The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-26
GERARD GIRARD'S WIFE.

viduaI Of fnperturhahls femperamenf. I
nave never iovec woman well enough TO
marry. J nave no shattered ideAaa- Taere
- magnify little superstition In NY nature.
NJ 1riefsds say am cold biooced and Gym
1eai They are wrong am merely Ana
lyle. So Tar 20 good Now fer tire rest
Of t.
fou remember The snowssorm last Sat
arnayg Gsrzrd asked me 20 spend the
afternoon and evening with him. He's
most interesting fsiiow-has . magnificent
collection OF cid booi<s and manuscripts.
l always Was taken with that sort OF
thing. ! reached the house a. p. m and
We ianca1d II 20. / had Iuncaed there .
dozen tines before. Mrs Gsrardfs place
~4s always set a: the head OF the table.
and Girsyd tod me his wife Was there.
He convessed with her In my presence.
made comments 10 her on remarks %
mine. laughed heartily a. comments she
ssa2e in return and repeated them TO me-
l never coal6 see anything. but u occurred
10 ne from the FIRST tina. II Girard VAS
merely acting he was Tho most eonsum-
mate actor 1 had ever seen on or OF the
stage. Almost uncouscsously I came 70
treat the vacant chair At the head Of the
table with deseyeatial reference TO its
supposed occupant. bu, to me il was never
anything but an empty chair. I had not
known Mrs. GirArd in the life. but Girard
insisted that some time or other I should
be able 20 see her. There Has something
uTacAnny At first la The spectacle Of man
deserrfng in every point OF conversation
20 an invisible third party. bat In time
became used 10 IL and lost my sense OF
discomfort in the spiritual presence. Al
1 osc.ock In the afternoon 0srart received
a telephone message. 1t related to some
important matter and neccssttated his go
Ing at once 10 the West hotel. / wanted
10 60 with him, but ne wouldn't hear OF It,
I'll be back In an hour ~ said. and well
have quiet evening together
To tell the truth about II. 1 didn't care
about being alone there. Ordinarily am
the reverse OF timorons, but l had Wit
messed such strange proceedings In that
very room that the idea OF remaining
there alone In the twilight was disqaiet-
Ing. believe Girard read my sensations.
for he said. You're rot afraid OF Mar
garet, are your
Margaret Was Mrs. GirArd. CT course
! was not afraid OF her. and told him 50.
A moment later ae was gone. The house
was quite empty The servants were all
out The coachmAn mas apartments over
the STABLE. The clocks licked more loud
~ every moment after Girard had left.
There IL a big clock at the head VI the
main staircase and il has = cisaxreeahay
audible hating sic~a-tAc that seems al
ways on the point of stopping. There is
smaller clock Ia the front parlor and a
still smaller one In the library. There
seemed to be a jealous rivalry between
them that afternoon
Dusk was gathering and parted the
curtains to size UP the weather A ter
rife snowsiorm had set in. ALREADY the
walks were heavily covered. IL occurred
to ne tina. Girari would never get home
In a.street car. lie would have to take
hack. As the Storm Increased In violence
l doubted whether ne would find hack.
even.
Oppressed by the loneliness Of the
place | lii cigar. pulled Girard's big
leather armchair up to the blazing log fire
and SAT there smoking. II didn't occur 10
me to light the gas until, hearing all three
OF the clocks strike Z. ! was about TO make
a light. whom the door OF the room opened
ard a woman entered. Al first ] sup
posed one Of The maids had returned. but
Immediately the Impression was corrected.
Inssinetiysly / knew that Mrs.. Girard
stood before me. She crossed the room
hesita:ingiy, apparently embarrassed in
the presence of a man she did not know.
II may seem odd TO you. but from that
instant l had no sense OF fear. A more
attractive woman 1 have never looked
upon She carried herself like a princess
after the first few steps In my direction
/ rose from the chair in which had been
iounging. bowed TO her and introduced
myself.
q. 'Oh yes she replied II know you
quite well. I should not have intrudei
upon you shc added. but Mr.. Girard has
me. with an accident. The car upon
which he was returning has been showed
In and Is standing on the track AT
Fifteenth street, The storm Is so violent
that 7 an, afraid he will not reach home
tonight unless
"'fu go after him Immediately l said
Il never occurred 10 mo that there was
anything supernatural about the trans
action
"'If yen wouid tell John 70 harness the
hays TO the light cutter I believe they
could get through easily she sai3--I arm
ashamed To ask II Of you. hat II Is. OH
such a Storm and I saw her shudder as
she walked to the window and looked out.
II made for the stable with all haste.
told the man TO hitch up. and went in for
my coat Mrs. Girsrd was nowhere 10 Be
seen. I fsd not await her return, bat
started Immediately. j found The streef
car ure-iselv in The position she had in
Dictated Gsrara WAS on II He boarded
the Guitar without comment ard we start
"a home. I didn't say anything. because /
was thinking. After a time he spoke:
".Dia Margaret send ysug' he asked.
Yes said.
John he called 10 the driver. push
along~Mrs ssirsrd wil be alarmed l
dropped out a. Tweaty-nssn street because
II was close 20 my house. and since that
haven't seen Girari Wasn't that
fright of a snows.orsn. thought