t
THE OMAHA BEE: TUESDAY. JULY 4, 1922.
Nowhere
By RUBY M. AYRES.
(Copyright, 198.)
((aU4 fraat Yfltrt.)
"Plying concern, eh? Tom
of
money behind it. I say, Vi, if you'd
care to take me again, I can get
Ronald to nuke me a jolly decent
allowance, tie ai good at prom
ised to if I ever get married and
settle down."
"Ronald!" Violet (tared at him
Ronald who?"
"flattings, of course! You didn't
know 1 was related to him, did you?
No, neither did I till a year or 10
ago: Jolly fine thmir lor me. too
I've had a few hundred out of him
already. We're sort of cousins.
Two days dragged wearily away
with no newt of Ronnie or word
from Hastings. Many times Violet
made up her mind she would write
to him, and beg afresh of him to let
l-rr have the child back, but one
knew how useless it would be. She
knew that any disinterested person
would tell her that what she honed
was unreasonable and impossible,
that the child was never hers, that
she had not the smallest ghost of a
right to him. She had not seen Su-
tore since the afternoon when she
met him in the teashop with Florrie
Jones. She did not believe that Flor-
rie Jones had seen him either, tier
thin, sharp face looked miserable and
shrewdish once more. She lost no
opportunity of saying biting, sneer
ing things. Her queenshin was at
an end. She was dethroned.
Lena Adams had gone away on a
holiday. Madame s temper was un
certain. Things were far from pleas
ing at Violette's. Violet thought often
of leaving, but she knew it meant
starvation if she did. Sometimes she
told herself she would be glad to die.
She had lost all interest in life. It
seemed aimless and gray. She felt
like a runner who runs on hopelessly
away Iroin the goal.
On the third day Sutore wrote to
her. He wrote to Mrs. Higgs'. Vio
let wondered vaguely how he had dis
covered her address. He had net
asked her for it. She suppose he had
got it through Violette's. as Ronald
Hastings had done.
It seemed' strange that these two
men should be related. She won
dered what Ronald thought of his
"sort of cousin." She wondered
what Ronald had done with his son
if he ever took him out in the big
green-painted car, if he were kind to
him, if the boy were happy. She
liked to think of Ronald Hastings'
mother as she had once or twice seen
her at Violette's sweet faced, state
ly She would be good to Ronnie,
anyway.
She haunted the big house in Park
lane in the evenings. She scanned the
curtained windows, longing for a sight
of the child' dear little face, but she
never saw him. Once she fancied a
curtain moved as if beneath the touch
of a child's hand, but though she
waited breathlessly she saw nothing
more.
Olive Hale came downstairs our
morning with a paper in her hand
She gave it to Violet, pointing to a
paragraph.
Violet read the lines listlessly,
A marriage hat been airansrd
and will shortly take place, briwern
.Mr. Koiiaw Hastings, the young mil
lionaire. who hat recently to success
fully launched the world-renowned
nriii oi loiett t on itt prosperous
career, and Mist Mabel ( lancey
naugnicr ot tne late John Uaiuey
and Mrs. Clancey. of Sloaue square
S, W."
The paper fell from Violet's tinsert
She laughed. She remembered the
kisses Hastings had given her. and
laughed again. Olive watched her
curiously.
Uo you know Mist C ancev? ' she
. ,..,.
asKrn, inicrrueaiy.
'c.. at least I tried on tome hats
for her one day. but she went awav
without buying anything. She was
very ill-tempered. I remember. '
liumph! Mie wont be a treat
success as a stepmother then, eh.'
Violet Started. She had forgotten
Ronnie.
What do vou mean?" she asked.
stir sprang to her feet.
Oh. she wont be kind to mm. I
know she won't be kind to him," she
moaned. All the grief that had
grown numbed during the past few
days seemed to spring to life again;
she paced the room like one dis
traught. Olive watched her.
Do you know, she said, sudden
ly, Old Htggs says that it wasit
Hastings who took Ronnie away at
all.
