Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-08

IN this very hotel"
MontyS face fell.
Couldn't you" he began, and 20
no farther
Sure. could" exclaimed Struth-
eFS. i II say ] got caught In the traf-
fic. or something. TIN be all right il
| wind up there by ten. It's only q
buffet supper, anyhow"
Swell, :" Monty rejoined. leading the
way 70 the tiny ante-room OF his din
ner-suite, where they met Mrs. Harri-
son. Monty thought she gazed at his
guest a little mcreduously. Then. two
oull RED spots appeared IN the ivory
OF her cheeks. Mrs Harrison" Monty
addressed her formally, may I pre-
sent my friend, Mr. Mayne?"
Hello. old girll'' Mr.. Mayne Clipped
IN alrily Il haven't seen you since the
[ judge pronounced US separate entities. 4"
Wha'd' you mean?" Mr. Fish in
quired.
Mr.. Mayne was my second hus-
band, Mrs. Harrison replied. austerely
I kept the name Of my first as
more agreeable souvenir
agreed. heartily. I'm not going to
/ quarrel with you about that. Sara.
( Let by-gones be by-gones' is my mot
I TO- and suppose we don't keep the din
ner waiting"
II Mrs Harrison had intended to
retire, her opportunity was lost Wholly
/ at home, Struthers had flung open
/ the door to the dining room. and was
( leading her IN. Somewhat lamely, Mon
I w announced, Ladies and gentlemen,
my old college chum Mr. Mayne."
One Of the walters had brought an
extra chair and set It on the right
Of New York's favorite actress. Monty
eSsayed more specific introduction Of
Struthers' immediate neighbOrs. Mr..
Nadinoff. Mr.. Morse. And Mrs. Morse
Minnie. this is Mr. Mayne."
Minnie Mouse?" Mr.. Mayne in
CURED incredulollsly.
Morse Monty said
We'll. you are a mouse" Struthers
insisted. and that's what I'm going
10 call you, If you don't mind"
Mrs Morse did mind, almost tear
fully, but before anything could be
done about 1t. Monty had led his guest
to Miss Bishop Miss Jane Bishop"
he remarked. You must know Miss
Bishop. Struthers."
Il ought to-" Mr. Mayne recalled, I
cordially. Didn't I wait for you near
" an hour while you and she were [
meeting me. Miss Bishop on the way
out2"
Miss Bishop said something, and
leaned forward to look at her hus-
band Instinctively Monty gathered
that he was a bit jealous, too. Perhaps
he had been told what Monty had told
Mrs Monty about the method Of
with Padding. Lawler & Fish If so,
he gave no sign. To the casual eye,
Mrs. Fish was equally immobile. Only
Mr. Fish knew that the subject would
be re-introduced later.
The proverbial pail seemed to have
settled over the dinner table On
Monty's left, Mrs. Harrison was still
trying to decide whether to go or
stay. On his right Miss Bishop was
lost in contemplation of a lifted oyster
fork. Somehow. the party had been
uckier with its original thirteen. Mr.
Mayne felt the depression and his own
responsibility. Devil among the ladies
Monty is, and always was" he con-
'ided. did he ever tell you the story !
If the red-head we picked up in Chi !
,ago9" .
II don't remember any red-head." !
Monty told the world, feebly.
Course you do" said Mr.. Mayne, r
the one we put off at Wayne juno :
ion"
You've got me mixed with somebody i
lse," Monty said
I'VE were it," Mr.. Mayne recalled. :
Wed gone out west for the football :
anne, and afterward, we met this !
hings. Then, Monty and I kissed her
fond farewell and climbed into 1
ay coach, being short of funds as !,
sual, and woke up just after mid =
light, and there was Cleopatra, +
tretched out on the seat with us !
Vhered she come from?' I asked.
Where's she going? says Monty. !,
" fVK1ffhnr 7 - II an
Eered +,
" Nix says Monty. However she got ..
MS far without anybody paying her /,
ire, as nearly as I can remember,
err limits the next Stop-which was q,
Jayne Junction. We laid her out pretty =
the train shed. What she thought e,
hen she woke up, and how she got n,
ack to Chicago, nobody knows and y
Obody cares" y.
There was a short silence. Then: 81 "
mt think that's such a nice story"
iss Bishop observed.
"Jealous?" inquired Mr.. Mayne. =,
Mrs. Fish shifted her chair, rather N
)isily. ~
aybe she's Jealous, Mr.. Mayne thot, I e
ID Immediately fixed it, Jane Bish- %
IS my weakness" he announced TO o.
and sundry. when I was a kid, .
llecting cigaret pictures, kept one =,
her, In black tights, pinned on my HI
III" ~
when you were a kid" Miss Bish- p %
began, Indignantly.
When I was a tadpole and you were
Fish" Mr.. Mayne quoted, with an 80
propriate, but upsetting gesture IN ~
e direction Of Mr. Fish. Upsetting ~ ~
ke to animate and inanimate OBJ .
It's, meaning. for the parties of the :
st part, Mrs Fish and Miss Bishop,
d, Tor the party of the second part,
?. Mayne's freshly-filled glass Of
Uterine, the contents Of which
0mptly flowed over the table cloth
onto Miss Bishop.
even as he helped most Of his guests
7-clean the lady with napkins, Monty
I'D feel the calm before the storm
the other end Of the room. That
F7m, he realized, was likely to ex-
I'd from Pier 81 all the way to Am
'Se Light.
| certain degree Of amity had been
tored by the time the roast was
we'd With the instinct for leader
p natural to big business, Mr.. Wash
.