The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-18

patroling the other side Of the street.
A mutual sorrow often unites the bit
terest enemies. accosted my success
full rival and offered him a cigar which
he received quite In the way of friend
ship.
II don't believe it's anything Sc
rious," he said, in an anxious tone.
'She is tired: that's all. If she could
only go out into the country and rest
for awhile"
quite agreed with his unspoken con-
| clusion, but, though we walked to-
gether till after midnight and talked
of nothing else, we did not succeed in
reaching a solution of the difficulty.
The next day set out on a pilgrim
age to the Berkshire hills.
Bertram Dyer's retreat was situated
in a peculiarly desolate region. The
nearest railroad station was ten miles
away, in the town of lockwood. There
1 alighted one evening, and secured
lodgings in a quaint little hotel kept
by three old maids. That one of them
who does the cooking should be earn
ing twenty thousand dollars a year in
New York, and wearing the Gordon
bleu." Her hot biscuits appeal to all
nature. He who begins the day with
them can hardly descend TO the level
of an ignoble act before sunset-when
he can have some more.
This fortified for a task that prom
ised many difficulties, l rode away
from the hotel in lockwood about nine
o'clock in the morning, mounted upon
bicycle which 1 had brought from
lo1 af,n a
rections regarding the road, which, in
deed, was easy enough to follow, since
there was no other. 1t was in excellent
condition, and, despite the hills,I might
have made the ten miles at good speed,
but l stopped frequently to admire the
scenery. which was always beautiful,
and sometimes had the effect of gran
deur. There were points in the road
from which 1 could command a wide
prospect, and once, at about six miles
distance, I got glimpse of Bertram's
| house. With the aid of strong field
glasses 1 could see it quite distinctly,
and it seemed a pleasant place in which
to live and write.
reached the border of my friends
estate before eleven o'clock. There
was a gate giving entrance to an ave-
nue. that wound a way towards the
house, which was invisible from that
point. A grove, bright with autumn
tints, growing beside the main road
tempted me to take the circuit of the
grounds, and entered them eventually
on the side toward Greenville, a town
in which 1 should have left the rail-
road, but for the reputation of the
lockwood inn since Greenville is near
er New York and only about a mile
further from Dyer's home.
On approaching the house I perceiv-
ed Mrs. Elizabeth Graves-mother of
Mrs Dyer-standing on the steps that
led up to the veranda. 1 had met her
in New York, and / liked her even less
than her unamiable daughter. Her
surprise at the sight of me made me
aware that my letter announcing my
intended visit had not arrived. In
deed, had given it an insufficient
start, considering the irregularity of
the mails in that region.
Mrs. Graves was not more cold in her
welcome than / had expected her to
be.
you rode over from Greenville, I
suppose" she said. Its a pity you
didn't come the other way, for if you
had you'd met Bertram. He drove over
to lockwood this forenoon"
Indeed" said I. What time did he
start?"
Between nine and ten," she an
swered.
OF course ] knew perfectly we'll that
Bertram had not been on the road to
lockwood at the time specified, but
am not ogle who would betray a man
to his mother-in-law. If 1t suited my
friends convenience to leave a lie be-
hind him at home. that was a matter
with which his own conscience might
deal. So let it be understood that I
had come from Greenville.
Mrs. Dyer came out of the house al
most Immediately. She was somewhat
more cordial than her mother had
been. The older woman would have
sent ME away hungry, but the younger
invited me to lunch, though with no
great excess Of hospitality. However,
my mission was of character to make
one patient under any provocation. No
poor relation in real life or in fiction
was ever less particular than / about
the flavor of the invitation. If there
had been any possibility of finding out
where Bertram had gone, would have
followed him, but since he had taken
pains to lie about his destination, I
thought it best 10 wait for him. His
wife seemed doubtful when he would
return, and she regretted that my time
was so short etc, etc. / had said moth
ing about being in bury; and when
the words were thus put into my mouth
] renudiated them.
MY business with him is very ur-
gent" said l. "If he does not return
In the course Of the day shall make
an effort to find him."
Mrs. Dyer looked at her mother as
who would say: This is a very dis
agreeable person." and THE mother
answered with her eyes; 'T wish he
were in Patagonia" Nevertheless
remained for luncheon, and conyersed
as amicably as possible with the two
ladies already mentioned. and also
with two sisters of Mrs. Dyer, with her
aunt, and with her grandfather on the
maternal side. The table was set for
two other persons, but they did moot
appear vile l was present.
q Eag....