Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-01-19
CHAPTER TX.
A VISITOR.

A VISITOR.
When my mind is set free from doubt
and fully settled upon any course, am
capable Of much good nature and SEEM
ing simplicity. was therefore able to
maintain my own at the breakfast table
with some success, so that the meal
passed off without any Of the disagree
able experiences of the night before
Perhaps the fact that Loreen presided
at the coffee urn instead of Lucetta had
something to do with this. Her calm,
even looks seemed to put some restraint
upon the boisterous outbursts to which
William was only too liable, while her
less excitable nature suffered less if by
any chance he did break out and startle
the decorous silence by one of his rude
| outlaws
am slow eater, but felt forced
to hurry through that meal or be left
eating alone at the end. This did not
put me in the best of humor toward it's
close, for hated to risk an indigestion
just when my faculties needed to be un-
usually alert. I compromised by leav
ing the board hungry, but 1 did it with
such smile that I do not think Miss
Knollys ever knew that had not risen
from any table so i'll satisfied in years.
81 will leave you to my brother for a
few minutes" said she, hastily tripping
from the room. II pray that you will
not think Of going to your room till we
have had an opportunity of arranging
it. I" ........
instantly made up my mind would
go there, and that, too, before the ar
ranging process was over. But must
/ thought that he was not very
promising subject as I turned back to
him and followed his huge but ungain-
ly figure toward the front of the house
II thought you might like to see the
grounds" he growled, evidently not
enjoying the role assigned him. "They
are so attractive" he sneered. "Chil-
dren hereabout call them the jungle. "
WHO'S to blame for that?" asked,
with only a partial humoring of his i'll
nature. lyon have sturdy pair of
arms of your own, and little trimming
here and q little trimming there would
have given quite different appearance
to this underground. A gentleman usu-
ally takes pride in his place. -
Eyes, when it's all his This belongs
to my sisters as much as to me. What's
the use Of my bothering myself about
| it?''
The man was 80 selfish he did not
even seem to realize the extent of the
exhibition he made of it. Indeed he
seemed to take pride in what he prob
ably called his independence. began
| to feel the most intense aversion for
him, and only with the greatest difficult
| ty could prolong this conversation IN
moved.
Il should think" said /, THAT it
would be pleasure for you to give
that much assistance to your sisters.
They do not seem to be sparing in their
attempts to please you ....
He snapped his fingers, and was
afraid dog or two would come leaping
| around the corner of the house. But 1t
was only his way of expressing disdain.
''Oh, the girls are well enough" he
grumbled, but they will stick to the
place. Lucetta might have married a
| half dozen times and one time ]
thought she was going to, but she turn
ed straight around and sent him off,
| and that made me mad beyond every
thing. Why should she hang herself ON
to me like bur when there are other
folks willing to take ON the burden?''
It was the most palpable display of
egotism I had ever seen and one Of the
most revolving. was SO disguised by
| it that spoke up without any. too much
caution.
Perhaps she thinks she can be use
full to you," said II have known Sis
ters give up their own happiness ON no
better grounds. .
| "Useful?' he sneered Its useful
ness man like me can dispense with
Do you know what would like?"
We were standing in one of the tan
| gled pathways with our faces turned to-
ward the house. AS he spoke he looked
| up and made rude sort of gesture to-
ward the blank expanse of empty and
frequently curtainless windows.
IT would like that great house all to
myself, to make one, huge bachelors
kall of. Iwould like to feel that could
tramp from one end of it TO the other
without awakening an echo did not
choose to hear there. 1 would not find
it too big. would not find it too lone
some. I and my dogs would know how
to fill it, wouldn't we, Saracen? Oh,
| forgot; Saracen is locked up"
The way he mumbled the last SEN
tence showed displeasure, but gave
little heed to that. The gloating way
in which he said he and his dogs would
| fill 1t had given me sort of turn / be-
gan to have something more than an
aversion for the man. He inspired me
with something like terror.
| Your wishes" said I with as little
expression as possible. "seem to leave