the dwelling place of ligh-第17章

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though　he　weren't　talking　at　all。

She　had　once　inquired　if　the　right　side　of　his　face　was　paralyzed。

She　permitted　him　to　take　her；　however；　to　Gruber's　Cafe；　to　the　movies；　and
one　or　two　select　dance　halls；　and　to　Slattery's　Riverside　Park；　where　one
evening　she　had　encountered　the　rejected　Mr。　Wiley。

〃Say；　he　was　sore！〃　she　told　Janet　the　next　morning；　relating　the　incident　with
relish；　〃for　two　cents　he　would　have　knocked　Charlie　over　the　ropes。　　I　guess
he　could　do　it；　too；　all　right。〃

Janet　found　it　curious　that　Lise　should　display　such　vindictiveness　toward　Mr。
Wiley；　who　was　more　sinned　against　than　sinning。　　She　was　moved　to　inquire
after　his　welfare。

〃He's　got　one　of　them　red　motorcycles；〃　said　Lise。　　〃He　was　gay　with　it　too
when　we　was　waiting　for　the　boulevard　trolley　he　opened　her　up　and　went　right
between　Charlie　and　me。　　I　had　to　laugh。　　He's　got　a　job　over　in　Haverhill　you
can't　hold　that　guy　under　water　long。〃

Apparently　Lise　had　no　regrets。　　But　her　premonitions　concerning　Mr。　Frear
proved　to　be　justified。　　He　did　not　〃make　good。〃　　One　morning　the　little　office
on　Faber　Street　where　the　sprinklers　were　displayed　was　closed；　Hampton　knew
him　no　more；　and　the　police　alone　were　sincerely　regretful。　　It　seemed　that　of
late　he　had　been　keeping　all　the　money　for　the　sprinklers；　and　spending　a　good
deal　of　it　on　Lise。　　At　the　time　she　accepted　the　affair　with　stoical
pessimism；　as　one　who　has　learned　what　to　expect　of　the　world；　though　her　moral
sense　was　not　profoundly　disturbed　by　the　reflection　that　she　had　indulged　in
the　delights　of　Slattery's　and　Gruber's　and　a　Sunday　at　〃the　Beach〃　at　the
expense　of　the　Cascade　Sprinkler　Company　of　Boston。　　Mr。　Frear　inconsiderately
neglected　to　prepare　her　for　his　departure；　the　news　of　which　was　conveyed　to
her　in　a　singular　manner；　and　by　none　other　than　Mr。　Johnny　Tiernan　of　the　tin
shop；their　conversation　throwing　some　light；　not　only　on　Lise's
sophistication；　but　on　the　admirable　and　intricate　operation　of　Hampton's　city
government。　　About　five　o'clock　Lise　was　coming　home　along　Fillmore　Street
after　an　uneventful；　tedious　and　manless　holiday　spent　in　the　company　of　Miss
Schuler　and　other　friends　when　she　perceived　Mr。　Tiernan　seated　on　his　steps；
grinning　and　waving　a　tattered　palm…leaf　fan。

〃The　mercury　is　sure　on　the　jump；〃　he　observed。　　〃You'd　think　it　was　July。〃

And　Lise　agreed。

〃I　suppose　you'll　be　going　to　Tim　Slattery's　place　tonight；〃　he　went　on。　　〃It's
the　coolest　spot　this　side　of　the　Atlantic　Ocean。〃

There　was；　apparently；　nothing　cryptic　in　this　remark；　yet　it　is　worth　noting
that　Lise　instantly　became　suspicious。

〃Why　would　I　be　going　out　there？〃　she　inquired　innocently；　darting　at　him　a
dark；　coquettish　glance。

Mr。　Tiernan　regarded　her　guilelessly；　but　there　was　admiration　in　his　soul；　not
because　of　her　unquestioned　feminine　attractions；he　being　somewhat　amazingly
proof　against　such　things；but　because　it　was　conveyed　to　him　in　some
unaccountable　way　that　her　suspicions　were　aroused。　　The　brain　beneath　that
corkscrew　hair　was　worthy　of　a　Richelieu。　　Mr。　Tiernan's　estimate　of　Miss　Lise
Bumpus；　if　he　could　have　been　induced　to　reveal　it；　would　have　been　worth
listening　to。

〃And　why　wouldn't　you？〃　he　replied　heartily。　　〃Don't　I　see　all　the　pretty　young
ladies　out　there；　including　yourself；　and　you　dancing　with　the　Cascade　man。
Why　is　it　you'll　never　give　me　a　dance？〃

〃Why　is　it　you　never　ask　me？〃　demanded　Lise。

〃What　chance　have　I　got；　against　him？〃

〃He　don't　own　me；〃　said　Lise。

Mr。　Tiernan　threw　back　his　head；　and　laughed。

〃Well；　if　you're　there　to…night；　tangoin'　with　him　and　I　come　up　and　says；
‘Miss　Bumpus；　the　pleasure　is　mine；'　I'm　wondering　what　would　happen。〃

〃I'm　not　going　to　Slattery's　to…night；〃　she　declared　having　that　instant
arrived　at　this　conclusion。

〃And　where　then？　　I'll　come　along；　if　there's　a　chance　for　me。〃

〃Quit　your　kidding；〃　Lise　reproved　him。

Mr。　Tiernan　suddenly　looked　very　solemn：

〃Kidding；　is　it？　　Me　kiddin'　you？　　Give　me　a　chance；　that's　all　I'm　asking。
Where　will　you　be；　now？〃

