A Circle in the Sand 3

A ! ircle in the Sa nd ! a te J orda n V l ! F. ! . ermi c ! rs. y ] Author ofTbc ! in o Gold Tbe Otber Hamf etc f , , . ' Poised for a n insta nt in the ma ster h a n s d , Bo dy a nd soul like to a comp a ss sta nd The bo d turnin round the centra l y g soul , He ma kes a little circle in th e sa n d . La m so n f a nd ! o m a n , Wol e p y st ! ew York and London Bo on, ! D! ! ! X ! VI II m e i ht 1 8 8 ! op yr g . 9 . By ! a te J orda n i ht 1 8 8 ! o pyr g , 9 . m so n Wolfie a nd ! om a n By La , p y A ll r ig hts r eser ved A ! ircle in the S a nd Chapter I HE office boy stood beside Da v id ’ Temple s desk , a slip of paper on which a name was written in his hand . He knew better than to inter rupt the editor when his pen was racing in that aggressive way, so he stood rumpling the bit of pink paper with grimy fingers while speculatively r e garding a fly running unmeaning races from a cloudy map of the United States to the big ink bottle occupying the f centre o a very untidy desk . The day was breathless and humid . From the earliest hours the sun ’s rays had swept the streets like destroying glances from a malevolent eye . The 2 A Circle in th e Sand - o fii c e s o f dusty, ink spattered the New ” York Citizen were stifling . Beyond the open windows could be seen sun baked roofs , spires , and chimneys swathed in a hot mist . Every man in th e editorial rooms was in his shirt sleeves . Some had discarded moist collars . All were working hard . David Temple laid down his pen and t glanced over the has ily written page , his expression determined . “ ’ ” That ll make them hum , he said, and without looking up he touched the th e bell , at same instant becoming o f aware the boy beside him . “ Here you are . Take this down , t ? Pete , jus as fast as you can . Eh ? Some one to see me All right . Tell him to wait . Come back at once . H e picked up the paper, the kind in th e ffi : use in o ce , bearing the directions “ t ” “ Name S ate business . Anne Garrick ” was written in lead pencil i upon t . The latter request was u n heeded . David laid it down , lit a cigar, and A Circle in the Sand 3 went over to the window . It was a still , maddening day ; the horses toiled between their shafts ; the springs of life moved wearily even on Park row . H e - looked at his watch . It was half past four . At six he was due at The Play ers to dine with an actor, who , by means of a haunting voice and a pair of fine eyes , enjoyed an income that th - ’ equalled e Vice President s . He had promised to go to a dance on board a b e yacht anchored in the Sound . H e gan to wish he could escape the latter and instead find his way to the ham o u - mock his roof top , where he could - smoke under the stars . At thirty six, with hair whitening, he was getting past dances . “ The young lady — commenced t Pete imidly at his elbow . ’ ! . Oh , there is a lady I d forgotten ” Show her in , and he slipped on th e alpaca coat lying across the chair . The swinging door was pushed back, and Anne Garrick came toward him . She seemed , in the first inattentive 4 A Circle in the Sand glance , tall , slenderly made , her face showing marks of care or illness , yet pretty enough to be interesting . Her ft eyes were long, very bright, yet so , and they were a deep brown like her hair . Her gown was of mourning cloth and she wore a black sailor hat . David drew a chair forward for her and, seating himself opposite , let his r e great shoulders rest easily , while he garded her, as was his fashion , through - half veiled eyes . ? ” Miss Garrick he said , glancing at “ I ? the slip . What can do for you You ’ll pardon me if I tell you at once that I have a dinner engagement at six ” and have only a few moments to spare . ’ This was said with one o f David s confidential smiles . “ ’ ’ ” I sha n t keep you long, she said , “ leaning forward, Dr . Ericsson , my ” uncle , sent me to you . ? ’ Oh , yes . How is he I ve not seen ” him for a month . ’ He s very well , thank you . So you come on business from him ? ” A Circle in the Sand 5 and David breathed freely . Do you Ga rr i ck I know , Miss , was afraid you were here as an applicant for work on the paper ? ” ” i . So I am , she sa d her eyes amused Is it quite useless ? “ You mean you really want news paper work ? ” and his tone was almost f reproach ul . “ I really do . I want it more than anything else in the world . Indeed , I ” want nothing else , she said earnestly . “ You have some illusions about it, perhaps ? ” “ ’ I don t think so , and I must work . The words were spoken lightly, but i n with an urgent note . David was t r f e e ste d . His fingers ell from the fob he had been twisting in regard for the passing moments . H e noticed the line of impatience between her straight o f brows , the intensity in the bend her mouth , the paleness of her worn yet t t . youthful face , her intent at i ude H e had met many women demand ing just such martial struggles in the 6 A Circle in the Sand a battle of existence . Here was n other . What should he say to her ? the old objections , the old warnings He was d i s i ncline d for the task more for some reason now than ever b e “ ” fore But th e Citizen did not want women among its workers . That was ’ one o f his father s prejudices which he had never set aside . He returned to the argument, but his tone was still persuasive . This f surprised himsel , yet he felt it was because Miss Garrick came from Dr . fo r th e Ericsson , and his liking old Swedish physician was a very deep n ot t one . He would admi to himself — that there was another reason the th e youth , charm , of this woman mak ing the plea he had rejected so often . The work is terribly hard , Miss ” Garrick , and really, he said , as if mak ing an admission almost against his “ ’ will , I don t regard the newspaper as ” a field for women . Don ’t you ? Why not ? ” ’ Oh , it s a blistering atmosphere , A Circle in th e Sand 7 and women were never meant to find f nourishment in hard acts . I advise you to do something else write a t . book , or teach , or any hing ” t Oh , Mr . Temple , she said wi h sud t ’ f den earnes ness , I don t eel that way i ” about t ! I want to be a journalist . David felt a desire to know her a little better to hear her views and u then dismiss them s ccessfully . He had still fifteen minutes to spare . He t began to hink she was very pretty . Have you ever been on a paper ? ” t ’ t t No , al hough I ve wri ten a grea ” deal , she said , while watching him “ t e t intently . I thought I migh g some — thing to do regu larly some position . ’ ’ kn o w I I d succeed . I wish you d try ” me . “ — I ’t ” No can , he said , almost “ ’ brusquely, and I hope you ll change your mind and try something else . ’t Besides , I haven anything I could ff o er you , nothing a woman could do — t much too difficult . You ake my ” advice and try something else . 8 A Circle in the Sand I think I kno w what you mean — and she stood up . You think this work hardly feminine He nodded . She looked disa p pointed , but unconvinced . “ And you ’re afraid of encouraging ” incompetence . Oh , no , really , I ’ t . Yes , I hink you are Well , I ll h f tell you just t e way I eel about it . I must be a journalist Why must you ? ” ’ Because I know I m fitted for it, f t and the li e a tracts me . I might have f pre erred to be a painter or a musician , but we are n o t allowed to select our ” talents . She smiled and moved a step “ If ’ ’ away . you can t employ me there s nothing more to be said about it, and ’ I m sorry for having detained you . — But somebody else will employ me . ’ t I ve only been in New York a mon h , ’ ’ and you re the first editor I ve seen . This will explain why Dr . Ericsson t sugges ed my coming to you . I ” showed it to him . A Circle in the Sand 9 She drew a letter from her pocket and handed it to Da v id .

Load more