The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-07-29

Struthers Bert

Madame Marco spoke sharply. well,
I can't be responsible for the inefdciency
OF the French express companies, can -"
Dorothy bathed in a neglected tin tub
and afterwards lay down in her bare,
none too tidy room. She lay staring at
the ceiling and once she flung her arms
above her head and laughed mirthlessly.
After awhile she put on her travel stained
clothes and descended to the studio. Her
mother was smoking a cigaret and read
ing a novel.
I'VE won't wait for Luigi" she said.
Once he goes out I never know when he
is coming in. Wen go around the cor
ner to a little place and have dinner"
1t was no use, you couldn't get close to
this haggard, lined woman. Dorothy tried
without success. Madame Marco seemed
always, with a slow impatience, to be
thinking Of something else. Only once
was there an approach to intimacy and
that was when she asked her daughter If
she was engaged.
Dorothy hesitated and said, eyes.
suppose So"
tell me about him." demanded Ma
dame Marco.
Dorothy found herself unable to do SC
-she drew an entirely artificial compos-
ito portrait of William Hewitt and VIII
liam Fonda del Concrete. I'm having
a rotten time" she said to herself. -
wish I had never come. That dreadful
man spoiled my trip overland now this.
You are fortunate" sighed her moth.
er. you are rich n happy n young.
She brought her thin brown hand dowI
on the table. "Tomorrow-not now
I will tell you the he'll I have beef
through"
And tomorrow she did tell, and the da.
after also. The slow recital, the repitt
lions, fell on Dorothy's brain like drop
of lead. And tomorrow" and all the da
after it rained. Dorothy, thinking per
haps that at any moment she Nigh
break out into wild laughter or abuse
looked across the sodden courtyard t
the blank windows OF the house oppo
site.
"There is no one there" said her moth
er. cit is for rent"
) An old, half blind woman came in t
make up the studio apartment and SUD
denly aware Of Dorothy's presence
crossed herself.
Nov. why that?" Dorothy wondered
: She was growing ~unbearably restless an
) suggested hat she should go to her bank
er's for her mail. She thought, too, ths
! she would buy her mother a present.
"Wait until it clears up said Nj
= dame Marco. "The day is too dreadful
THAT doesn't make any difference"
There was a new sharp note i Nj
4 dame Marcos voice.
"You are bored with me a~lready?"
Dorothy suppressed a sigh and pickle
= UP h novel she had been reading. MARI
y she had seen little of since the day
her arrival. He came in late and slel
, until late in the morning. Like a raj
4 house." thought Dorothy. "The rat sta
out until the small hour and then hid
. himself during the day."
She was as relieved as a person recove
v ing from a long illness when, on Il
q third day, the sur came out, even If
ar was only the pale, dispirited sun Of t.
Paris winter. A faint gold fell n T.
n little courtyard and its battered tn
turned from black to brown. Mist re
from the caves OF the house oppoSt
Dorothy dressed herself with care al
went down to the studio.
Come on out" she said to her mot
e er. ST want to see the streets and t
~ shops. I haven't been here since I "
20 sixteen"
n Madame Marco laid down her boz
stared at her daughter thoughtfully, a
re then got up and called, "Luigil'
IN Madame Marco spoke rapidly in Itali
and came back to the table, beside VIII
rv Dorothy was standing. In another n
ment Marco, in a gorgeous but uncle
dressing gown Of lowered satin, creaE
re- down the stairs and paused at h b
tom.
- 'Vell?" he asked. "vat's the matte,
s. Dorothy is going out"
n "Vy not?" his thick lips drew be
into a snarl.
u Because well, we'd better tell
ed what we want, hadn't we? I've bt
he talking to her for two days and
its doesn't seem to understand. You "
,er right when you said she wouldn't und
,ee stand. She might as we'll know now
he later. Besides, it's safer"
nd Marco advanced toward the table a
- lighting a cigarette, raised his head
looked Dorothy slowly up and do
TO- Then he sank into a chair.
You are not going out" he said.
Dorothy's vague eyes narrowed.
why not?"
1to Because you are not. zit down."
ct Dorothy thought she had never S
40 any one so dreadful as this large, gre
man with his black hair tousled and
fat cheeks dropping with dissipation
sleep. For the first time, perhaps, in
se~lf-conf1dent young life she was
foundry afraid because the situation
49, so sudden and absurd, so little eXpec
ON Have you gone crazyP" she asked
n q small voice. .
ali I'VE had hoped" said Marco. accusl
ly, that ven your mother had told
go poor she vas you would have done so
thing about it-but you Won't. You
lie mean, i all Americans. Veil, you
eli have to learn"
Dorothy hated the way he turned
WIS into VS..
'er- Madame Marco broke IN bitterly.
~ gave you all I had" b said, "bu
"a miserable one thousand a year, and
we have lost that. I ave been tall
to you for two days and not a sign
- your part"
Dorothy felt more relieved now
- she knew what it was all about.
smiled crookedly.
the You haven't given me much t
! to have you?" she asked. I've been tn
ing ever since I've been here Of S
usi- way to help you, but now, Of course !.
She turned towards the door. III
will call me a cab I viii get out OF
~ at once"
Marco laughed. "You do not un
stand" he said. 'You are a very
old leetle girl. That door is locked. You
in better zit down you will get t
REQ standing. You do not cav thees
we until you have signed a 'leetle p;
will That money of yours, that is your ~
10 er's. You must give it back to
No 49," He raised a protesting b
We know vat you are going to
ricb It does not interest us. We are
was fools. You viii not see the Amer
oro- consul or the American ambassador,
cause you will never get to them.
dos viii not see any one Unfortunately,
speak no French saw that OF the raj
sL..A and the There is no