〃Is　Frear　wanted？〃　she　demanded。

Mr。　Tiernan's　expression　changed。　　His　nose　seemed　to　become　more　pointed；　his
eyes　to　twinkle　more　merrily　than　ever。　　He　didn't　take　the　trouble；　now；　to
conceal　his　admiration。

〃Sure；　Miss　Bumpus；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　was　a　man；　we'd　have　you　on　the　force　to…
morrow。〃

〃What's　he　wanted　for？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Johnny；　〃a　little　matter　of　sprinklin'。　　He's　been　sprinklin'　his
company's　water　without　a　license。〃

She　was　silent　a　moment　before　she　exclaimed：

〃I　ought　to　have　been　wise　that　he　was　a　crook！〃

〃Well；〃　said　Johnny　consolingly；　〃there's　others　that　ought　to　have　been　wise；
too。　　The　Cascade　people　had　no　business　takin'　on　a　man　that　couldn't　use　but
half　of　his　mouth。〃

This　seemed　to　Lise　a　reflection　on　her　judgment。　　She　proceeded　to　clear
herself。

〃He　was　nothing　to　me。　　He　never　gave　me　no　rest。　　He　used　to　come　'round　and
pester　me　to　go　out　with　him〃

〃Sure！〃　interrupted　Mr。　Tiernan。　　〃Don't　I　know　how　it　is　with　the　likes　of
him！　　A　good　time's　a　good　time；　and　no　harm　in　it。　　But　the　point　is　〃　and
here　he　cocked　his　nose〃the　point　is；　where　is　he？　　Where　will　he　be
tonight？〃

All　at　once　Lise　grew　vehement；　almost　tearful。

〃I　don't　knowhonest　to　God；　I　don't。　　If　I　did　I'd　tell　you。　　Last　night　he
said　he　might　be　out　of　town。　　He　didn't　say　where　he　was　going。〃　　She　fumbled
in　her　bag；　drawing　out　an　imitation　lace　handkerchief　and　pressing　it　to　her
eyes。

〃There　now！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Tiernan；　soothingly。　　〃How　would　you　know？　　And　he
deceivin'　you　like　he　did　the　company〃

〃He　didn't　deceive　me；〃　cried　Lise。

〃Listen；〃　said　Mr。　Tiernan；　who　had　risen　and　laid　his　hand　on　her　arm。　　〃It's
not　young　ladies　like　you　that　works　and　are　self…respecting　that　any　one　would
be　troublin'；　and　you　the　daughter　of　such　a　fine　man　as　your　father。　　Run
along；　now；　I　won't　be　detaining　you；　Miss　Bumpus；　and　you'll　accept　my
apology。　　I　guess　we'll　never　see　him　in　Hampton　again。。。。〃

Some　twenty　minutes　later　he　sauntered　down　the　street；　saluting　acquaintances；
and　threading　his　way　across　the　Common　entered　a　grimy　brick　building　where　a
huge　policeman　with　an　insignia　on　his　arm　was　seated　behind　a　desk。　　Mr。
Tiernan　leaned　on　the　desk；　and　reflectively　lighted　a　Thomas…Jefferson…Five…
Cent　Cigar；　Union　Label；　the　excellencies　of　which　were　set　forth　on　large
signs　above　the　〃ten　foot〃　buildings　on　Faber　Street。

〃She　don't　know　nothing；　Mike；〃　he　remarked。　　〃I　guess　he　got　wise　this
morning。〃

The　sergeant　nodded。。。。




CHAPTER　V

To　feel　potential　within　one's　self　the　capacity　to　live　and　yet　to　have　no
means　of　realizing　this　capacity　is　doubtless　one　of　the　least　comfortable　and
agreeable　of　human　experiences。　　Such；　as　summer　came　on；　was　Janet's　case。
The　memory　of　that　visit　to　Silliston　lingered　in　her　mind；　sometimes　to　flare
up　so　vividly　as　to　make　her　existence　seem　unbearable。　　How　wonderful；　she
thought；　to　be　able　to　dwell　in　such　a　beautiful　place；　to　have　as　friends　and
companions　such　amusing　and　intelligent　people　as　the　stranger　with　whom　she
had　talked！　　Were　all　the　inhabitants　of　Silliston　like　him？　　They　must　be；
since　it　was　a　seat　of　learning。　　Lise's　cry；　〃I've　just　got　to　go　away；
anywhere；〃　found　an　echo　in　Janet's　soul。　　Why　shouldn't　she　go　away？　　She　was
capable　of　taking　care　of　herself；　she　was　a　good　stenographer；　her　salary　had
been　raised　twice　in　two　years；why　should　she　allow　consideration　for　her
family　to　stand　in　the　way　of　what　she　felt　would　be　self　realization？
Unconsciously　she　was　a　true　modern　in　that　the　virtues　known　as　duty　and　self
sacrifice　did　not　appeal　to　her；she　got　from　them　neither　benefit　nor
satisfaction；　she　understood　instinctively　that　they　were　impeding　to
growth。　　Unlike　Lise；　she　was　able　to　see　life　as　it　is；　she　did　not　expect　of
it　miracles；　economic　or　matrimonial。　　Nothing　would　happen　unless　she　made　it
happen。　　She　was　twenty…one；　earning　nine　dollars　a　week；　of　which　she　now
contributed　five　to　the　household；her　father；　with　characteristic
incompet