The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-06-28

portion to his big, powerful, handsome
head, but at times he would have given
all he knew if he could have laid BY the
club of Hercules and put on the winged
shoes of the featherpated Mercury. It
was a severe discipline to Mark to be
looking in like tramp at his true loves
windows and seeing her deal out smiles
to Rigsby and Company.
When the dances were ended the
young couples adjourned to the veranda,
the girls with light floating draperies
about head and shoulders, and there the
cackling and laughter and soft cooling,
caressing sounds went on with the trip
of merry feet and snatches Of hashed
small talk, which Mark, in his sad Gym
icism under the ash tree. pronounced
blank nonsense. Then they all repaired
to the dining room for supper. More
cackle and absurd inane laughter, and
by twelve the carriages came around
and the whole party was whirled away.
Tom, who had been very active during
the evening, in white choker and swal-
low tail, doing duty to the ladies, went
off in high glee with little Amy Nash
tucked under his arm. Rigsby fingered
the last, and Mark was half consoled to
see Kitty put up her hand and yawn
slightly just as he was taking his leave.
The sleepy maid was summoned from
the kitchen, and Mark heard Kitty say
as she stood there in The broad stream of
light from the hall door:
'sLeave the lamp burning for papa,
Mary. and put up the night latch; he is
sure to have forgotten his key" She
walked twice across the veranda, stood
looking dreamily for a moment toward
the Spofords' dark house, where all the
lights were now out, and then slowly as
cended the stairs to her own room.
Mary, meantime, had locked the parlor
windows, turned down the hall lamp
and put up the latch, and now, after
Mary's light had travelled up stairs, the
house was buried in silence.
1t occurred I'd Mark, as he stood lean
ing against the bvle of big tree in the
dense shade, that he could easily enter
the Childers' house il he pleased, and
breathe the very air of Kitty's home, the
place thai once had been SO dear and fa-
miliar to him, and was haunted with
precious memories. 1t was only the
work OF an instant. Mark seemed TO
obey an irresistible impulse. He slipped
off his shoes, tiptoed up the steps, softly
opened and shut the outer door without
a sound, and was then in the abode of
his divinity. where the very air seemed
warmed and perfumed by her presence.
He glided into the darkest corner of the
drawing room, filed with distilled odors
from the great jars of roses she had ar
ranged that morning.
The piano was open, and the keys
seemed warm with the touch Of her
white fingers. The books she had been
reading lying on a little table in her own
pet corner, and an embroidery frame
laid aside near banjo-the one he had
given her years ago-aH spoke of her
gentle influence. Mark, buried in an
armchair, fell into SO profound reverie
he took ne note of time, until suddenly
a latch key grated in the lock and
quick step entered the hall. Mark
knew that step. 1t was Tom, whistling
under his breath G little opera air. Tom
had taken the longest way to escort Miss
Amy Nash to her home, and had now
stopped under the hall lamp, smiling to
himself at the thought of one or two lit
tie jokes he had been able to get off,
which, albeit, rather ''moldy chestnuts, +"
had made Miss Amy laugh immoderate-
ly. At that moment Tom regarded him
self as q deucedly clever fellow. And,
moreover, he had felt emboldened at
parting to give Miss Any's hand a ten
der squeeze, and had distracted ring,
which he was now trying on his little
finger, turning it in the light to catch
the reflection Of the 'scatseye" Evident
ly Miss Amy was mashed" ON Tom,
and the conviction filed him with pride.
Meantime, Marx, sitting in dark COR
ner of the drawing room. with the door
opeS into the hall, was in peculiarly
ticklish situation. There was no time
even to slip behind the window curtain,
and the slightest movement might be-
tray him. Mark, in any case, would not
have made movement to hide. He had
always been able to whip Tom in their
boyish encounters, and he thought that
he could now trust to his muscle should
he be discovered. But happily Tom, in
total ignorance of the proximity of the
enemy, went to his own room, and pres
emily the whole house was sunk in slun-
Der.
An idea had come into Marks invent
i've head. He chuckled over it slightly
as the thought dawned upon him. There
would be no harm in trying the plan,
and if it failed who would ever be the
wiser? A little seven by nine apartment
opened off the broad hall OF the Childers
mansion, known in the family as 'papa'e
room" There, on a little table, when
papa" staid out late at the club, was
placed his bedroom candle ready to his
hand. AS the Spofford house was built
on the same general plan, the little room
corresponding to this was dedicated to
old Mr.. Spofford. Here stood the writ
ing desk of the master Of the house, and
some bookcases where he kept small
library. Here he transacted his local
business as town officer, and received
his male friends who dropped in to chat
at odd hours.
But the Spoford "dea" had one i'm
portant piece of furniture OF which tht
corresponding room in the Childerl
house was destitute--a money safe, will
a combination lock Mark noted tina
! the ittle table where the hedroorn ca,,