The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-02-14
Il Il y X X X
In the Fowler's !:
T Snare>g
BY n. b. MAXWELL

men, such as your humble servant, for
slaves. I don't suppose Andsell, poor
old chap, knows pretty face from
plain one"
I'm not SO sure about that" skep-
tically said the bride. why, I should
not be surprised If he has wife of
his own here in Montreal!"
Not he," carelessly said Gervis.
He's a woman-hater, I should i'm
agine. His bride is science, to which
he seems to have given himself up
body and soul. You should see his
diggings. GLADLY! Never saw such a
collection of weird and extraordinary
inventions in my life. He took me
there last evening, and you don't see
me going again to such creepy place.
Why, he has got his coffin, all spick
and span and ready for occupation, in
one corner, and in the hall, instead of
hatstand, he has actually got skele-
ton, braced up with iron, on the arms
of which the crazy old chap hangs his
hat. There, my dear, l ought not to
have told you that"
d4duuy udu gone quite WQlCe.
Look here, am going to take you
to the ice carnival tonight, and tomor-
row We start for old England. And
did tell you, GLADLY? Andsell has
suddenly made up his mind to go with
us. There's something-some elixir
to be got only in London from some old
wizard of an east end chemist, and
Andsell must have it to complete
some marvellous scientific invention
he means to patent. So I've asked him
down to Temple-Dene to spend Christ
mas. We owe him some little atten-
ton for all he did for us that awful
night Of the fire."
That evening, however, Gervis Tenn
pleton went to the ice carnival alone.
GLADLY, when quite ready to start out
with him, was seized with an unac-
countable chill and trembling.
you've taken cold" said Gervis
practically, that's what it is. Now,
you just stay quietly at home and cos
set yourself up, or we shall have to
remain behind tomorrow"
GLADLY, thankful enough of the rest
and quiet, lay back in low chair in
the private sitting room the Temple
tons had secured Her eyes were hid
den under their soft, white lids; but
GLADLY was not asleep. Strange visions
and stranger thoughts were whirling
through her brain; and her small
hands lay Imply in her lap, their wax
en- whiteness intensified by the violet
satin of her evening gown.
1t was not of her own simple past,
nor yet of the wonderful happiness
that had come to her so lately that
GLADLY was dreaming. Instead, dark,
fantastic shapes and visions came and
went, succeeded by grim forebodings.
Never strong girl, GLADLY, since
the night of the fire in the snow shed,
had dropped strangely. 1t was as if
the springs Of life within her were
broken. The shock might or might
not have done the mischief; but it
was there nevertheless. As she lay
back with closed eyes and whitened
cheeks there was distinct change on
the round young face.
So thought somebody who had come,
stepping softly over the thick, rich car
pet, close to the little figure reclining
in the low charlse softly that Glad
dy did not open her blue eyes,. Indeed,
the white lids closed down tightly over
them, perhaps because hand with
long, thin fingers was waving slowly to
and fro in front of them.
| Tn faw cacopdc Glodd1, 1,,o, 3, -
deep, motionless sleep, and standing
looking down upon her out of his dark,
unfathomable eyes, was Paul Andsell,
who, on hearing from the black waiter
that Mr. Templeton had gone out to
the ice carnival, stepped upstairs to
pay his respects to Mrs. Templeton.
Bending close down until his lips
neared her pink ear, Paul, in mon
otonous voice, recited sort of state
ment. He spoke in carefully measured
tones, as if anxious that not the
merest syllable should be slurred over.
The room was still and quiet, and
GLADLY slept on TRANQUILITY, while Paul
looked round him for something he
wanted.
Reaching over, he drew towards him
a Japanese screen, and fixed it partly
between the sleeping girl and little
table, on which were writing materi-
ais. Then he spread out blank sheet
of white paper, and then lifted first a
pen, then pencil from the writing
table.
mo-" he muttered, Give something
better still" And from his waistcoat
pocket he drew a stylographic pen,
which he gently placed between the
thumb and finger of the little limp
hand Of the girl.
"Gladdy," he whispered distinctly
awake, Gladdy!"
4 The girl stirred uneasily.
Write down word for word what
| you heard me say few minutes ago."
This time Pauls voice had in it a
note of command, almost of menace;
and instantly GLADLY sat up straight,
with the pen held firmly in her fingers.
Her eyes were wide open and sleep
had flown.
Edging the screen little forward,
Paul got it adjusted SO that GLADLY did
not see the sheet of blank paper, then
he gently guided her hand around the
edge of the screen and placed it upon
the paper.
"Write!" he said, harshly, and Clad
dy obeyed. But from her position
1 cI, =