The Coolidge examiner., 1932-04-15

Iceberg
By JANNIS PARKER

]
up the ice foes in Harrison.
Even before Conchita had undu.
lated into the picture Lou had been
anxious. For instance, at seven on
] Valentines evening Harrison, tall
lean. and with a frigd demeanOr.
| had arrived to escort her to
friends party. He had stopped. his
kiss the quick, detached sort of
caress that filled her with anxiety.
you look woe-be-gOne. Have |
overlooked something fearfully i'm
portant, little sentir' entalist" 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 a lit
tie more oh, don't know"
Her hands had fallen Imply to her
sides.
Adoring every fair crispy curling
hair in his head she rebuked her
self. He was marvellous and she
loved him. She mustn't expect
typically legal mind to express poig-
nant romance.
Midge, whose party they attended,
wanted to charter a cab and see
| how the rest of the world lived.
Never will Lou forget that night.
At first she was an inwardly seeth-
ing 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 impenetrable Harrison's.
The cafe was dingy. There had
been a raucous clamor, but appar-
emily the regular patrons felt cha
grined for they surveyed the beauti-
fully attired visitors, snOrted, and
lapsed into a sullen silence. The
proprietor, however. rubbed his
pudgy hands delightedly and whis
pered excitedly to his star per-
former:
"COnchita, we have ver' swell Gus
toners tonight. You will dance your
best"
"Conchita always dances superbly,
peeg" The lady snapped her lac
quered fingers. Are not our regu-
lar customers more than these pork
who come only to jeer?"
The Mexican orchestra throbbed
in a low, pulsing rhythm. With
clack of her castanets Conchita, a
living flame, stood poised in the mid
die of the floor. Professional that
she was, her long sloe eyes van
dered heavy-lidded over her au-
dience, picking a worthy one to
whom TO dedicate her dance. The
drowsiness of her eyes vanished as
they lighted on the cool, flawless fe-
lures of Harrison.
LOUIS devoted little heart sank.
The rhumba rhythms beat inflictingly
on her conservative ears. With a
catch in her throat she had to ad-
NIT she had never seen Harrison so
stimulated.
The whirling, insinuating dance
halted abruptly. The dancer pressed
long sweet kiss on her vivid finger
tips, blew it straight to Harrison,
and tossed him the rose which had
nestled in her inky hair.
Harrison feels shaken" observed
Midge. Hes trembling like leaf"
Lou was trembling. too. She
dared not lift her hurt, bewildered
eyes.
Nightly Harrison frequented the
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 attorney that he was, he
might not be horribly uprooted.
Then she summoned her frail
courage and went to the place her
self. She left, pale, trembling, but
contentedly wiping her red-rimmed
eyes while Conchita's gay laugh
bounded after her.
That night, steadfast love seeping
from his eyes, Harrison took Lou
gently in his arms, then kissed her
Quivering mouth almost roughly in
his fervency.
Lou, darling, let's get married
right away"
In his sturdy embrace Lou felt ex-
alted. 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.
Hes one big iceberg" Conchita
had flaunted. "Conchita have no
place for icebergs"
But you've melted hint" Lou
had insisted.