Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-12-27
There was a buzzing of the wires

had understood even his half mes
sage.
He went to the Albany station and |
waited until the last train came in,
confident that Grace and Charlie
would get off, and at times fearful that
they would not come. Charlie Wilde |
alone stepped from the train.
Well, is there anything the matter
with my father? What did j cu call
me back fOr'" he demanded 'rusque-
ly. '
"The parents are all right. There
was a mistake. Where's yosr sis
teri"
"Gone home, of course; confound
your impudence! l could knock you
down, and not half try"
"You seem belligerent, young fel-
low. Will you come to Young's with
me and have supper and a bed? We
can talk this over. Didn't Grace hate
W 20 Oh nome alOne!'
"Of course she did. But she |
thought from your disjointed message |
that there was some sort of an accident |
to father"
"Why didn't she come back them"
"Oh, confound you for a puppy"
said Charlie Wilde, marching away
without designing to notice Whites
proffered hospitality. They met in
the hotel Office when both were en-
gaging rooms a quarter of an hour
later, and glared at each other in sill
ent contempt.
Charlie went to his bed, forgetting
to order himself called, and slept |
soundly until IL o'clock next day.
John was of ON the earliest train in
pursuit of Grace, and at IL o'clock |
rang the bell at the door of the noble |
old colonial house whose steps he had
never expected to mount again. The
woman who opened the door for him
was an old retainer of the family, and
knew him we'll. She stared at him
in undisgllised astonishment when he
asked:
ais Miss Wilde at homer"
eyes, sir, she is. She came home
alone, long about o'clock at night,
riding up in the depot carriage, all by
herself" Mrs. Corson's voice had an
aggrieved tone. 1t was evident that
Miss Wilde had not offered an explain
alton Of her conduct.
"Well, may come in2 Will you
tell her I'd like to rec hers"
"Oh, yes, sir" Mrs. Corson remem-
bered her position and opened the
door. "Just sit down in the lib'ry
till I tell her. She's in the kitchen.
She would be for cooking a turkey,
seeing its Christmas, though couldn't
see no need of it, with the family all
gone"
John walked into the library with
out replying. 1t was plain that
Grace had encountered domestic oppo-
sition to her plans for dinner, and
had gone into the kitchen to cook her
own Christmas feast according to her
own ideas.
Mrs. Corson returned presently with |
her face very red.
She wanted me to say she'd like |
to be excused"
"What" groaned John White.
"That's what she said sir"
"Go and tell her have come all the |
way from Boston this morning, pur-
posely to see her."
Mrs. Corson's face wore a grim smile |
when she came back, after delivering
this message.
"She says she hoped you had a |
pleasant trip"
John laughed, but not in confidence.
"See here, Mrs. Corson," he said,
with q little nervousness, al have
come to speak to Miss Wilde, and l |
must do it."
"She says she won't see you-that's
fat" rejoined the woman with in
terest, "I'd help you if l could, sir"
Just then jingle OF a telephone
bell sounded from the hall, giving
John an idea.
Mrs. Corson went and answered
some inquiries from the man at the
market, adding further orders for din
ner. Miss Grace has been calling
him up just before you came" she said,
apologetically, coming back to the Ii
brary. "I'm sorry she won't see you.
Girls is queer"
"Well, goodbye, Mrs. Corson. Buy
yourself Christmas present from me-"
John gave her gold piece. "Let
Miss Wilde answer the telephone next
time it rings, won't your"
Mrs. Corson smiled with slow ap-
probation.
"Ill probably be too busy myself"
she said.
John left the house and walked with |
apparent detection down the broad
lane tc the front gate. Grace peeping
from behind library blind at his re-
treating figure. observed his slow steps
and broken demeanor, and muttered,
savagely, The wretch"
She went back to her raisin-s -stoning
and absently kept on stoning raisins
until she had emptied the box. There
was three or four tears drying where
they fell upon her hands, when she
suddenly discovered that she had
stoned several pounds of raisins. Just
then the telephone bell rung. She
waited for Mrs. Corson to answer it,
but that discreet woman was in a re-
mote attic chamber where she could
not possibly hear it. The bell rung
again, and Grace went and took down
the tube.