its a good thing
to think about-a square deal ali
around, even to yourself"
That sounds like an allopathic
sermon of some Sort" said Pierce,
but ! cant see just how it applies
to me. However, I'll think it over.
Yos're brick. Miss Kirby, and I'm
sorry if you had an unpleasant mo-
ment." He took Rouletta's $ hand and
held it while he stared at her with a
frank. contemplative gaze. you're
an unusual person, and you're about
the 9icest girl I've met. ! want you
As he walked back downtown
Pierce pondered Rouletta's words. "a
square deal alt around, even to your
SELF. They were a trife ,puzzlinp.
Whom had he cheated? Surely not
Laura. From the very frst he had
protested his lack of serious interest
in her. and their subsequent relations
were entirely the result of her un-
ceasing efforts to appropriate him to !
herself. He had resisted. she had |
persisted. Nor could he see that he
had cheated-in other words, injured
himself. This was 4 iberai ,coun-
try; its code was free md II took
little account Of ! mans private. con-
duct. Nobody seriously blamed him
for his affair with Laure !: he had lost |
no standing by reason Of 1t. Il was