The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-04-15
Iceberg
By JANNIS PARKER
o9 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate,


IL LOUIS heart was heavy for Con
chita. the dancer, was doing what Lou
herself had longed to do: break up
the ice foes in Harrison.
Even before Conchita had undulated
into the picture Lou had been anxious
For i. stance. at seven on Valentines
evening Harrison. tall, lean. and with
frigid demeanor. had arrived TO es'
cort her TO a friends party. He had
stopped, his kiss the quick, detached
sort of caress that filled her with
anxiety.
"Yol. look woe be- gone. Have over
looked something fearfully important,
little sentimentalist?" he had asked.
On the correct finger of Louis left
hand a gorgeous emerald twinkled.
Harrison had asked her to marry him.
I'm just being silly" Lou had
smiled wanly.
He had pinched her cheek. This was
not the attitude Lou wanted. She
didn't want him to chuckle. She
wanted him to feel stirred, intent.
She wanted his clear eyes to glow.
But they were two frozen pools.
Harrison why can't you be little
more oh. | don't know" Her
hands had fallen Imply to her sides.
He had sought to seal her lips with
another calm, undemonSlrative kiss.
I'm not movie actor, you know.
Lou"
who asked you to act?" Lou had
demanded. Il want you to mean it"
The color had come tinging into her
cheeks.
I'm a frigid cuss, know. Yet you
and my law practice are my world"
Adoring every fair crispy curling
hair in his head. she rebuked herself.
He was marvellous and she loved him.
She mustn't expect a typically legal
mind to express poignant romance.
Nudge, whose party they attended.
wanted to charter cab and see how
the rest of the world lived.
Never will Lou forget that night.
AT first she was an inwardly seething
torrent of excitement. Then her heart
was being eaten out for she had seen
COnchita's burning Latin eyes were
bringing out fascinated lights from i'm
penetrable Harrison's.
The cafe was dingy. There had been
a raucous clamor, but apparently the
regular patrons felt chagrined for they
surveyed the beautifully attired Wis
itors. snorted, and lapsed into sullen
silence. The proprietor, however,
rubbed his pudgy hands delightedly
and whispered excitedly to his star
performer.
"COnchita, we have YER swell Gus
toners tonight. You will dance your
best"
"COnchita always dances superbly,
peeg!" That lady snapped her lac
quered fingers. Are not our regular
customers more than these pork who
come only TO jeer?
The Mexican orchestra throbbed in
a low, pulsing rhythm. With a clack
of her castanets Conchita. a living
flame, stood poised in the middle of
the floor. Professional that she was,
her long sloe eyes wandered heavy
Iidded over her audience. picking
worthy one to whom to dedicate her
dance. The drOwsiness of her eyes
vanished as they lighted on the cool,
fiawless features of Harrison.
Louis devoted little heart sank. The
rhumba rhythms beat inflictingly on
her conservative ears. With catch in
her throat she had to admit she had
never seen Harrison so stimulated.
The whirling, insinuating dance
halted abruptly. The dancer pressed
a long sweet kiss on her vivid finger
tips, blew it straight to Harrison. and
tossed TO him the rose which had
nestled in her inky hair.
Harrison feels shaken" observed
Nudge Hes trembling like a Leaf
Lou was trembling. too. She dared
not lift her hurt, bewildered eyes.
Nightly Harrison frequented rhe
cafe Lou. shaken almost beyond en-
durance, lay between cool sheets and
prayed, not for her own forlOrn heart,
but that splendid man and brilliant at
torney that he was, he might not be
horribly uproOted.
Then she summoned her frail cour-
age and went TO the place herself She
left. pale. trembling, but cOntentedly'
wiping her redrimmed eyes while Con-
chita's gay laugh bounded after her.
That night. steadfast love seeping
from his. eyes Harrison took Lou
gently in his arms. then kissed her
quvering mouth almost roughly in his
fervency
Lou darling. let's get married right
away!"
In his sturdy embrace Lou felt ex-
allied. Her happiness welled over.
Why should she tell him Conchita had
admitted she was only playing with
him? 1t would make him feel tainted.
cheapened
"He one big iceberg Conchita had
Haunted. "Conchita have no place for
ice-bergs"
But you've melted himI" Lou had
insisted.
Conchta had stood, her fists dug into
her shapely hips. when iceberg is
melted, what is it? Big puddle. Con-
chita have no use for puddles either"
So Lou thanked her; for she as
signed TO Conchita what she felt she
had not been able to do for herself.
since ice cannot melt iee
As the sweetness of her clinging to
him, and the clean scent of her hair
filled him, Harrison decided not to
tell her of Conchita. How he had
recognized the woman as a missing
witness in one of his cases. This
lovely dainty Lon he adnred Why