The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-08
b. 11FEA1QY WEl6~ Z

was engaged in insulting promi.
nent people when they entered.
She became a lamb as she sighted
Hardiman. Before Barbara's
amazed eyes the hostess evicted q
party from. q secluded table and
turned It over to Hardiman. Was
there no limit to the power Of this
man?
The waiter came with q bottle
OF J. BIS champagne. He opened
It. Surely these wSre the same
girls Of folly here. Pinwheels of
flesh.
"All girls are the same girls"
Barbara decided. You can tell
one from the other only by the
clothes. And these clothes are all
alike" They we're doing some
thing pedestrian and patriotic in
feminized naval blouses. The
champagne cork popped. "Hur.
rah for Dewey" Barbara lifted her
glass. The effervescent gaseous
spray went into her nose. She
sneesed and drank.
IS great champagne" she IN.
nounced.
ITS . good deal older than you
are" he gravely informed.
- great, Juny." she insisted.
1T may be old, but It feels young"
(; She felt intensely superior-to
what? Never mind. Shed decide
presently what 1t was to which she
was. glittering green. pink and
white. Is butterfly to chrysalis.
For the moment she was con-
cerned with a discovery. She was
doing all the drinking. Hardiman
none. Yes. there he was. at II
again. The sly dog! He filled her
empty glass and poured just
enough Of the spumy liquid into
hts own drink to Set It bubbling
again.
"Juny." She leaned across the
tiny, Untitled cloth. "You are not
playing fair. You must drink with
me. We neither Of US must know
what we're doing"
Hardiman's eye cleaned. She
recoiled. shocked. It had seemed
that the eye twiried like a pin.
wheel In its socket. How near this
turmoil of drugged senses brought
the antipodean sensations OF de-
light and disgust!
He leaned to answer her.
"Girlie.' / can't drink. Doctors
ORDERS"
She shriveled and reached for
her glass. and disposed OF its con.
tents at one gulp. Immediately
the feeling OF exalted superiority
was here again. She had It now!
She was superior to, herself--a su-
perior Barbara this evening TO that
poor child who a year ago (she re.
membered II now had sat through
three mornings in waiting room
in this same building waiting vain.
~ for Selvy, the cabaret king" to
select her for one OF these Jobs Of
dancing to the clink OF patrons
gold.
She turned suddenly In her seat.
glass In hand. and reached to
touch the nearest girl on the arm.
Admiral No. turned on her two
immense. meaningless eyes in 4
vapid doll face. Barbara offered
her glass. The girl shook her head
solemnly:
Thanks" Barbara was shocked
by the frog.croak OF q voice witch
issued from the lovely throat. but
the boss don't let Us drink during
working hours"
She paused and Barbara drew
her close for condolences:
But l." she made It q question
"can drink as much as ] please.
have no working hours"
Sure, you're lucky. You're
Hardiman's girl. ain'tcha?"
Sure. I'm lucky" Barbara
echoedr- "rm-Hardiman's-girl."
When Junius Brutus Hardiman
led Barbara away into the night.
she needed the leading.
They got home at three o'clock.
Hardiman had latch.key. She
wanted to scream - the door
swung open but fear. q wolf. had
her by the throat. She waited.
Perhaps he'll 80 home" she
thought.
He had no such plan. He wanted
her to 30 upstairs to her room. IT.
was his manifest intention to fol.
low. In the dark he was an ogre,
She switched on the light. And OF
. sudden. he was Just 4 2ortly, mid.
dle-aged codger. slightly llqucred.
very restless. and ashamed.
She took courage. In that IN.
slant. looking at his Mustered, dab
By face. she knew that, power he
was elsewhere. here he was q
clumsy slave.
She laughed aloud. He mistook
the merriment. With bearish play
fulness he clutched her arms and
shook her. She eluded him and
created, out OF the nearest nothing.
q diversion. There were letters in
the tray on the lowboy in the hall.
She rihied them. For Mrs. Nan
Adams. All but one. which was
hers. The drst impulse was to tesr
y open andsfead 1t here: but Har-
diman stared. She strolled to the
stairs, waved her hand and ran.
wait for me. j. b." she called.
In her room she pressed the but
ton on the little lamp which stood
on her secretary-the same secre.
tary on which she had written hail.