The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-01
The
Beginners
Il Nouel by
Henry KitcheH
Webster
CoovYish. nv tha Bobbs. Merrill Company
CHAPTER VII-Continued
copyrisht By the BObbs- Merrill Company
Cw. N. U. Ssrviee)
Is

She stood staring at him In the
utmost bewilderment He didn't
know whether he'd spoken aloud or
not. She turned and left the room
He heard her going up the stairs.
He had an impulse to follow her;
there was still q lot that he'd left
unsaid, but he doubted If he could
say 1t. He didn't believe he could
speak at all.
He put on his hat and overcoat
and went out. 1t struck him, vague
ly, as strange to find himself doing
anything as commonplace and re-
spectacle as that. He had no OBJ
jectiye whatever; he just walked
fast. 1t was quite automatic that
he took his daily route to the rail-
way station. He had no idea Of go
ing back to town. Not even the
train. pulling in, suggested that idea
TO him.
He didn't know what he was go
ing TO town for. II must be far
along In the afternoon, too late to
find anybody he wanted to see. He
looked at his watch. 1t showed half
past one, and he thought 1t might
have stopped. 1t was running, and
when he asked the conductor, who
came through to punch his ticket,
what time II was, he found his
watch was right. His quarrel with
Julia, which seemed as II 1t had
lasted hours, had been only a mat
ter of minutes.
He didn't know what he'd said
to her. He couldn't feel sure that
IL had made sense. 1t didn't mat
ter. What he had done was plain
enough; he had escaped her trap.
She'd have no more emotional joy
'ides at the expense Of his delin-
quencies. pecuniary or other.
He'd get the money from some
where. 1t wouldn't be from mort
gaging the house, and 1t wouldn't
be borrowing it from Bert Willard,
either. He'd get 1t out Of Jake Cor
man, somehow Jake was his pre-
destined prey. He didn't know what
he'd say to Jake. 1t was no good
trying to think things out In adj
vance, anyhow. He'd find him, and
then he'd get him. That was the
program.
At the outset, he encountered
check that would have been fina'
with him In a normal mood. Jake
wasn't at his Office, and his smart,
rather knowing secretary seemed
surprised that Edward had come
there looking for him.
"He didn't make an appointment
with you, did he?" she asked. Most
men get sort of nutty on their we'd
ding day, and he certainly isn't any
exception. He was in for while
this morning"
I'D forgotten 1t was today" Ed
ward said. what time Is 1t to beT
Not till eight o'clock" she told
him. Hes probably at his hotel.
I'll try to get him for you. II you
like"
But Edward didn't adopt that sug-
gestion. IL may drop around and
see him later this afternoon" he
said.
This casual note was automatic,
however. His purpose wasn't shaken
in the least. The fact that Jake was
going to be married tonight seemed
10 be utterly trivial. He took
bus and went straight up to Cor
mans hotel on the North side.
Jake seemed surprised and rath-
er pathetically pleased to see him.
He'd been in too much of hurry
earlier in the day, he said, and had
got everything done. Now he was
left fat with nothing to do but wait
for the hour and think.
I'D be all right" he said, "if !
didn't get to thinking. That's what
gets you at a time like this. It's
solemn occasion, Patterson A right
minded man has got TO think about
things. There are lot Of things he
wishes he hadn't done. oh. well,
no use worrying about past regrets
of course. How long have you been
marriedF
Twenty years." Edward told him.
Jake seemed rather startled. my
Cd, but that's long time!" be
said. 'You must have been just a
kid"
All that Edward was vividly con-
scious of was the comfort Of the
chair he was sitting in and the
soothing flavor of his cigar. The
driving impulse that had brought
him to Jake's door seemed to have
been spent when Jake opened 1t and
invited him in. He'd almost for
gotten what he had come for. There
was no need to hurry, anyhow. he
had plenty of time.
He said, Il may have seemed
pretty young to the elderly onlook-
ers, but in seriousness and sense of
responsibility l imagine was older
than l am today. If you could con-
front me now with that young man,