The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-04-15
THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE


like to keep her myself. just ,
much AS you would. but we can't
He gave her long look.
"You might think Of her, Poll
Why should our d--n thunder clou
this bit Of her life? You've mad
y good job OF Mary. so far, Polly.
have to hand you that"
"Well!' Polly flung at him.
SWELL" Claude returned wit
finality, finish your Job"
Polly looked ut him now, 50,
what he meant and went white "a
q moment. Claude waited, nese
taking his eyes from her. II wa
long minute.
"rll come. Wait till l change III
gown"
no time" Claude told her. "Yo
look fine as you are"
And the red-haired devil know
It," he added to himself as he maj
slIaled her through the lobby to tn
gOndola steps.
Polly studied the man who sa
beside her MS the gondOla carrie,
them along the canal. 1t was evel
family amusing that after all thes
years they should be sitting sid
by side in a gondola in Venice. He
mind flew back 10 the time she ha,
$" resolutely put behind her. !
dull New Jersey boarding house
and Claude Dabbs at the window
on a hard wooden chair, and she
with a buster tucked under he
arm, lifting Il water pitcher. How
life had taken and nodded then
both. and then flung them together
here, In this old. regal. beautiful
city. Side by Side they sat. stranger.
for twenty years and more. and ye
between them dangled the old lega
letters, and waiting for them ut III.
hotel was Mary. the living proc
that they who were strangers now
had not always been So.
Polly's mind swung round to thu
one fact that had not really i'm
pressed her as being the most i'm
portant at the time. Claude wa,
not only an interesting looking man
but he was successful. rich. Some
how she had never visualiZed that
1t began to dawn on the Polly
Johnston Of today that the Polly
Johnston Of yesterday had under
estimated her man. She went back
though II was disturbing thing
to do. with the man himself silent
beside her. to the morning she had
made up her mind to leave. She
did herself justice. 1t was not the
money, entirely. that had made her
decide. She remembered dOubtin:
CIsuie's powers Of Imagination, nt
capability for life IN a larger way
than just that Of a storekeeper IN
a country village. She relnem
bered how she had tried the silib
boleth that had shaken her newly
awakened desire to stay with him
With that trepidation she had
put TO him that half-Iuugling
wholly earnest question about ala
baster lamps, waiting to have him
show, IN ever SO feeble manner
that he understood; and he had
failed her utterly. She renlenl
bered his slow. unilnaginative, eOuiI
tritied manner and answer; some,
thing about burning coal OIL" II
had been the straw, IL he had only
known 1t, that showed her how the
wind blew; and she had gone out
Of his life to save her soul and high
ambition, not her money.
But Claude would never believe
that. No more than he would be.
lieve that now 1t was for Mary, no,
his money. that she was accom-.
panying him to the hotel. She must
try aud make him understand all
this when Mary's affairs were ar.
ranged.
She began to wonder about his
life.
Claude touched her arm gently.
He WAS holding out his hand t.
help her from the gOndOla, and he
was doing 1t gracefully.
Mary and Ned had begun very
badly. Claude's abrupt departure
had found them both unprepared.
Mary had risen to her feet impet.
uOusly and followed him to the
door,. only to realize that 1t looked
absurd and to 60 back to the min
dow, where she stood wa4qS16h
her father depart.
"One father gone and anotlgof u.
ther coming, makes q complicated
afternoon" she ventured.
Ned agreed, and suggested that to
while away the time between fl.
theirs they might order peculiarly
rich tea.
The waiter had come and gone
and still they were In that tire.
some sitting room, which seemed
to Mary to have held them fol
ages.
Il suppose we'd better stay
here?' she inquired lightly.
"Much better" and Ned drew u
wicker chair to the, balcony window
for her, and arranged himself OH !,
cushion at her feet. Mary fell
grateful. She did not have to meet
his eyes, In this position.
"Sure as we stay out Of this
rOOm," he told her. my father will
turn up and then Claude will &C
cuse US Of deserving our pOsts.''
"DO you call my father Claude? 2
inquired Mary, for want, Of some
thing better to say.
I'll call him father gladly al
soon as you give me the right" Nee
reminded her, aud turned to set
how she took II.
She did not take It at all. Shit
leaned against the chair, her face
hidden In her hands.
lTU BE CONTINUED.)