Violet hardly seemed to hear.
Olive repeated her words more
loudly.
Hikes I What does Mrs. Hires
know about him?" Violet asked, dis
tractedly. "I ought to know. I sup
pose. 1 know that lie is Ronnie's
father. Oh. Ronnie. Ronnie." She
did not cry: she only wrung her
hands as :f her griet were too deep
for tears.
She thought of Mabel Clancev
selfish, overdressed, irritable. She
would never love t)e boy. She would
vote him a nuisance; would thrust
him on one side. Her hatred against
Ronald Hastings sprang afresh into
flame. He was not fit to have such a
son.
Olive stooped and picked up the
paper.
"You look jolly ill." she said, blunt
ly. "If you don t take care, you'll be
laid up. Here's a letter you haven't
opened."
She took up the letter from Sutore
and tossed it across to Violet; she
waited a moment, then left the room
with a great click of high-hcelcd
shoes.
Violet opened the letter listlessly.
She did not want to read it; she cared
nothing for what Sutore might have
to say to her. 1
! lHr i. 144 u meet sit him-
where tin. ctumitf.' 1 want 10 talk
i la du. Tu te yuu the trouble of
answering, I'll he outside Violette's
at o .h) and wait, fctrr )ourt
! Alfred."
grate. She did not want lo tee him.
lie reminded her pamiully of a oast
chanter in her life. She hated now
tu rcmrinber that it wa the hurt that
had diitru her to London sis order
lo drown Iter love lor him. Love!
Had she tvrr loved lion? It st-cmcd
impossible now thai she hai..
She was late at business; Mad-
'iie reiiriuiaiiilcd her sharply; I lor
rie Jones made a sneering rrmark
She felt as H ihe could have turned
and ruhed trout the plate. She
hated the show and farce of the
whole thing. She could gladly
have torn the IU-guinea creation from
her head and trampled it under foot;
hut the went on obediently parad
ing, and smiling, and pirouetting m
cbdience to madame's instructions,
while a faded-looking woman with
dyed, hair at on the plush soia and
tipped coffee and made shrill criti
cisms. Jut as the vv.it released the street
door was opened by the attentive
commissionaire and an elderly lady
in rustling blaik silk came in. Vio
let knew at once who she was Ron
ald Hasting's mother.
She came acrott the showroom
slowly, leaning on her ebony stick,
madame in close attendance. Violet
stood staring at her listlessly. There
was somcthvig so sweet and mother
ly about her. She felt as if she
would have given the world to be
ab l. in fall on her knees beside her
and sob out all the wretchedness of
her heart.
She felt sick and weak; the room
seemed whirling round her. She
groped for something to hold on to,
and fell.
When she opened her eyes she
. . I. . 1 . . L
was lying on one ot me pmsn
couches. Madame bent over her
with ill-concealed impatience in her
black eyes. Hastings mother stood
beside her looking down at her with
kindly compassion.
Violet struggled to ner teei. snc
forced a shaky laugh.
Did I faint? Oh. I am so sorry.
She looked appealingly at madame.
Mrs. Hastings spoke rather curtly.
l t unk vou stioum sena ims
young lady home, madame; she is
not tit tor work.
Madame flushed; she hated correc
tion. She hit Iter reddened lips to
keep back the angry words that rose.
She told Florrie Jones to see that
Violet went home.
The two girls left the showroom
together.
K nrne. tones sat watching wnuc
Violet changed her dress; suddenly
she burst into bitter speech.
"So you ve managed to take him
away from me."
Violet did not answer, ana me
elder girl went on: "Oh, don t look
so innocent. You made Lena mis
erable, and now you've broken my
heart. He told me himselt that ne
loved vou. and that he would marry
you if he could. He says you were
engaged long ago, but you don't love
him; you haven't got it in you to
love anybody, with your big eyes and
white face. 'Do you know, she
leaned lot ward. Iter teeth tet, "I'll
kilt ou if you marry him," the said.
