Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1899-04-06

half uneasily as Peccival Haven bent
over her for a few minutes easy
banter as the evening wore on.
A round of gayeties followed this,
interpreted with dinner parties
both large and stately, and small and
social-the evenings at the theater
and opera, and it was on very rare oc-
casions that Percival Haven was not
one of the company. Indeed, he was
so constantly in attendance that he
came to be looked upon as Mrs. Pen
dexters and her young friends chosen
cavalier, admitted within the charmed
circle upon a most intimate and
friendly footing.
Outsiders could not tell to which of
the two he was most devoted. His
Difference to each was marked with
that exquisite courtesy which was one
of his characteristics.
Mrs. Pendexter apparently accepted
his homage as matter of course.
Florence received his attentions with
naturalness which was charming.
But neither Della Pendexter nor Flor
ence Fielding ever voluntarily named
Percival Haven to the other.
1t had been Mrs. Pendexters inten-
ton to leave the city at the beginning
of the Lenton season and to visit Old
Point and various of the other fash
| ionable southern resorts where sne
had not been for some years. But at
the last moment, for some unspoken
reason, she decided to spend the
time quietly at home. Few at Old
Point, when she failed to arrive,
fancied she had gone to Asheville,
while those at Asheville thought her
probably in Florida.
But Percival Haven was one of the
few who knew just where and when to
find her. The where was in her own
beautiful home, and the when, late
every afternoon or in the evening.
1t was 8 o'clock of a chilly March
night. The lamps shed their soft
radiance through Mrs. Pendexter's
beautiful drawingroom. A log fire
blazed upon the hearth.
Mrs. Pendexter was at the piano
abstractedly playing snatches of ia
vorite melodies. Florence, who had
been dreaming by the fire, had arisen
at last and was slowly pacing to and
fro.
1t was long past his usual hour and
both were silently wondering why
Percival Haven had not come.
Suddenly Mrs. Pendexter broke off,
and said, over her shoulder with a lit
tie laugh, Florence, child, what is the
, matter? You make me nervous with
, your uneasy wanderings up and down
the room"
Florence halted suddenly and smiled.
She always accepted the criticisms of
A., her friend and hostess with upper
turbed good humor But she was in
: no mood for speech. Bending silent
, ly above the table wherein stood the
crystal ball. her eyes rested thought
, fully, ponderingly upon it.
! She saw nothing at first, but the
luminous curve of polished crystal.
> Then she discerned her own face in
: 1t, gazing curiously up at her, and she
, continued to look as if fascinated by
, her miniature self. Suddenly a milky
film seemed to gather at the center of
the ball. Florence passed her hands
across her eyes, the film remained.
Slowly it parted. then in. cloudlike
waves, and she SAVIOR fancied she
saw--a quickly-moving throng of
men, among them she saw Percival Ha-
ven's upturned face, saw his swift
backward movement with arms out
thrown,-a headlights fiery glare, an
engine crashing onward, crushing and
grinding beneath it two struggling
forms.
She started back with a sudden
, shrill scream of horror. Mrs. Pen
dexter's music ended discordantly as
she spring up, startled, and saw Flor
ence standing in the center of the
room, her hands clasped across her
eyes.
Florence, what is the matter?"
r "Oh. it is terrible" gasped the girl.
= "Percival -scmething has happened
to him!"
) Mrs. Pendexter's beautiful face grew
suddenly hard and cold.
"Percival! Something has happened
, how do you know? What do you
mean?"
, "Oh. | saw it. 1t was horrible
/, horrible, --there-there in the crystal
ball"
rhe doorbell rang sharply at the
moment.
Nonsense" said Mrs. PendexteT
, coldly. Here is Percival Haven him
self"
: But she. too lost her color suddenly
a as a dispatch was brought in to her,
: and she tore the envelope open with
trembling hands. She read
Unexpectedly detained. viii call at
q 4 tomorrow Percival Haven.
J. Without a word she handed the yell
r low slip to Florence and smiled with
n cold triumph as the girl looked up
/ at her, pale and trembling still.
IT What did it mean. then?" gasped
: Florence. What l saw"
J. Il seem to remember" said Mrs.
It PendeXter With pointed sarcasm
that You saw, or fancied you saw
-. epmpthinp Sfrangp in tho cvN.sto1 lolI