Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-19
CHAPTER XIV--Continued

perhaps"
nWould you like the Drake to
dghtT
'rt looks too much like a Roman
,,h The pillars scare me. Let's go
70 the Blackstone"
They went to the Blackstone. The
: sssd waiter knew him. Good eve
rirg Mr.. DeJong." Dirk was secretly
ratified Then, with a shock, he
realized that the head waiter was
trimming at Dallas and Dallas was
qr.nnlng at the head waiter. "Hello,
Andre" said Dallas.
Good evening" Miss O'Mara." The
text Of his greeting was correct and
BETTING the head waiter at the Black
stone But his voice was lyric and his
oces glowed. His manner of seating
1er al table was an enforcement.
Al the look in Dirk's eyes, 81 met
him III Tie army" Dallas explained,
when I was in France. He's a grand
lad'
Were you in-what did you do in
France"
ron odd Jobs"
Her dinner gown was very smart,
but tie pink ribbon strap of an under
garment showed untidily at one side
her silk brassiere, probably. Paula
would haye-but then, 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 firm white arms 1t
was dun gold, the color of her hair.
This was one Dallas. There were a
lozgn-a hundred. Yet she was al
ways tile same. You never knew
whether you were going to meet the
gamin at the rumpled smock and the
! smudged face or the beauty of the lit
he fr jacket. Sometimes Dirk thought
sae looked like the splendid goddesses
you SAW In palntings-the kind with
a.gh, pointed breasts and gracious,
gentle nose-holding out a horn Of
plenty. There was about her something
genuine and earthly and elemental.
lie noticed that her nails were short
and not well cared for-not glittering
and pointed and cruelty sharp and
horribly yermilion, like Paulas. That
pleased him, too, somehow.
Some oysters?" he suggested. "They
are perfectly safe here. Or fruit cock
atl? Then breast Of guinea hen I'M
ler glass and an artichoke-"
she looked a little worried. eff you
suppose you take that. Me, I'd like
a steak and some potatoes au gratin
and salad with Russian"
That's fne" He was delighted.
Ie doubled that orde. and they con-
slmed 1t with devastating thorough
ness. She ate rolls. She ate butter. She
made no remarks about the food ex-
cent 70 say, once, that it was good and
mat she had forgotten to eat lunch be-
cause she 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,
~ love to eat some of those crisp
little rollsm
"a You said, "Why not?"
Invariably the answer to this was,
I daren't! Goodness! A half pound
al least. I haven't eaten a roll with
butter in year"
Again you said, "Why not?"
Afraid I'll get fat"
Automatically, "Youl Nonsense.
lou're just right"
he was bored with these women who
talked about their weight, figure, lines.
de thought 1t in bad taste. Paula
was always rigidly refraining from
AIs or that 1t made him uncomfort-
aoIe 70 sig at the table facing her; eat
.As MS thorough meal while she nib
pea fragile curls of Melba toast, a
lettuce eaf and half a sugarless
grapefruit, 1t lessened his enjoyment
VI ais own oysters, steak, coffee. lie
"ousAt that she always eyed his food
. Ntue ayidly, for all her expressed
"l.3erence to 1t. She was looking
little haggard too.
1ue heaters next door," he said.
'lst step. We don't have to leave
.eye until after eight"
That's NICE She had her cigarette
VIVA her coffee in mellow, sensuous
atmosphere Of enjoyment. He was
~.Ahs about himself a good deal. he
S.y relaxed, at ease, happy.
You know I'm an architect--at
east I was one. Perhaps that's why
ASe q hang around your shop so.
sei sort Of homesick for the pencils
\ 1o ,he drawing board-the whole
ss4Ugo
why did You give it up, then?"
Nothing In It,"
now do you mean-nothing in it?'
No money. After the war nobody
.Ss building. Oh, I suppose Ii I'd
ana then you became a banker,
-~' Wen thers ought to be money
Noagh To a bank"
lie was little nettled. 81 wasn't q
man"
co., nef brows met In a little frown,
~ rather" Dallas said, slowly, "plan
80. oacA door of a building that's
M 10 help make this town beautl-
Il.