Violet laughed wearily.
"I don't want to uuiry him; 1
wouldn't if he aked me. I thought
I liked hint eart ago; I was only
18. and it was all a mistake. You're
quite welcome to him; I don't want
him.
She turned littletsly to the door.
Klorne Jones flung after her. She
caught her hand; she burst into wild
sobbing.
"Oh, do ou mean that; do you
really mean it? II only I could ne
cuib; her heavy ers met those of
i be man at the wheel it was Ronald
Hastings.
She fell the color receding from her
cheeks; her heart teemed almost to
stop beating. It was Hastings who
looked away first, looked away as ii
she were an utter stranger to him,
and not the woman who had once
Mrs. Iliggt suggested a cup of tea
When she brought it up she added a
drop of strong brandy to it from her
own private cupboard. Violet made
a wry face, but the spirit did hrr
good. She felt better afterward.
When she was alone again she fell
into a feverish sleep.
She was wakened later by Mrs
lain and wept against his heart not ! Higgs. It wat evening, and a cool
the woman whose lius he had to nas- ' breeze blew throush the open win-
sionately kissed. dow. Mrs. Higgs was shaking her
Violet never knew how she got
bark lo Mrs. Higgs. She Aung her
self down, dressed at the was, on
licve you. You're so much younger i the bed, and lay there with closed
and prettier man i am, nut ne am
like nie; he thought a lot of me until
he met you again. Oh, say that you
reallv mean that yu don't want
him."
Violet drew her hand away.
"It would be nothing to me if I
never saw him again," she said
coolly.
It was biasing hot out in the
street: she felt sick and faint as she
dragged her feet wearily along. She
wondered if she were going to be ill;
she did not care if it were so.
It seemed too much trouble to get
on a 'bus. She walked on and on as
if in a dream.
At the corner of a busy thorough
fare she had to stop for the traffic.
As she stood waiting a big, green
painted motor chugged up to the
eyes.
She tried to think of Ronnie, of the
cool touch of hit toft, little hands,
but alwayt the picture shifted and
changed, and instead of hit child face
and rosebud mouth she saw the grave
eyes of Ronald Hastings as they had
last looked into hers, and the close,
stern fold of his lips.
It was late afternoon when Mrs.
Higgs climbed the stairs and opened
the door. She had come to draw the
blinds against the sun; she imagined
that even boards and a strip of cheap
linoleum might fade. She screamed
when she saw Violet.
The girl tried to raise her head,
but fell back. She smiled faintly.
"I wasn't very well, and they sent
me home; but I shall soon be all
right.
gently
"There's a gentleman lo see vou.
my dear." Mrs. Higgs could be kind
v hen the chose. She was kind now.
"I can't see him." said Violet fret
fully. She guessed that it was Su
tore. "Thrn no more you shall," said
Mrs. Higgs stoutly. She departed
with determination. A moment later
she came back crestfallen. She car
ried a twitted note in her hand.
Violet took it and opened it re
sentfully. She wanted to be left
alone; everything worried and teased
her.
"See me for a moment," Sutore
had scribbled. "1 will not go away
until I have seen her."
"He won't go away," said Mrs.
Higgs angrily. "I told him you was
ill; but he was that pushing"
(C'oBllnned In Tha Baa Tomorrow.)
Bees Milk and
Ice Fund Goes
Over $500 Mark
M Half. Way" Goal Reached in
Annual Summer Drive
for Poor Babies
of City.
The Bee's Free Milk and Ice Fund
for poor babies goes over the $500
mark today. This is "half way" goal
for this newspaper's annual summer
fund, administered by the Visiting
Nure association.
A most gratifying feature of The
Bee's appeal it the spontaneity of re
spouse from those who, though far
removed from contact with the city's
Door, are just as solicitous of their
welfare as any one could wish.
