San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-02
Nera Lee and Dane Get
Into Quarrel Over
Natalie Herbert.
CHAPTER XXI


He gave a quick, impa
tient shrug: aren't yor
making a solemn fuss ovel
nothing Nora Lee?"
She was so stung that she
could only steady herself tc
answer: Gam II"
swell, look here! For the
last five years you've beer
showing girls at me; implor.
ing me to be gallant; you've all but
hurled Sallie into my lap a dozer
of times; you've insisted on my
dancing with a lot of fool flappers
when I'd rather have staged it.
~And now all of sudden you get
hot in the collar about woman years
older than am. Why have you TAX
en- a grudge against her? If sh'
hadn't been SO decent about giving q
green fellow like I was a try at those
first plans Of hers, the chances are
we'd be grubbing along yet.
"Cardill has pushed me to the tor
as much because I can control her
patronage ms for any talent I've got.
So / don't get your point of view
at ALL"
She felt herself backed into a false,
ridiculous position that self-defense
only aggravated. And her lips began
twitching uncertainty.
NO. she answered family, Il see
that you don't get my point OF view.
I have no grudge against Natalie
Herbert. / admire her. It's not the
person concerned that / was consid'
ering at all. It's the idea, the prac-
tice and what it may inevitably lead
to that I'm against.
"No matter who the girl or woman
was l would say that it's dangerous
for you or any man to get into the
habit of making late appointments
followed by dinner. Just as it would
be tempting fate if I should begin
going to dances or teas with other
men,"
Its entirely different. When n
woman comes into the office, I'm not
interested in her as person, but as
Il patron. 1 think of the work I'm
doing, not of the people for whom it's
done. They might as well be nom
existent. II it was a man 1 had this
appointment with, there'd be no ques-
ton about personal liking. As mat
ter of courtesy I'd take him to din
ner. It's almost necessary to show
such courtesies."
HATtT FEARED
sIf it is, then all right. / don't
mind. No, I'm not sarcastic. II you
think you should take Natalie to
dinner, do so. / mean it. 1 won't
feel injured or angry at ALL"
but you've made it out as though
it were a crime"
She smiled and glanced from the
windows to the garden, where the
crimson dahlias famed. mo, l only
feared habit Of taking women
patrons to dinner might lead to
unhappy consequences. But il 1T
should, Dane. it just occurs to me
that you've as much to lose as /.
So why should be the one to worry,
since you must value what we have
together as much as l. You must
also want to guard it :"
He snapped his teeth together
with a brusque click. IL guess were
not in much danger-AS YET
Well-goodby-" He waited, half
expecting her to put down the paper
and come to him.
But she fingered it idly, answer
ing with lightness she was far
from feeling: "Goodby, dear. See
you later" She managed to turn
wide, half fearful grin to his
annoyed glance. ......
COOL FAREWELL
He bent and kissed her rather
stiffly and received as chill a caress
in response. Both were stabs that
she thought sank into her heart
alone.
After he was gone she wondered
about the wisdom Of her stand.
CONTINUED OH Page 1G, Part -