Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-02-16
Pomford Men Don't Do It @1A|<e R.sAe~.
Copyright 1910: By News Syndicate Co.. In
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO


night affair. The chaperons and pa
tronesses were grouped at one side
with Miss Andrews in her everlasting
pink and pearls. She looked pretty be-
wlldered because half the crowd didn't
even bother to go up to her.
the fellows didn't care much about
dancing or women. They were in and
out, nipping at TASKS.
didn't get much chance to dance
with Angela. Fellows kept cutting in,
which was quite all right, but when
I cut back she'd Just follow, not say
ing anything, until someone broke and
then she'd smile up at the newcomer
and toss her hair and go sailing off
saw her leave the floor with Kip
Ihomas who was at Bailey. I thought
I'd join them and I went through the
tables to the end of the foyer where
the stairs were. Angela was there with
Tnomas and some others. A flask was
going around. Angela shook her head
when 1t was offered to her Thomas
grinned at me. "Pomford men don't
drink, huh?"
Someone said. Goes to their heads"
and Angela laughed. That was the only
thing I minded. The rest was what
you'd told us we might expect. But
you hadn't said anything about Angela
about girls
I reached out and took the flask.
Aoohco dG FllStld, OUT was thinking
OF you, Skidder. Because you'd said
there would be times when one couldn't
reluSe, honorably. I was sure that if
you we're there you'd say. Go ahead,
Craigie. This is one of those times"
l tipped the flask and drank deep.
l got 1t down. All there was left When
I lowered the flask Angela had her
back to me. She said to Thomas, Lets
dance"
hoped you'd come. wanted to
nave you there to bring the bulwark of
your presence, your knowledge, to bear
against the way Angela was acting. l
went back to the stag line
Several minutes later I looked across
the room and saw you. You had Just
come N and you were bending, in an
almost foreign courtliness, to listen to
what Miss Andrews was saying. There
was a yellow carnation in the lapel of
your dinner jacket and your trousers
were wide-wider than any the other
fellows were wearing. You looked so
assured: Just the sight of you made
everything all right. You'd meet Angela
and in few words everything would
be well again.
I looked for her but she wasn't on
the dance floor. I went out among the
tables: to the stairs. She wasn't there
but at the top saw her bright head
the black dress, at the far end of the
corridor. went down quickly She
was with Thomas and they were kiss
ing.
Now; skidder, I didn't care. Necking
seemed dumb to me then. And what
I'd always felt for Angela had nothing
of that sort in it. She was a part Of
me. Of my life. bright, adored part
hadn't got to the point where kissing
and necking meant anything.
And not thinking, I said clearly
"Skidderis here"
Thomas looked up. There was lip
STICK on his mouth. Angela swung
around. She said, ''Oh, for Petes sakel
VIII you stop spying on me? I'm sick
around. I'm not your nurse"
She pulled Thomas arm and swept
past me as I Stood my face white
staring at her. Angela said, Now heT
run home and tell my aunt"
stood there. wanting to cry, feeling
dinner jacket. She had let me down
had let me lose dignity, face. without
cause or reason, willfully and cruelty.
wasn't angry-just bewildered and
ashamed And the gin began to work
coat from the checkroom. The gin was
singing through me, but it didn't make
me feel gay or anything.
/ skunk out of Sherrys to the side
walk under the canopy on Park avenue.
I'd never felt so ashamed. so uncertain.
so lost. In all my life
1 stood there and drew a trembling
breath think must have been sWaye
ing for my head was light, even if nv
brain wasn't. And then saw Jennie.
she was Just girl in a dark coat
the curb. looking.
The light from the windows fell on
her lace. But 1t was the way she looked
at me, not curious, but respectful-as
! possessed all that assurance, all
that certainty that 1 had Thought I
possessed and that had chow,
me of.
1t was like a warm, freshening gust
OF air. was pretty tight as 1 went
over 70 her. said. DO you want to
go IN? III take you
Her eyes were big and dark. She
said. I couldn't" But she didn't move
away. She was about Angela;s age, but
the way she looked at me was SO
different I said. "In take you for
drink II you like"
She said, All right"
:! opened the door of a cab and the
driver came running. We got in and
l told him where to go. It was Hin
kles. Of course. There wasn't any other
place I really knew
George came to meet us. He said,
Hello, Mr.. Craigie," as if we'd never
been in to say Pomford men weren't
coming any more. We sat down and
I don't know what time it was then.
But sitting opposite Jennie, her dark
eyes ON me, I began to feel better.
She didn't say anything. 1t was the
way she looked at me-up to me,
rather
The hurt that Angela had inflicted
began to fade. I finished my drink and
ordered another. told her things
about Pomford- about you I suppose
I boasted. don't remember. I was
pretty tight. But there was a feeling,
q sense that could trust Jennie That
she wouldn't let me down.
don't remember when I got ILL.,
That's blur. only know that Jennie
helped me. can remember hearing
Georges voice, and Jennie say, Hell
be all right. Just leave him alone"