Life — December 9, 1905 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

720 The Scrambler. BY K-TH-R-NE C-C-L TH-RST-N T! S first evening Collodion Cilly- crank Soap's house was full of a tingling ex- citement. Lord Beerthirst sat up and spent Lady Frances took notice the moment he saw her. He was dark and tall with a com- plexion of waxen pallor and cold, im- passive eyes, and his evening clothes were built like a Louis Quinze court costume Let us go out on the I will teach you astronomy,” he to Collodion. 1 He was very old, and he knew the cony, a ancient game of pointir ets and kissing her out the plan- time she them. At last, every he had brought a telescope, Collodion drew herself up with a shy but graceful air of hauteur. “Lord Beerthirst,” every looked up to gaze at ter he had indicated view, and was wishin star in she askec I rather fancied that when I looked up at the stars— “Indeed, no, courtesy, “I sumed.” you been kissing me he replied with grave would not have pre- Reassured by his tone and manner, she entered the Come.’ cried Val Verycold, “come, and play ‘Old Maid’ with us.” Collodion back timidly. She had a dread of all games of chance. Had she not known her father to gam- ble the children’s. feet? But impelled by her hereditary in The reckless, absorbed and fasci She cared not for gain or ard room. drew shoes off his stinets, she yielded thrilling game nated her. loss; but with her it was always loss The doom of her race was upon her. She had no card sense Cuarter IV. When Sir Walter Bore learned that he was to play bridge with Collodion, he looked at her with the shadow of rage in his clear eyes; and after she had trumped his ace, and had led their suit on 3 ntagonists’ lon make less gesture threw his cards in her face and then jerked her from the table. Feverishly she strove to tell him how unsophisticated she was, but his glance no-tru: he arose and with a strong, fear- roved over her gown and accused her. “My clothes do not mean anything she explained eagerly. “I happen in- & Just as she was about to plunge into the sea.” qs stinctively to understand dress.” “A truly good known by her bad woman is always thes,” he re- “A large, flat waist, and low, flat heels are the on signs of virtue. Where is he demanded. sternly sponded implacably unfailing t husband 2” “He's gone to dig up old be stones; he is an arch: rmured No pity showed itself in Bore’s pt cold eyes. “Don't you think.” questioned Coll dion in tense, vibrant tones, “that we should try to be happy ourselves, and to make others happy?” “Our should be found in Bore shuddered. highest, truest happiness preventing others from having a good time,” he answered Poor Collodion, with her warm, im- temperament? Walter 1 ng and platitudes would have pulsive ore's preac stronger, wiser woman to t they only sent her to the of her Florentine villa and driven a drink. I solitude her husband. Cuarter XX, In a year or so Collodion’s husband and she started out on In Paris, whither she passed y her scrambles. had naturally gone for rest and seclu- sion, she met Lady Frances Soap. “[ have put in two years amid the hones and stones,” she explained sadly. “Poor child.” commiserated Lady Frances. “You are not the only per- son Walter Bore has driven mad by his preaching. Listen, Collodion; crazy people should never be taken insanely. Amuse yourself, child. Take a glass of lemonade, and we'll have a game of dlominoes.” A passionate desire to live, to en- ny, stirred in Collodion’s veins. Slow- ly, and as ina dream, she took her first arranged her She sip of lemonade, and dominoes with unsteady fingers. had cast aside her moral scruples. Cuarres XL Collodion was wandering in an Eng- lish rese garden with Lord Beerthirst. “Why are you sad?” he asked solicit- “Is it because you so. blithely every convention of bridge when we were playing for a thousand pounds a point last night?” t altogether,” she replied impa- tiently, but you will think me such a fool. I've forged a lot of checks, and am horribly in debt.” “Let me make them good,” he whis- pered. lis glittering eves fascinated her, and she felt her will weaken, ously. ignored comicbooks.com