The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-30
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CHAPTER I
A black pigeon, it, iridescent breast
cleaning IN the sunshine Of the jan
uary morning, circled warily above
the open window, then 1luttered 20
the white stone ledge. The tiny
head jetked back and forth. q bril-
liant black diamond Of an eye cooked
suspiciously, g the little feet battered
just out Of reach Of the white hand
extended invitingly. palm upward.
Satan, you old humbug!" the girl
laughed softly. Don't Rite me! I'm
sure I don't look 50 different this
morning that you don't know me! Is
It because I have no crumbs to give
you. greedy?"
The black pigeon stood still on his
little red sealing wax feet and
studied the girl. his graceful head
cooked consideringly. Then. as II re-
assured, the cleaning black wings
spread to the cold sunshine, and Z
second later those tiny red claws were
tightly gripping Ruth Testers fore
finger.
As II they had been waiting for q
signal from their leader. the black
pigeon which Ruth had named Satan,
q flock Of pigeons whose home was
the roof Of the seven-story atarbridge
Building, came sweeping down upon
the broad ledge Of the window out
side the private office Of Handsome
Harry" Borden, to pay court to the
suddenly revealed beauty Of Bordens
private secretary.
Ruth, with an exultant laugh,
spread her arms wide, leaning far out
OF the window. In q moment she
was . living pigeon perch. On her
little white hands, along her arms.
on her small shoulders, even on her
golden head. Brown pigeons
splotched with white: blue-gray
pigeons, with enchanting breasts Of
bronze and gold and purple: black
and-white pigeons: white pigeons
no. only one pigeon that was pure
white and only one-Satan-that was
jnky black.
An exclamation made the girl raise
her eyes, but did not startle her, for
she had been expecting 1t. Directly
across the narrow airshaft that sep
arated two wings Of the Starbridge
Building, q broad window, exactly
like the one from which Ruth leaned
framed q young mans head and torso
The January sun, which was really
quite cold, seemed to the girl to gath
er all its shivery rays and concentrate
them, for borrowed warmth, upon the
coppery brown head Of Jack Hay
ward.
Ruth leaned further out Of the
window, impetuously. her arm reach
ing toward the man who looked like
q sun-god to her, the man to whom
she had just become engaged. Jeal-
ously, the pigeons took wing and
fluttered indignantly away all but
the black pigeon. which chung Stub
bornly to her finger. his beady black
eye flashing from the girl to the
man.
"Oh, beautiful" Jack called soft
". Little snow princess with the
sun In her golden hair! You're toe
beautiful Go put on your big yellow
spectacles and slick back your hair
I'm Jealous even Of Satan, and he's
Jealous Of mel Look! believe he'd
like to peck my eyes QUIT"
Ruth laughed, then very gently, Sc
as not to brighten Satan away, she
reached into the pocket Of hel
sweater. In q moment she was hold
ing the struggling pigeon against he,
breast, as her quick, def little fingers
wrapped q slip Of paper with q typed
1nessage-"I love you':-about one OF
the tiny red legs, securing 1t with q
bit Of black silk thread which she
kept In the office for daruing run,
In the sober stockings she had al.
ways worn to work until today-to-
day!
If you have any bread crumbs
Mr.. Hayward" she laughed. "you MAY
be able to learn something to youl
advantage" And she let the BLACK
pigeon flutter away.
Then. because she heard the dool
of the outer office, where she wa
supposed to be opening the morning
mail, she drew in her head, BRINGING
. glittering, imprisoned mass Of hail
into the soberly but richly furnished
room where Handsome Harry" Dor.
den conducted business which had
need Of every artificial aid to max,
It appear respectable.
For Henry p. Borden was one o,
those financial vultures that prey up.
on the cupidity Of men and the
credulity Of women who have hard.
earned savings or pathetic little lega.
cies to invest. His favorite boast tf
tho sleek-haired. collegiate lookinf
young stock salesman who worked foI
him was that he was always within
the law" but Ruth. in growing dis
gust, had come to hope that the Law
would not always be 30 obligingly
elastic.
But now-now!-there was no need
70 worry about Harry Borden.
crookedness or about his offensive
private life, or about anything In thu
world. For since exactly IL O'Clock
last night she had been engaged tc
be married to John Darlington Hay.
ward, who was listed on the bulletin
board Of the 6tarbridge Building e
s1nsurance Broker" Broker! The
dear, delightful boyishness Of that
title. Ruth thought tenderly. Broker
when Jack hardly made enovzh
selling life insurance to pay the rem,
On his suite Of two small officesl But
she loved the courage with which hi
etubbornly kept them. the boyist
cocksureness Of future success which
nade him splurge now on "front."
'Hullo. Ruthl Any mail Tor thu
future president Of the United
6tates7" q cocky. nasal young voice
called from the outer office.
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