The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-24
GO ON WITH THE STORY

rNONl HEKE
Chapter 81.
For lunch they went to a restaurant
In Market street. Alice was plainly
!, disappointed, having cherished . vi
sion Of dining at the Palace. She
drew in long, shifting breath and
eyed Sandy in q biting way that
said, curly: "A lot Of good it did
me to doll like circus horse!
should have known better than ex-
pcct my family to do anything for
met"
She asked casually: "Who were the
two swanky fellows you had in towS
Fifty you wouldn't introduce Q pee.
son."
rived"
An ironic smile: II didn't know !
was quite such . microbe."
They went TO the dressing room.
Alice was proud Of her lcanncss.
She made smart appearance whom
She chose to bother about it. She
could also be very winning. She
now appraised Sandy critically
You've certainly acquired fine
crop Of freckles. I thought you'd DC
TOO VAIN TO ruin your complexion"
,r.s Wsy po thought yaa t they ;hc Mere at
II certainly do NOT! Gained quite
few pounds, didn't you? It's not
becoming"
Sandy caught flash Of herself
through Alicc's eyes. To these she
appeared commonplace, red-hcad.
slightly overfat. The frecklcs gave
her bread and butter look instead
" the mysterious usefulness she
preferred. She was taken down sew
eral notchcs after the adulation of
her summer holiday. but she said
brcezily in the tone Alice called chat
almighty conceit Of yours!"-shc
"Twcetwee. Alice ole dear, your
flattering tokens tell me swcctly that
I'm home again."
Quito a come down after the gay
time you've had?" The narrowing
of Alice's brows made Sandy sus-
picious.
"Nothing!" Alice's lips tight.
Nothing at all but seeing that all
the eligible men on the earth visit
or work on the islands. guess you
didn't lack for sport"
"Ah, but you know all the mar
riageable DANES from l6 to GO flock
there and the pickings are not so
good any more. What's the dirt in
the Mcneil mansion? How are your
married sisters p
''Vcry busy wondering what you're
going to pull next. Madeline il ex-
pecting again! Can you beat it? And
Espinosa-thank God they dfdn't
give me that name-thinks she has
floating kidney. All 1 hope is she
doesn't trot home to have it
anchored.
$50 you see there'H be the usual
christmas rush to mama's for the
holiday dinners. Alice, per custom,
will be the goat
With Alice's words Sandy felt the
walls Of the old Mcneil house closing
about her. She was there among the
pots and pans getting ready for one
Of these family dinners. The work
and confusion of them. The old
walnut table stretched its full
length. two cloths needed to cover it.
And Mrs. Mcneil, her face shining,
her gentle eyes imploring Sandy and
her sister to act joyful about It;
there she sat at the kitchen table
sewing up the turkey. calling on
Sandy to thread the needle; handing
her the thread wet with onions and
dressing. Alice. whacking . cover
from the cauldron Of potatoes, mash
ing them as though she were pounding
enemies to death.
And Sandy herself. flying about
to set her share Of tho work done.
turning a deaf ear to Alice's: 81
suppose you're dashing like mad so
hnn
-thee-wcll with your friend
Jimmy. Well. you can just stick
around and receive the mob. I'm
sure the Prince of Wales isn't COM
ing to pay me court that should
be elected the entertainment CON-
mittec! Madeline Chester and her
brood are no inspiration to mel"
The poor. shocked mother hearing
this. heavcd many dour signs, looked
at them. Representing: TITS great
satisfaction to- taise . family in this
day and age. l would have cut my
tongue out when was a girl before
Ia hurt my mother. don't know
where got such selfish children.
I've sacrificed myself on the altar
Of duty and this is the return |
get for it."
She wiped her nose, shifting audi
bly,. Sandy, stricken by these re-
marks, threw look Of fury at her
sister. stopped and kissed the stray
curl OH her mothers plump. heated
neck.
All three felt themselves victims.
Each could think Of far more allur-
ing ways Of spending Thanksgiving
or Christmas. The family was an
octopus squeezing Observation-Disclosures
their individuality. There was no
escape. The tentaclcs OF tradition
and prejudices were wrapped about
their minds and bodies.
Many q time before her marriage
Sandy had felt them like physical
bonds. For all her defiance these
tentacles had closed in on her.
Away from home and it's restric-
tions. she had forgotten these in
sidious claims. She had decided her
own future as though she were. a
free and separate unit, belonging
only and entirely to herself.
Now, listening to Ajceb TRADE
she became heatcdly and wildly
aware Of their pressurcf Of the ten
tacles closing. Not quite rs free
and lovely and independent IS she
dreamed! Not quite such royal
princess-person. Outside there. wait
Ing ut the table was Ben Murillo:
was the fussy. wsll-loved Isabel.
Incredible that she had imagined
they would accede to her dema nds.
Fancy their stupor when she told
them she wanted divorce!
She became unea:y.restlsss.
Murillo, too, was nervous. He