The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-14

Snc was nauSeatcu, hSttcSS; hcr ChcSt
ached and her breathing troubled
her when she was conscious enough,
to think. Her surroundings became
unreal, too. the faces that appeared
and disappeared before her were the
faces Of dream figures.
Urm;ndful of his daughters need.
needless of the passage of time, Sam
Kirby loitcrcd about the saloons and
waited patiently for the coming OF
a certain man. After time he
bought some chips and sat in a poker
game, but he paid less attention to
the spots on his cards than to the
door through which mer came and
went. These latter he eyed with the
unblinking stare of a serpent.
Pierce Phillips life was ruined
He was sure of it. Precisely wha,
constituted a ruined life, just how
much such a one differed from 4
successful life, he had only the
vaguest idea, but his own, at the mo
ment. was tasteless. spoiled. Dire
consequences were bound to follow
such a tragedy as this. SO he told
himself, and he looked forward witt,
gloomy satisfaction to their realiza.
ton; whatever they should prove &c
be. however terrible the fate tina,
was to overtake him, the built. the
responsibility therefor, lay entirely
upon the heartless woman who had
worked the evil. and he earnestly
hoped they would be brought home
Ia her.
Yes. the Countess Courteau wa.
heartless, but also that when he had
to reconcile himself to tina,
wrong she had lacked tho courage
to meet him halfway. There wcrc
but two explanations Of her action:
either she was weak and cowarfiIv
or else she did not love him Neither
afforded much consolation.
Some women, ii seemed to him, not
bad III them selves, were l,orn 70 work
evil, and evidently l'ilha was o.r
OF them. She had done her ,as,
well in this INSTANCE, for she had
thoroughly blasted his l:lc.s =
would pretend TO forget. but meyer
thclcsS he would sec to it tiat che
was undecciycd. and that the in;---
she had done him remained an ever
present rcproac', to her. kat
would be his revenge. Rel ior-
gcti'Ilness. OF course, was ont OF ~
question. How could he as>u,n;.
such an attitude: As he rondcrcd
the question nc remembered that
there were artificial aids to oblivion.
Ruined men invariably took o
drink. Why shouldn't he attempt %
drown his sorrowS, After all,
night there not be real and aetna!
relief in liquor, After consideration
he decided to try it.
From Il tent saloon near By came
thu sounds OF singing and OF laugh
ter. and thithcr he turned his steps.
When he entered the place a lively
sceic> Srectcr fir,. Somehow "
other 4 small portable organ Ma"
been secured. and ut this Il bearded
fellow III 4 mackiraw coat was se1.-
cd. lie was PLAYING 4 spirited as
compartment for two woricn. sisters,
evidently. who sang Wit, the loud
abandon Of professional coon
shouters." Other t.omcn we're
present, and Phillips recognized
them as, members of that theatrical
troupe he had seen at Sheep Camp
as those actresses to whom Tori
Linton had referred with such clab7
oratc sarcasm.
Phillips looked on modify; he
frowncd his lip curled. All the
world was happy. it seemed, while
lie nursed broken heart. Well,
that was in accord with tho scheme
Of tlings-life was mad, topsv-
turvy affair at best, and there was
stable about any part Of it.
lie ielt very grim, very desperate,
very much abused and very much
outside of Ill this mcrriment.
Men were PLAYING cards at the rear
of the saloon, and among the num-
Der was Sam Kirby. The old gam
bier showed no sirrs of his irving
experience of the afternoon; in fact.
it appeared to have been banisl,ed
utterly from his mind. lie was
drinking, and even while Pierce
looked on lie raped sharply witt,
his iron hand to call the bartcndcr's
attention. Meanwhile he scanned
the faces Of all newcomers.
When the crowd had surged back
TO the organ Pierce found a place
at the bar and called for drink. of.'
first nc had ever or
dcrcd. This was the end he told
himself.
He poured the glass nearly full.
then he gulpcd the liquor down. It
tasted much as it sn1elled, hence he
derived little enjoyment from, the
experience. AS he stripped afbiti
from his stable roll OF bank-notes
the bartender eyed him curiously
aud seemed upon the point Of speak
ing. but Pierce turned his shoulder.
Engaged thus, he heard voice
close to his ear; it said:
Hello, mani"
Pierce turned to discover that
girl was leaning with elbows upon
the plank counter at his side and
looking at him. Her chin was sup.
ported upon her claspcd fingers; she
was staring into his face.
She eyed him silently for mo-
ment, during which he returned her
unsmiling gaze. She dropped her
eyes to the wh;sky-glass, then raised
them again to his.
Can you take a drink like that
and not feel it?"' she imputed.
mo. / want to feel it; that's why
I tskeit," he said, gruf1y.
whats the idea?"
Z idea? Well, it's my own idea
my own business" Z
~, n eont:r,,A.aN