The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1898-08-26
CHAPTER I.

oak hall In the spacious hall OF the
Wilderness has just announced slow
~ TO all those whom 1t may concern
that noon is past. Again the house has
sunk into stiffness, ave for the distant
echo Of a fresh young voice singing
from very gladness Of heart at
broken intervals.
Going down a long passage covered
with frayed %cocoanut mating ana
opening the thick oak door one comes
upon what seems to be the only III
habited room in the house. Here again
Is ~space-ample space, and a lofty cell
fng-though certainly, as regards n
modern Injuries in the way CT furnl-
ture, the apartment is bare u
A faded drugget covers the center OF
the floor, eked out round the edge by
Oil-clOth which has long since tallea
TO boast more than faint Visions Oh
pattern. An old square piano with a
short yellow keyboard stands open at
one end of the room Uttered with
music; some %half-dozen chairs OF no
particular pattern, and NEST OF them
of an uncompromising nature, are MD
den under snippings Of dark blue print
and Observation-Disclosures pieces or I'M
ing; the shabby old sofa is also piled
with various articles Of feminine at
tire.
Both windows are thrown as hlgA
as the sashes will permit, so admitting
the genial sunshine and sweet Hover
scented air-before one stands a very
practical-looking sewing machine, be
fore the other is an old wicker table
strewed with Bankruptcies and paper
patterns.
Bending over the solid table which
stands in the middle Of the room Is
Shell Widen. She is at present max
ing a determined onslaught with a pair
of formidable scissors On a section or
the blue print before mentioned. she
has ceased singing for the moment; her
brows are slightly puckered, whilst
her keen grey-green eyes follow anX-
iously the line to be taken by her
ehears. There is a decision and energy
in every curve of her girlish rounded
figure as she leans over the work; the
right sleeve of her dark dress is pushed
GID nearly t 0 the elbow to allow of free
play, so disclosing a plump,
arm of almost snowy whiteness.
Shells fine pure white skin is her
one personal attraction; but, as her sis
ter Ruby often remarks, she pays for
it dearly, for Shells complexion is &C
Companied by a wealth Of wavy SHIN
mering red hair, family marked eye
brows, and a pair of eyes which are
positively pale green in certain strong
lights, though they deepen almost to
purple under strong emotion or in the
dreamy cleaning OF a summer evening.
She is a little below the middle height.
possessing a round, childish face, with
eyes that speak so often when her
tongue is wisely silent that her sister
Ruby many a time takes umbrage at
her expressive looks.
She has just finished her critical
piece of work, and is again breaking
into unconscious song, when the door
opens quickly. admitting a tall, grace
full woman of some thirty summers,
whose light spring costume sets off her
dark classical beauty to advantage.
Ruby, for she it is, differs from her
sister as much in temperament and
disposition as in form and expression.
No stranger at first sight would have
taken these two young women to be re-
lated, yet such of their acquaintance
who were addicted to the pursuit CT
psychological inquiry were fond of
pointing out that behind the widely
different manifestations OF the person.
atty of each there was the same orig
inal force and insistence.
'Did you get it?" questions Shell,
pausing at her work, and looking a lit
tie blankly at her sisters empty
hands.
Get it! Get WHAT" asks Ruby.
clearing a space upon the sofa, and
sinking down upon it %languidly.
Why, the tape, of course! 1 haven't
an inch left; and how can I get on with
the killings without tape?" cries Shell,
with a pathetic ring in her voice.
Dear me, your mind never seems
able to soar above dress-making!" says
Ruby, slightly struggling her shoulders.
I'VE got the tape all right-fortunately
Violet remembered it."
HAS vi got it. then?" asks Shell,
in no way affected by her sisters low
opinion of her intellect.
Got it," sneers Ruby. "You surely
don't imagine. child, that we are 60
ing to burdens ourselves with parcels
on such a broiling day as this?"
81 surely did not imagine that even
YOU would make any poor errand-boy
tramp a whole mile to bring a few
pieces of tape that would have fitted
into your pocket il you were ashamed
of carrying them openly" responds
Shell with spirit.
Then there is a period of silence, dur
ing which Shell looks quite stern and
ever naughty. while Ruby does not ap-
pear to be altogether as self-satished
as she would wish to be-possibly be-
cause it irritates her to see Shell more
at ease than herself. Shell meanwhile
Sau-c steadily on and 40 conversation