Show twixt john and a genius by helen hicks copyright by dally daily story pub co clarice clarico lethbridge felt herself to be the most unhappy and forlorn of women my dear she told her best beat friend plaintively 1 I am a neglected wife lean leah athelstane Athel stano laughed derisively you are a pampered and much spoiled little beauty she he retorted clarice made mournful eyes she looked very interesting under sorrow john cares for nothing but his stupid old office and ridiculous deals in stocks and bonds which same ridiculous deals pay for all your absurd extravagances her friend replied 4 but a woman would not need to be extravagant if she were properly understood der stood I 1 buy things just to pass away the time now it if john only had a soul I 1 should not want to spend my days in accumulating expensive trifles leah sighed resignedly which means I 1 suppose that you have met some man with a soul beware of him clare souls are horribly dangerous things 1 I cannot beware of him he Is too beautiful mrs lethbridge looked ecstatic fancy earing caring for a beautiful man scoffed the sensible one 1 I know it agreed clarice 1 I always thought I 1 preferred the athletic type but Sven is so overwhelming ills his hair and those fierce wild eyes make one forget his shoulders and lack of height leah sat up peremptorily dont you pretend to tell me she retorted that you have succumbed to the evil influence of that ill bred little piano player but I 1 am telling you just that leah darling now dont be a horrid cat he is rather crazy about me too ile he said my throat was like the first flush of dawn how could a woman help loving a man capable of such delicious compliments imagine john ever saying anything nice like that 1 I cannot imagine johns ever being such a fool sniffed miss athelstane he would throw me a check across the table and say I 1 was looking nice enough to deserve a new frock that Is johns vulgar habit do you ever toss back the check inquired leah of course not he take it and besides I 1 make it a rule never to fuss over money matters poor johni john but what do you want me to do about this idiotic affair you must go with me to his apartment clarice now dont shout like that and stare as it if I 1 was suggesting something shocking I 1 am extremely interested in a man of great genius and nothing Is more natural than that I 1 should desire to see him among his own familiar belongings in his home john would not mind a bit I 1 feel sure he always gives me my own way then ho he can go with you to call on Sven clarice assumed an expression of patient tolerance you know very well that john would kill every speck of romance in the situation sentiment cannot lift its head bead in johns atmosphere it is too bad about renti sentiment ment 1 I myself do not think much of such a delicate plant but you will go with me coaxingly certainly not clarice pouted i and you should be very much aBlia ashamed med of yourself for oven even thinking of such a thing filing miss aliss athelstane was gathering her forces for the well deserved lecture which circumstances seemed to demaud demand but catching sight of a thoughtful look in the eyes of clarice claric e she paused doubtfully 1 I think it will be all right to take amelie of course she will talk to the other servants but who cares for kitchen gossip beah sank bank back vanquished you are the most impossible crea ture on earth she bhe scolded but why an aching heart like a drooping flower will yearn for its sun bosh when do you wish to make this pious pilgrimage tomorrow to morrow afternoon it you have nothing else to do 1 I have a thousand things more important ahr playing chaperon to a mail mad homr and a fool but I 1 suppose it Is my plain duty to save you from yourself you darling clarice smothered her friend with effusive caresses it will be just too romantic for anything and perfectly proper also with you yo along indiscretion could not live within a thousand miles of you and az clarice seized leaha wrist with dramatic gesture it if there la is anything I 1 do love it Is to be thrilled and on my good behavior all at the same time you silly little madcap murmured leah helplessly of course I 1 am but I 1 am also very pretty and quite irresistible clarice ended with such a funny little toss of her head that leah was forced to laugh and began to enter into the spirit of their adventure the next day at the conventional hour for drinking tea two very well groomed smartly gowned young women descended from a most correct brougham before tho entrance of a fashionable apartment store once inside the shop the smaller and mora more frivolous looking of the coupie couple 1 seized her companions arm and hurried her through to a rear entrance which led upon a shabby side street tho the girls turned down town passing several tenements which leah regarded with evident disgust at the corner of the block a dingy graystone flathouse raised its five stories into the air with tho the seeming effect of being better than its neighbors not a remarkably place commented leah oh Sven would never live in one of our now ornate gilt and marble atrocities ile he told ino file so BO bat said d mrs lethbridge lifting her dainty preparatory to ascending fisc the tha stairs leah silently thought that sh sah would just as soon live in a gilt unit ami marble atrocity as aa in one made up of oilcloth and wood stained to resemble golden oak but she saved her breath for the climb before them five long steep steel flights of steps at the top clarice paused with uplifted hand ilia hla voice sho whispered ecstatically but in another moment her expression changed to one ot of bewilderment ills his voice was raised in snarling accents plainly indicative of ill tem per two loaves of breadel lie ho shrieked and then repeated this statement in a still louder tono tone what could any reasonable woman do with two big loaves on one little day one was a state stale loaf fattier father and I 1 got it to stuff your goose you remember you had to have goose at the word father clarice seized leafs wrist with a dramatic gesture of course I 1 had to have goose how could I 1 play and enchant all the sillies if I 1 have not just such viands as my delicate appetite craves but because I 1 am dainty in my tastes difficult at table Is no reason why you should squander my few poor head earned dollars on bread and salt and such things as I 1 care not for and the girls could hear him stamping up and down the room within by this time laahs astonishment lad had given way to mirth you have hardly chosen an opportune moment to drop in upon your hero for a cup of tea she whispered to clarice ile he Is not in a mood for dispensing hospitality sahl returned mrs lethbridge creeping nearer to the partially open door leah followed tile the next instant clarice turned and fled precipitately down the long steep stairs and out upon the dingy street as though possessed by something terrifying did you see ills his daughter she gasped when leah with less haste rejoined her miss athelstane Athol stane could not speak tor for laughing I 1 she was 40 if she was a day cried the indignant clarice he must be several years older than your stupid old tin hn said her friend how flow dare you speak of john like that he Is a dear and a generous darling and I 1 am going home now to fall in love with him all over again I 1 will tell you what it Is leah there Is nothing like becoming familiar with other men to make a woman appreciate her own husband so I 1 shall keep right on flirting as hard as I 1 can |