The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-03-09

ton to help me II ne really TOOK -"
interest in me. Later Church came
down to the restaurant where ! was
sh-ing and he invited me to his.
ne wanted = ser explain to nc.
"Well. I wet. There wasn't any
party. Of cours>. If Id had any
sense. I'd have l.,own it before /
went. And what nj wanted to do
| was to bargain with NJ. There were
lot Of things he cOc1d and would
do for me, Of course, .herc were
certain terms to he met"
She laughed. rather bitterly, Jimmy
thought, then she went on.
Just the usual sort Of story, y~u
know. You've heard Of hundreds
like it. He wanted to give me an
apartment and--Oh we'll, why 60 into
1t all? Nothing original about it. !,
II turned HIM down, and then hc3.
quite the man Of the world, when
you meet him on the street-when
you don't know him. But when he's
baked, he's something else agaip,
He said to me. I've got money enough
to make you, IL you're sensible, and
if you're not I've enough to break
fyou.'
II told him to let me out, that
I'd heard that kind of story before.
Ny indifference suppose ! was
really quite contemptuous-madd
him and made regular animal out
Of him."
Olga smiled--a wan sort of smile.
II suppose it sounds like melodrama
and Hearts and Flowers and all that
sort Of thing. JIM" She wandered,
81 49, - .l~~A r.
my professional you can dignity it
a man think girl is $3.50 approach
able. Ii | were . stenographer, or
filing clerk. that sort of thing
wouldn't happen. Know what
Jimmy nodded. EYES," he said
slowly, II think do"
"At any rate" she continued, "Sam
Church apparently thought it was his
legitimate right to make the sort of
proposition he did. And it made me
mad, the way he takes things for
granted.
Maybe you won't believe me, but
II fought him, and l not only fought
! him but l gave him a beating. He
| tried to hold me, and scratched
him and tore at him and pulled his
hair until he was glad to let me 60.
| Once ! caught hold Of his necktie
and pulled it with all my might. It
| almost choked him and knocked all
I, the fight out Of him.
physically. Sam Church is q big
coward. He was actually afraid Of
! me after | got mad. when l left
+, him he sort of smiled and mopped
his face with his handkerchief and
said, All right, young lady, go
ahead. But don think I'm through.
I'll break you If it takes every cent
own
.inere was a lot more he said
that wont stand repeating, Honest
he talked just like the villain in
Way Down East and had to laugh
at him. Said I'd be craving back to
him on my hands and knees.
Il thought he'd forget it, but |
didn't know Sam Church. Ihe next
I: week lost my job. He'd gone to
the proprietor and paid him to fire.
me. | got another one ana lost that"
! You're sure it was Church dad
!; r'of course. OF course. no one
would admit it. but Church calledi
me up later and asked me if was
! ready to listen to reason. | told him
he could 80 to $500" She stopped.
| The orchestra screened off in it's
, corner by ported plants, began to
play, and Olga bit her lip, Us if the
music was reminiscent of some bit
ter memory. Church. off IN another
corner Of the room, was caEing alone
ana had not seen them.
"There he sits in all his respccta-
bility," she said, tight Tipped. And
what could do! Who'd believe me II
told the story I've just told you?
He actually tried to starve me. There
wasn't place in town where could
get a job. sometimes wonder why
he's letting me keep the one I've got
now. ] suppose he has another ms,
i terest."
Jimmy WINGED. as if he. had been
struck in the face. "Perhafs," he
said softly, and was silent.
He reached over, and patted her
hand. "Poor kid" he said.
;, Tears crowded to her eyes. She
laid her hand on his sleeve, looked
into his eyes. "Thank God, they're
not all alike" she said.as"You're a.
square shooter." ID
And then, 'quite suddenly. he knew
that what O'bay had cold him was
true--that this girl cared for him
deeply. 1t was in her voice, in the
. way she caressed his arm..it looked
out of her eyes.
! A strange emotion held him. He
saw himself as big brute of a man,
!: laughing and cruel, smashing =
child's toy in his hands.
And he flinched. He dared not look
at her just then. and show her the
! misery in his eyes.,oI
u. ITO Be Continued