Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-08-10

quagmirc OF perplexity, realized my
dependence upon Others.
go to your goddess" she said.
I had forgotten the goddess, and
smiled.
"Ah, you have had surfeit from
her."
mo, my goddess feels as you do. A
lame dog limping over stile is sight
that never fails to fill her pretty eyes
with tears, but"
"a big, lazy mastiff blinking in the
sun makes her want to poke him up
with sharp stick. Your goddess is i
sensible woman. 1t is not sympathy
your mastiff wants, but square meal"
'That is very true" admitted. I'm
der the pressure of circumstances had
missed my dinner. My chance shaft
struck the target. Miss Nancy jumped
energetically from her chair and fed.
When she returned, tray, handsomely
garnished, testified to the accuracy of
my aim.
"Here," she said, laughing, "is your
bone, poor doggie."
attacked with vigor some cold
chicken.
"Your mother" said I, "lnows that
you are here?"
"a most violent assumption" she re-
turned, coolly. "My mother, as you
suggested, should be spared all worry.
I'm here on my own responsibility"
"Mr. Gerard will come tomorrow"
"And you think he will be angry. I
can assure you you are mistaken. Mark
is the apple of his fathers eye. He
looks upon me as vegetable of no con-
| sequence, sort of pumpkin"
Her Indifference was pathetic.
eve have not seen him." she muir
INJURED, "for more than six months. He
may stay with us for siX-hours."
Mark Gerard passed as her father.
cepted by Miss Nancy, without COM
ment, as commonplace facts, connected
so she supposed-with business
affairs. OF his standing in San Francis
coshe was entirely ignorant. The girl had
been educated in the east and abroad.
She read no newspapers. She asked no
indiscreet questions. Custom had afro
phied curiosity.
*'Of course" I said, apologetically,
cha is very busy man.
"He must be-" she returned.
| Then she leaned back and closed her
eyes. A mastitf feeding is not an
aesthetic sight; and confess that was
hungry. AS munched away, the two
faces almost within touch of my hand
challenged attention. The likeness be-
tween father and daughter grew start
ling-so startling, indeed, that gulped
down a glass of wine to quiet my brist-
ling sensibilities. No wonder Mark
Gerard had sent her abroad and to the
sast. With that face confronting him,
his apprehensions, poor devil, must
lave run riot.
"There is thunder in the air." said
Miss Nancy, raising her heavy lids.
"Thunder?" repeated, incredulous-
ly.
"And lightning. Well, it will clear the
atmosphere. The barometer has been
at set fair long enough"
Her perspicacity COMPOUNDED me.
With men Of all sorts and conditions l
was familiar; with women had come
but seldom in contact.
eyes, we are smarter than you think"
she said, divining my thoughts. by
the-bye, why do you dislike Demet-
rius?"
Your mother says he is a pagan"
$50 was Marcus Aurelius. Mr. Liv-
ingston, why can't you talk to me
frankly? Forget that L am a girl"
She spoke gravely-with emphasis,
without excitement. A man, res
fiected, might do well to pick up the
gauntlet she had thrown down. A
friendly contest of wits was just the
tonic l needed; but Mark Gerard had
my word, and my tongue was tied.
"Demetrius. Miss Nancy, is Greek,
with Greeks subtlety and cunning.
Unless 1 am very much mistaken, he
has served Mr.. Gerard, faithfully, I'll
admit, because it was to his interest to
do SO. He believes in the doctrine OF
expediency, that the end justities the
means. That is why call him pagan"
Eyes" she said, thoughtfully, you
are right. Hush!"
She moved swiftly across the room,
opened the door, glanced keenly to
right andleft, and returned to her chair.
II thought" she whispered, "that
heard noise outside. l was mis-
taken"
"Your nerves are"
| Gin excellent order, thank you. Mr..
| Livingston" her voice betrayed for
the first time cNicitcment-"look! He
is coming to-"
sprang to my feet, and together we
approached the led and bent .Equiring-
~ over the patient His eyelids twitched
convulsively, and then opened. The
man was conscious. AT the same mo-
ment my ear caught the sound OF dis
tinct creak in the passage. My eyes
sought Miss Nancy's.
I "That was what l heard just now,'
she murmured. Its nothing; all these
wooden houses creak."
! Burlington noDopolized our attention.
and no more was said. The doctor had
left Instructions, which We're followed
to the letter. Miss Nancy supported the
sick mans head, while /, with tea
| spoon. fed him slowly with prepared
bouillon. burlington swallowed the
broth with difficulty, and made no at
tempt to speak. lie was not violent,
and apparently was not in pain, We
waited patiently for his first words.
"Where am II" he stammered, when
the broth was consumed and his head
once more upon the pillow.
with friends" answered.
"Friends?" His voice was singularly
strong and harsh. II have no friends.