Glacier County chief., 1939-08-11
CHAPTER n-Continued


Tonight Kay Forrest put her wrap
in the tiny room on the mezzanine
which was marked Ladies'. She left
that room, walked out on the bal
cony and gazed down upon the vivid
scene below. The music of the Jazz
Hounds rose to smite her, and lady
tourist, dancing indifferently, looked
up and saw the girl on the balcony
and said, There's beautiful girl"
As a matter of cold fact, the COM
pliment was not entirely deserved.
True, there were things about Kay
which were lovely-and which you
forgot. There were other things
which you remembered-as for in
stance the immediate impression of
vital youth, of great capacity for
enjoyment as shown by dancing
eyes and wide, generous mouth.
You could not fail to notice the
deep brown tones of her hair and
the way it was brushed back from
her high, white forehead, and the
natural wave, and the little curls
which chung to the back of her neck
and caressed the two tiny ears. You
would notice that her hazel eyes
were set wide apart and that they
had a delightful habit of crinkling
at the corners when she smiled.
She was not blase, not critical.
She asked no more of the moment
than the moment offered. She met
Kirk Reynolds on the stairway and
Kinks customarily impassive face
lighted. He said, "You look good"
He walked back downstairs with
her, through the lobby. past the
battery of approving masculine
eyes, and into the ballroom. His
arms went about her responsive
young body and they danced.
Kirk smiled down at the girl. His
was not a bright smile. It was
slight expansion of thin lips. But
his voice was gentle enough. He
asked, Having a good timer"
Wonderful"
you're easily pleased"
Il can't help it. I'm enjoying my
self"
He said, you're a queer kid"
Because ! like this so much?"
eyes. And because you had the
nerve to come with me-"
Her eyes laughed into his. You're
pretty nice, Kirk Reynolds
Maybe. But this town don't think
So"
Kirk did not exaggerate. He was
held in low esteem in Beverly. save
by certain masculine group which
made its headquarters at Red Will
liams' Bon Ton Pool Room. Care
full mothers shielded their daughters
from contact with Kirk-much to
the disgust of several such daugh-
tiers; fathers warned young sons
that Kirk was disgrace to the
town and to his worthy parents
now happily deceased. And as for
Mr.. Reynolds himself, that young
gentleman went his way unconcern-
eddy, caring not one whit for the
opinion Of his fellow-townsmen save
insofar as they afforded him a bit
of amusement.
He was of medium height and
slender. His cheeks were pallid;
his eyes arctic. He was sparing of
speech and gesture. Born in Bev-
erly, reared in Beverly-Kirk Rey-
nolds was known to every citizen of
the town and most of those who
lived in rural parts of the county.
As youngster he had shown a
superb Indifference to such educa-
ton as Beverly afforded. Other lads
had looked up to him as reckless
and daring because of the fragrant
manner with which he played hook
ey. He was the despair of his par
ents; accepting such chastisement
as they inflicted upon him without
whimper, protest or effect.
At seventeen years of age he had
disappeared, his farewell being coin
cidental with the departure of a
small, travelling street carnival
which had spent six thoroughly I'M
profitable days in the town. There
after Beverly heard little of him. It
was understood vaguely that Kirk
had remained with the carnival only
a short time, and that he then
aligned himself with a larger, more
| prosperous and less scrupulous tent
show. Some one reported meeting
him in New York and stated that
he seemed to be doing wei and had
offered hospitality to his former
townsman: liquor, feminine COM
partnership. gambling, or what have
you.
Then Beverly was shocked to
learn that Kirk had returned. In
his rooms II the hotel, enterprising
persons. tourists or citizens. might
roll dice for money. For fairly i'm
portant money. No, they explained
b shocked whispers. II wasn't just
| ? friendly game, but real gam
bling layout
| Meettngs Were heA. Protests were
u11srod b church eommittees and
Ue2lnre orGnnfen13ons. Mayor Alex
l 0e1oe1s ak9usd NJ ~ ID M kDuw
sUo164y ~ Gnlnbll1s ~ = 1900