The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-06-19
20. Doubleday, Page e. Coz
WNu Service.
CHAPTER XV-Continued


North Shore hostesses We'd for the
honor Of entertaining these notables.
Paula = pretty, clever, moneyed,
shrewd-often emerged from these
contests the winner. Her latest catch
was Emile Goguet-Gen. Emile Co
guet, hero Of Champagne-Goguet Of
the stiff white beard, the empty left
coatsleeve,. and the score of medals.
He was coming to America ostensibly
to be the guest Of the American d.
vision which, with Goguet's French
troops. had turned the German on
slaught at Champagne, but really, 1t
was whispered, to cement friendly re-
lations between his country and a
somewhat diff1dent United States.
"And guess" thrilled Paula, guess
who's coming with him. Dirk! That
wonderful Roelf Pool, the French
SCULPTOR"
what d'you mean-French sculp-
tor He's no more French than I am.
He was born within couple Of miles
of MY mothers farm. His people were
Dutch truck farmers. His father lived
in High Prairie until year ago, when
lie died of stroke"
When he told Selma she flushed like
girl. as she sometimes still did when
she was much excited. "Yes. II saw it
in the paper. I WONDER" she added,
quietly, "if shall see him."
That evening you might have seen
her sitting, lingering the faded shabby
time-worn objects the saving of which
Dirk had denounced as sentimental
The crude drawing Of the 1Haymarket !;
the wine-red cashmere dress; some
faded brittle flowers.
Paula was giving a large-but not
too large-dinner on the second night.
She was very animated about 1t, ex-
cited, gay. "They say" she told Dirk,
''that Goguet doesn't eat anything but
hard-boiled eggs and rusks. Oh, we'll,
the others won't object to squads and
mushrooms and things. And his hobby
is his farm in Brittany. Pools stun
ning-dark and somber and very white
teeth"
Paula was very gay these days. Too
gay. 1t seemed to Dirk that her
nervous energy was inexhaustible-
and exhausting. Dirk refused to adj
nit 10 himself how irked he was by
the sallow heart-shaped exquisite face,
tie lean brown clutching fingers, the
air OF ownership. He had begun to
I'll; nh n,.o Eat
full spouse is irritated by quite inno-
cent mannerisins of his unconscious
mate She scuffed her heels little
when she walked, for example. 1t
maddened him. She had way of BIT
ing the rough skin around her carefully
tended nails when she was nervous.
Don't do that" he said.
Dallas never irritated him. She rest
ed him. he told himself. He would arm
himself against her, but one minute
after meeting her he would sink CRATE
fully and resistlessly into her quiet
depths. Sometimes he thought all this
was an assumed manner in her.
''This calm of your-this effortlesS-
ness" he said to her one day. sis a
pose. isn't it?" Anything to get her
notice.
Partly" Dallas had replied. amiably.
ITS nice pose though, don't you
tllink?"
What are you going to do with a
girl like that!
Here was the woman who could hold
him entirely. and who never held out
a finger to hold him. He tore at the
smooth wall of her Indifference. though
he only cut and bruised his own hands
In doing it.
as it because I'm successful busi-
ness man that you don't like me?"
but l do like you. I think you're
IN awfully attractive man. Danger
Gus, that's wot."
"Oh. don't be the wide-eyed ingenue
You know id well what mean
ou've got me and you don't want me-
had been a successful architect
stead of successful business man
luld that have made any difference?
tGood Lord, no! Some day PlFprob-
,ly marry a horny-handed son of toll
and If l do it'll be the horny hands
that will win me. If you want to know
like 'em with their scars on them
There's something about a man who
has fought for i'll don't know what
it is--a look in his eye-the feel OF
his hand He needn't have been sue
cessful-though he probably would be
don't know l only know newell
you haven't mark on you. Not
mark. I'm not criticizing you. But
you're al smooth. like 'em bumpy
That sounds terrible. 1t isn't what
mean at all. 1t isn't"
"Oh, never mind" Dirk said. YEARLY
81 think I know what you mean Lis
n, Dallas. If l Thoughtful so bach
- Hollis & Sprague's and begin al
over again at forty week if thought
you'd"
Don't"
Chapter XVI