married to a man even as inefficient and unattractive but
steadfast as Fred Gabel, than to occupy the anomalous
position in which she now found herself in her relations with
Clyde? For here was Gabel now talking briskly of the
improvements that had come to himself and Agnes during
the year in which they had been married. In that time he
had been able to resign his position as teacher in Homer
and take over on shares the management of a small book
and stationery store whose principal contributory features
were a toy department and soda fountain. They had been
doing a good business. Agnes, if all went well, would be
able to buy a mission parlor suite by next summer. Fred
had already bought her a phonograph for Christmas. In
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proof of their well-being, they had brought satisfactory
remembrances for all of the Aldens.
But Gabel had with him a copy of the Lycurgus Star, and at
breakfast, which because of the visitors this morning was
unusually late, was reading the news of that city, for in
Lycurgus was located the wholesale house from which he
secured a portion of his stock.
“Well, I see things are going full blast in your town, Bob,” he
observed. “The Star here says the Griffiths Company have
got an order for 120,000 collars from the Buffalo trade
alone. They must be just coining money over there.”
“There’s always plenty to do in my department, I know that,”
replied Roberta, briskly. “We never seem to have any the
less to do whether business is good or bad. I guess it must
be good all the time.”
“Pretty soft for those people. They don’t have to worry
about anything. Some one was telling me they’re going to
build a new factory in Ilion to manufacture shuts alone.
Heard anything about that down there?”
“Why, no, I haven’t. Maybe it’s some other company.”
“By the way, what’s the name of that young man you said
was the head of your department? Wasn’t he a Griffiths,
too?” he asked briskly, turning to the editorial page, which
also carried news of local Lycurgus society.
“Yes, his name is Griffiths—Clyde Griffiths. Why?”
“I think I saw his name in here a minute ago. I just wanted
to see if it ain’t the same fellow. Sure, here you are. Ain’t
this the one?” He passed the paper to Roberta with his
finger on an item which read:
Miss Vanda Steele, of Gloversville, was hostess at
an informal dance held at her home in that city Friday
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night, at which were present several prominent
members of Lycurgus society, among them the Misses
Sondra Finchley, Bertine Cranston, Jill and Gertrude
Trumbull and Perley Haynes, and Messrs. Clyde
Griffiths, Frank Harriet, Tracy Trumbull, Grant Cranston
and Scott Nicholson. The party, as is usual whenever
the younger group assembles, did not break up until
late, the Lycurgus members motoring back just before
dawn. It is already rumored that most of this group will
gather at the Ellerslies’, in Schenectady, New Year’s
Eve for another event of this same gay nature.
“He seems to be quite a fellow over there,” Gabel
remarked, even as Roberta was reading.
The first thing that occurred to Roberta on reading this item
was that it appeared to have little, if anything, to do with the
group which Clyde had said was present. In the first place
there was no mention of Myra or Bella Griffiths. On the
other hand, all those names with which, because of recent
frequent references on the part of Clyde, she was becoming
most familiar were recorded as present. Sondra Finchley,
Bertine Cranston, the Trumbull girls, Perley Haynes. He had
said it had not been very interesting, and here it was
spoken of as gay and he himself was listed for another
engagement of the same character New Year’s Eve, when,
as a matter of fact, she had been counting on being with
him. He had not even mentioned this New Year’s
engagement. And perhaps he would now make some last
minute excuse for that, as he had for the previous Friday
evening. Oh, dear! What did all this mean, anyhow!
Immediately what little romantic glamour this Christmas
homecoming had held for her was dissipated. She began to
wonder whether Clyde really cared for her as he had
pretended. The dark state to which her incurable passion
for him had brought her now pained her terribly. For without
him and marriage and a home and children, and a
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517
reasonable place in such a local world as she was
accustomed to, what was there for a girl like her in the
world? And apart from his own continuing affection for her—
if it was really continuing, what assurance had she, in the
face of such incidents as these, that he would not
eventually desert her? And if this was true, here was her
future, in so far as marriage with any one else was
concerned, compromised or made impossible, maybe, and
with no reliance to be placed on him.
She fell absolutely silent. And although Gabel inquired:
“That’s the fellow, isn’t it?” she arose without answering and
said: “Excuse me, please, a moment. I want to get
something out of my bag,” and hurried once more to her
former room upstairs. Once there she sat down on the bed,
and, resting her chin in her hands, a habit when
troublesome or necessary thoughts controlled her, gazed at
the floor.
Where was Clyde now?
What one, if any, of those girls did he take to the Steele
party? Was he very much interested in her? Until this very
day, because of Clyde’s unbroken devotion to her, she had
not even troubled to think there could be any other girl to
whom his attentions could mean anything.
But now—now!
She got up and walked to the window and looked out on
that same orchard where as a girl so many times she had
been thrilled by the beauty of life. The scene was miserably
bleak and bare. The thin, icy arms of the trees—the gray,
swaying twigs—a lone, rustling leaf somewhere. And snow.
And wretched outbuildings in need of repair. And Clyde
becoming indifferent to her. And the thought now came to
her swiftly and urgently that she must not stay here any
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518
longer than she could help—not even this day, if possible.
She must return to Lycurgus and be near Clyde, if no more
than to persuade him to his old affection for her, or if not
that, then by her presence to prevent him from devoting
himself too wholly to these others. Decidedly, to go away
like this, even for the holidays, was not good. In her
absence he might desert her completely for another girl,
and if so, then would it not be her fault? At once she
pondered as to what excuse she could make in order to
return this day. But realizing that in view of all these
preliminary preparations this would seem inexplicably
unreasonable, to her mother most of all, she decided to
endure it as she had planned until Christmas afternoon,
then to return, never to leave for so long a period again.
But ad interim, all her thoughts were on how and in what
way she could make more sure, if at all, of Clyde’s
continued interest and social and emotional support, as well
as marriage in the future. Supposing he had lied to her,
how could she influence him, if at all, not to do so again?
How to make him feel that lying between them was not
right? How to make herself securely first in his heart against
the dreams engendered by the possible charms of another?
How?
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Chapter 30
BUT Roberta’s return to Lycurgus and her room at the
Gilpins’ Christmas night brought no sign of Clyde nor any
word of explanation. For in connection with the Griffiths in
the meantime there had been a development relating to all
this which, could she or Clyde have known, would have
interested both not a little. For subsequent to the Steele
dance that same item read by Roberta fell under the eyes
of Gilbert. He was seated at the breakfast table the Sunday
morning after the party and was about to sip from a cup of
coffee when he encountered it. On the instant his teeth
snapped about as a man might snap his watch lid, and
instead of drinking he put his cup down and examined the
item with more care. Other than his mother there was no
one at the table or in the room with him, but knowing that
she, more than any of the others, shared his views in
regard to Clyde, he now passed the paper over to her.
“Look at who’s breaking into society now, will you?” he
admonished sharply and sarcastically, his eyes radiating