Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-08-21


length. From breakfast 20 dinner and
trom dinner to supper the haron was
generally alone at homc-for Elsbcth
made the most of her holidays by run.
ning Wild In her own oompany--and
passed his time In fuming at his en-.
forccd inactivity and counting the days
till Count Kc.tlcr's departure
Gradually. however. be bcame awarc.
somewhat to his own annoyance. that
tbc feeling. with which be wM looking
forward o. the 10th were not feelings
Of unmisci pleasure Conrad might te
q la,ly killer of the first water. who~e
path was str,wn with broken hearts
much as the soashorc u stvwn with
broken shells. hut that did not prevent
his yoioc and HE laugh and something
In the irresistible sparkle Of his eye
carrying hack the haron very vividly In
memory 20 the days when his old com.
radc had bcn young. II was with q
pleasant feeling u surprise toa that
he not.i another circumstances In con.
ncction with his guest Canad evident.
iy was no lie atsd. On two different
occasions the old gentleman had caught
sight of Count Kcstlcr sallyina forth
from the house at an hour when the
housemaids should indeed have been
astir. but werc not. and be regularly
apy.ard late for tcakfast with hair
wet by dew and not infrqucn,ly with
fragment. ~ grass or rci 90 yellow
leaf clinging Ia his coat The baron To-
Kan to admit that thcrc must. after all.
L. some good In the man. An individual
who found pleasure In such simple
country enjoyments ~ . walk bsforc
breakfast could not ts entirely corrupt
ed by the wickedne~s Of town life
Miss wilkins. On her side. was much
pleased ty the discovery that . point
which for long had ben rather sore
one b-twccn herself and her pupil had
shaped itself according 20 her wishes
"Your checks aro twic, n pink ~
usual and your eyes twice as blue,"
she said appruvingly On meeting Els.
beth In the passage onc morning. laden
with autumn crucuscS THAT l. the ~.
suit ~ early hour"
"Or u holidays" aaid Elsi.th
promptly.
''Can you explain 20 me how IL comes
about that you require 20 much les
slcp during the holidays than on lesson
days, ] don't know II any lrib. by
which I could have rot you out of led
before : O'Clock. ~ long NJ books and
aliases were In sight"
Elsbeth smiled happily and almost
little guiltily. but attempted M explana.
t,on and listened with quite unusual
patience a. the wholesome remarks on
the subject of early rising with which
Mis-. wilkins considered u her duty 10
improve thu occasion.
Neither did Anna and Helene entire
ly escape. but those two young ladies
submitted quite passively 20 having
their younger sister held up 60 them ~
an example II good conduct and got
out II Bal no earlier ncat day. As long
as there was q guest In the house u
was obviously exI-dient to keep ones
self fresh for the evening hours by lying
late Ina the morning
IL was on the fifth day Of Conrad's
stay that the huron. when parting with
him for the might. remarked approving
ly:
81 see you nrc as faithful n culfivator
Of morning hours m your father used 10
h.. but fear your walk tomorrow Il
likely 90 turn into q shower bath."
Conrad looked somewhat taken aback.
and having reached the privacy of his
room he flung himself into q chair and
began To review the situation
THAT looks like being watched.
Thus ran thu cour-e of his refiectionA
''The old man IL Just bristling with sus-
picionS l. there any way. wonder. To
throw him on the scsnty'
He sat for some minutes. gnawing
his mustache and fruwning at the car
pat. but presently his brow cleared. and
he laughed aioud I'm the way man
laughs Whose fancy IL tickled by some
specially good joke
THAT will do it" he decided ~ he
ru~e to 90 to bed.
The baron's prophecy concerning the
weather proved currcct, and IL was with
q somewhat rueful face that Conrad
looked through the streaming pane next
morning. And yet. upon reflection. hs
had 60 admit that In enc way q rainy
day Atted into his plans almost better
than fair one would have done
breakfast being over. he promptly
proposal game Of billiards which was
enthusiastically accepted ty the young
ladies. and for the perils Of which the
baron saw 10 remedy but 10 take cue
himself. The forenoon hours were
fraught with severe trials for this con.
rientious father. While hobbling round
the table ~ well ~ his equity knees
wouh allow him. 10 wss little short of
aQony 10 note the soft slanoes which
Conrad Kestler Distributed pretty equal.
" between the two girls and 70 have
to listen "a the playful rsmariu-full
of vciled meaning. - 10 seemed to him
-of which Conrad's conversation Wa
chiefly composed fLtorf 80
Nor was the afternooa an improve
ment on ths forcnoou, except for oou'
pls Of hour. during which the host suc'
cseded In Turing his guest into the sanok'
ing rvom. Tho ruleI Of Hospitality
vould not allow Of his being kept there
by main forcs. and thus it came sbous
that ON sach II ths visits of inspection
b paid to the drawing room The baron