Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-12-16


remembered that 4 street-piano across
the way had been playing y familiar
Italian sir; that a lady had been en-
Saed IN an ignominious alteration
with her rihhon-led pug dog regarding
the direction of their promenade; that
an awkward and unwieldy horSeless
carriage with its usual self-conscious
occupants had met and passed him,
ana that he had nsticed and been di-
verified by all these things~-Such is
mans obligation to perceive the least
in the presence of the greatest, Truth
To tell, however, il was not until he
doors, and had mechanically touched
stood face to face with the familiar
the nnassuming but portentious black
rubber that the full realization of his
act took possession of him. Then,
nothing but his sturdy revolutionary
blood kept him from precipitate flight;
his revolutionary blood was aided and
allotted by the fact that the door was
almost instantly opened; and he en-
tered the house like one walking up to
q e9nno2's m nth, in Il r,gEtmare.
Tho butter, too We, trained to
erince surprise at his return, ushered
kendall into the reception room and
departed with his card, Lett 10 him.
self, the young man listened iutently
to the receding footsteps SIS they
passed up the stairs aud through tho
hall above, and then, informing him.
self glimly that he was now certainly
lin for IT," he began pacing restlessly
up and down the room, stopping now
and then to examine carefully one or
another OF the well-hung paintings, all
OF which he had long known by heart,
He was conscious of singular lack
of equilibrium. both physical aud men,
tai, to which his nervousness OF the
earlier part of the afternoon was a
tritiing matter; he was annoyed to
md that he had an unusual sensation
in the region of the bronchial tubes,
and to rid himself OF IT, cleared his
throat once or twice In y careless mat
ter-of-fact way; he tried not to let
himself out of that proper attitude OF
mind, which Hope had said was so
important, and kept assuring himself
encouragingly that II he could only
begin all right he should sail through
surprisingly we'll, as he had done In
the park; to which end he repeated
several times the first sentence he
had used in his recent rehearsal. Then
he began to wonder why she did not
come down, and convinced that he
had been waiting an inordinate length
OF time, a sudden, wild CLEAN OF hope
shot across his sky--perhaps she was
not at home! He was just pulling him
SELF together at this thought, when the
heavy curtains at the door were
pushed aside and she entered.
Kendall went forward to meet her.
looking exceedingly dignihed and in
telligent, and possessed of but one per-
fectly clear and distinct idea--that he
must now begin right"
Excuse me for coming again. Miss
Arnold" he repeated with punctillous
preciseness, gazing haughtlly at the
opposite wall, but | found on getting
away that had forgotten something"
oh, did you leave something here?"
inquired the lady In u voice, which.
not altogether steady. seemed to ac-
cord with certain unusual express
sion IN her eyes Kendall, for the
first time in all their intercourse not
noticing her, owing to his sudden alb
sorbing interest In beautiful etch-
ing near him, realized that this was
the moment TO take the citadel by
storm and answered, with all the elo.
quence he could at the moment COM
mand.
"Yes--when l got away, / began to
think that Ito realize that when
was here-that two hours ago-~to feel
that after all--if you would give me
the opportunity and not be too hard
on me-in short with desperate
spurD TO determine that would
come back and tell you that -"
his eyes having left the etching had
fallen upon small table across the
room; Heaven is SAID to help those
who help themselves, and Kendall's
mettle had been proved, that left
my notebook here!" he finished, in
triumph, walking TO the table and
possessing himself Of the little leather
bound article OF such strategic impor-
lance, lying upon 1t.
OH said Miss Arnold In strange
tone, drawing quick, deep breath.
Did you come back for that? /
should have sent IL 10 you when It
was discovered; but perhaps you
needed 1t at once?"
Yes; ! needed 1t this afternoon"
replied Kendall. feeling great load
off his mind and speaking almost
easily, 1t contains some figures II
wished 10 use at the club and OF course
that reminded me OF It,"
Il am sorry you have been so in
conyenienced." she said, somewhat
laboriously 1T Is long distance TO
the club. Isn't 1t very cold for walk