, 1925-06-24
CHAPTER XIV-Continued

o or six of us, or even"
Perhaps"
would you like the Drake to
night?"
1T looks too much like a Roman
bath. The pillars scare me-. Let's go
to the Blackstone
They vent to the Blackstone. The
head waiter knew him. Good eve
ming. Mr.. DeJong." Dirk was secretly
gratifed. Then, with a shock, he
realized that the head waiter was
grinning at Dallas and Dallas was
grinning at the head waiter. Hello,
Andre" said Dallas.
Good evening, Miss O'Mara." The
text of his greeting vas correct and
BETTING h head waiter at the Black
stone. But his voice was lyric and his
eyes glowed. His manner of seating
her at a table was an enhancement.
At the look In Dirk's eyes 81 met.
him In the army" Dallas explained.
when 1 VAS in France. He's a grand
lad"
Were you in-what did you do in
France?"
"Oh, odd jobs"
Her dinner gown was very smart,
but the pink ribbon strap of an under
garment showed untidily at one side
her silk brassiere, probably. Paula
would have-but then, a thing like that
was impossible in Paula's perfection
Of toilette. He loved the way the
gown cut sharply away at the Shout
der to show her Arm white arms. 1t
was dull gold, the color Of her hair.
This was n Dallas. There were a
dOzen-a hundred. Yet she was al
ways the same. You never knew
whether you were going to meet the
ganin of the rumpled smock and the
smudged face or the beauty of the lit
tie fur Jacket. Sometimes Dirk thought
she looked like the splendid goddesses
you saw In paintings-the kind with
high, pointed breasts and gracious.
gentle pose-holding out a horn of
plenty. There was about her something
genuine and earthly and elemental.
He noticed that her nails were short
and not well cared for-not glittering
and pointed and cruelty sharp and
horribly vermilion, like Paula's. That
pleased him, too. somehow.
"Some oysters" he suggested. "They
are perfectly safe here. Or fruit cock
tail? Then breast Of guinea hen un-
der glass and an artichOke-"
She looked a little worried. "If you
suppose you take that. Me, I'd like
a steak and some potatoes au gratin
and a salad with Russian"
THAT'S fine!" He was delighted.
He doubled that order INT they con-
sumed 1t with devastating thorough
hess. She ate rolls. She ate butter. She
made no remarks about the food ex-
cept to say. once, that 1t was good and
that she had forgotten to eat lunch be-
cause h had been so busy working.
All this Dirk found most restful and
refreshing.
Usually, when you dined in a res
taurant with a woman she said. "Oh,
little rolls !" Z
You said. "Why not?"
Invariably the answer, to this was.
Il darentl Goodness! A half pound
at least. / haven't eaten n roll with
butter In a year"
Again you said. "why not?"
Afraid I'll get fat"
Automatically. "Youl Nonsense.
You're just right"
He was bored with these women who
talked about their weight. figure, lines.
He. thought 1t In bad taste. Paula
was always rigidly refraining from
this or that. 1t made him uncomfort-
able to sit at the table facing her eat
Ing his thorough meal while she nib
bled fragile curls of Melba toast, a
lettuce leaf. and half a sugarless
grapefruit. 1t lessened his enjoyment
Of his own oysters. steak. coffee. He
thought that she always eyed his food
a little avidly. for all her expressed
Indifference to II. She was looking
u little haggard. too.
THE theater's text door," he said.
"Just a step. We don't have to leave
here until after eight"
That's nice" She had her cigarette
with her coffee In a mellow. sensuous
atmosphere of enjoyment. He was
talking about himself n good deal. He
felt relaxed. at ease. happy.
"You know I'm In architect-at
least. I was one. Perhaps that's why
I like to hang around your shop SO. /
get sort of homesick for the pencils
and the drawing board-the whole
thing"
"why did you give It up. then7"
Nothing In It."
How do you mean-nothing In it?'
mo money. After the war nobody
was building. oh, I suppose II I'd
hung on"
"And then you became a banker,
n'm7 Well. there ought to be money
enough In a bank"
lie was u little nettled. IT wasn't q
banker-nt first. was n bond sales
man"
Her brows met In n little frown.
"rd rather" Dallas said, slowly. "pian
one back door OF a building that's
going TO help make this town beautI.