The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1936-12-10
The Stranger at the Gate
By MABEL osGooD wNear
cepyrghs by Mabs osgood wieAA WNU ssev1e

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her that, for I knew her before
Vance, and wanted her, too, but,
being q sort Of bear, / was too
slow in reaching Tor the honeycomb,
and. besides, I hadn't made good.
Wish to God I hadn't been slow,
and I might have won, for I know
that she values money least Of all.
Look at her now, a woman Of only
thirty-two, more beautiful than at
twenty, and going about alone al
most as much as if she were single.
Always charming, I'll allow, and
discreet, but with a sort o. hungry.
eyed look that may mean a lot
of things. She's quite come to
the end Of making excuses for
Vance's absence, simply takes the
arm Of the man assigned to her
at a dinner with a smile, and braves
it through.
tits simply that Vance is a self
made man out of his bearings"
said Haviland, smiling indulgently
at his friends vehemence. HE can
manage but one thing at a time,
and that one is business; you see
the same thing everywhere. After
| all, what is more stupid than mere
material SUGGEST"
Emery Vance walked back to the
office with exact measured tread
and flushed face. The last half of
the mems talk having overreached
the effect of the personal attack.
Eleanor neglected and having any
cause for complaint! Did any wom-
an have greater freedom Of action,
greater privileges? Only t-o chill
| dren - he himself had set this
limit - and nothing to do.
1t seemed that the overpressure
of his own cramping areer had
blotted out the knowledge of Flea
nor's capacity for reaching upward
and outward toward the best, that
had been the first quality that had
bound him to her. What more
could she ask? Was any woman
more indifferent to mems attention?
Had he not even had to urge Flea
nor to ask his hometown friend,
viii barrow, now an artist Of rep.
ute, to sometimes be her compan'
ion at the opera, or other places
where she deemed an escort was
necessary, and he himself. as he
believed, had been unavoidably de
tanned at the last moment? His
indignation kept him warm unit
he reached the Office. having al
usual promptly convinced himself
Of the entire justice Of his owr
point Of view
Seeing the California letter still
upon his desk. Vance called Mis-.
Mack and explained the necessit,
Of q telegram to st. Stefano. Ii
a moment she returned with thu
remark, Telegraph connection i
all right, but il this letter has beef
five days coming. and your part.
was to arrive two days after tn
letter, he's almost here"
Vance leaned back in his chat
with a sigh Of annoyance at hi
own lack Of thought-passed hi
hand across his forehead YEARLY
then thrust it hastily into his pock
ct, where it closed on the blue
edged letter. That it was from hi
mother he knew: he also though
that he cou-i ,.snaisze lis cor
tents. Ter Ter. t,icIgh ~Geprccatin
gratitude / his Christmas gis
that he hea gent in advance. an
probably il aadi.lon the usual wis
full invitation 20 himself and hi
family to come to The old home fc
Christmas. He had asked that b.
check be used to equip the farm
house with electric lights. as b
, knew that the power was soon
, pass that way. At last he DIRE
the letter from its envelope an
scanned it quickly.
! To his surprise the letter was M
one of thanks, but a tense apps
that he would come home.
! 81 did not give your letter
father" it began, because, If
had, it would have told him tn
/ YOU do not plan to come this yei
Perhaps l am stiifnecke
!. but / do not carr to change 0
lamps for the new. those that