The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-11-14
CHAPTER XIII

MAlS1e went grumDl1ng away. NOT
for worlds would she let Joan know
she was worried terribly wor-
ried Joan. Surely Joan wouldn't
do anything wrong it couldn't
be that and she didn't drink.
There was no stale smell Of gin in
the room Maisie shuddercd.
She remembered that smell !.
Fanny 49,.
~ guess I've had my share Of
trouble" she told the coffee pot,
"Oh well l only hope every
t Thu. !. all right with Joan. / don't
you'd better phone Fanny" she
said, still in the brusque, scolding
tone she used to cover her emotion,
AN tell her overslep', and you're
going to be good and late. Fanny's
never anywhere on time herself but
| know how she is if anybody else
is late"
EYES," Joan said docilely.
She looked more natural now that
she was bathed and dressed for the
day. And certainly she had not been
crying. That was one good sign. Or
Maisie thought it was until she re-
membered that she had never cried
in the old days, when she was eat
ing her heart out for that scoundrel
Bill. -.
"You'd better call her now" Mai
sic repeated severely.
"All right"
But it was Curtis's number she
called when Maisie had gone bust
ling down the back stairs to COM
plain about the garbage can again.
THE rent pay for this place, an
the service get worse a. q tene-
ment in Tar Flat. Let me catch
that man an I'll give him . piece
Of my mind that'll-"
Maisie's voice rumbling down the
stairs, and at the telephone, Joan's
small and timid, like child's-
Curtis, this is Joan. I'm sorry If
I disturbed you :. 1 just remen,-
bered that it is the Cunningham
dinner dance tonight. Could you
tell them I'm i'll, please, Curtis?
Oh no, no-please don't ask mel
couldn't face them-I couldn't
All right, If you think it is best .
Yes, I'll manage, somehow"
So she had to 60, because people
would think it queer If she didn't.
Shed have to 60, and dance and
smile, and laugh and talk to Curtis,
IS If nothing had happened be-
cause because he hadn't made
up his mind.
"Oh, make him decide soon
make him -. make him -" It was
her little prayer, that she repeated
under her breath all the long day.
II can't golI can't can't"
But she knew she could. II can do
anything" she thought with q
strange. detached admiration of her
own calm. II even danced with Bill
without screaming and if ! can
do that :. ! can do anything"
The orchestra was playing when
they came in, Joan and Curtis to-
Rether, for the last time, surely for
the last time he wouldn't expect
her to do it again 80.
Lights, laughter, music. Hello,
Joan!" Hello Curtis!"- "Joan'
the next dance with mel" The same
words, the same people, the same
motions. One part Of her wa
alive to them, one part Of hel
smiled, and answered them, ate
squad and little green peas !. and
one part was dead not seeing
nor hearing, nor feeling ;. dead
dead 80.
"Curtis is OF his oats tonight
Eugenia said.
Mollie Davis looked and laughed
mo, that's just his regular face
Wooden, ! call him. ! never could
SO what you saw in him myself
II like that! He was never any
thing in my life-just . family
friend"
aLook 1t him incoming at thu
Hastings girl. # you ask me shs
carries that Lily Maid Of Astola1
stun too far. She looks like some
thing washed up by the tide
"MoAie!"
"Wcll, she does. Did you ever 50,
anything the way he keeps LOOKING
ct her! He hasn't taken his eyes Of
her once al evening""
Mollic was right, he hadn't.
He couldn't. When he took hel
hand to dance with her It burnel
him coldly, like ice. He was repealed
and attracted and torn q dozel
ways 1t once. He saw her whit
beauty, clear and clean and virginia.
Her pathetic childish lips. scarle
in the white Of her face. Her dec
xray.grccn eyes, the color Of trou
blcd waters, half hidden by the lon,
golden lashes, just deeper than til
sold cf her hair. Her dear, curl,
hair that glinted like = halo, . hal
Of goodness