Such a one is Elisabeth Roberts,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George
Roberts, wealthy grain man. From
beautiful "Grev Rocks." their Fair?
acres home, the young miss sent her(
contribution of $5, expressing the
hope it might Lenefit some needy
little child.
The fund is as follows:
rrcslMtljr rkMaMa !!!
It. . . ,
Jark, Mao aa4 Slraias laaasss ..
. J. '2
Mas , , J J"
MavaMh SUStU ,,
MUM '
IsatJa
Taiat
Raring Car Driver Killed
When Auto Rum Iuto Colt
San Luis, Obispo. Cat.. July i -Knos
Hello, a racing ear driver, was
killed and Luis Silva, his mechanic,
was injured probably fatally when,
as they were testing out their car on
a speedway here yesterday, it struck
a ntt The rail had walked across
the track a the speeding car ap-
proaenco. me animai, mrown '
the air, came down on the body of
lb aiitnninhil hreakino' Be llo'i neck
and causing Silvo concussion of the
Wain.
Skipper 54 Yean Old.
San Francisco, July i Capt. Klaao
Van Sterendorp, for 54 years a deep
tea skipper, is dead here. He was
horn in Germany, and first came to
San Francisco in ISM on the Brig
Hero, which had cruised the Sand
wich islands. He retired from the
sea 10 years ago.
m
'ksMMM
Style Without Extravagance"
WW.
1519-21 Douglas Street
Wonderful Values in This
July Clearance of
Girls' Coats and Dresses
Girlie Nook calls to the parents of Omaha girls to partake
of these rarest of values. Here are togs for the little lady
without a rival in style, and at most ridiculously low prices
100 COATS ,
Sizes 3 to 6 and 7 to 14. The cleverest of styles.
All colors. Many suitable for early fall wear.
100 SILK DRESSES
In beautiful new styles. Sizes 6 to 16 years. An
opportunity to own two dresses now at the price
of one.
500 DRESSES
Dainty summer tub frocks in all sizes to 16 years.
Voiles, organdies, crepes, tissues and ginghams.
200 SMALL DRESSES
V Viak Itffltt miSM nf 9 fA fi VAIN TrrKlflt.. Kit 1
styles in ginghams with bloomers to match. "RICE
Girls' Middies and Dresses
We offer the unrestricted choice of
our entire stock at a discount of
30
I GICLE rwft 'mERZEEKGS
"Style Without Extravagance
H
Eiieiies
i$i9-i Douglaa Street.
-the event for which all Omaha awaits!
The sale which never fails
to bring the season's most
astonishing values.
It will pay you
to be here early.
Every sale Is
final. Charge
will be made
for alterations.
Twenty-third Semi-Annual
llaWti Wednesday, July 5th
Mk Half-Price
few Dresses j Wraps
fPpHR Coats . Suits
CLEARANCE
of our entire select stocks of
Women's and Misses9 Spring and Summer
It is the one garment selling occasion that has for season After
season overshadowed all others. In point of assortments char
acter of garments and values it has no near rival.
Every garment beaYs the original price tag.
You choose without reserve and simply pay
one-half the marked price. Ton buy here with
a full knowledge that you pay but 60 cents on
the dollar.
There is positively not a single reservation
in our vast stocks. No matter how recent a
garment may have, become a part of our stock .
it can now be bought at exactly half price.
All stock has been rearranged so
as to facilitate easy selections.
Wash Dresses. $5 to $25, now. $2.50 to $17.50
Silk Dresses, $15 to $75, now $7.50 to f 37.50
3-Piece Suits, $50 to $65, now... $25 to $32.50
Sport Suits, $20 to $45, now $10 to $22.50
Sport Coats, $25 to $50, now.... $12.50 to $25.00
Wrappy Coats, $25 to $100, now .$12.50 to $50.00
Silk Capes, $20 to $40, now ...$10.00 to $20.00
The thousands of Herzberg's out-of-town patrons will find this a most ad
vantageous time to supply their every garment need.
I ! : : Fourth Floor ; 1 jjj
Fifth Floor