Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-06-27
The Broken Cloud


IN[ speak to me Is unendurable! II
l were your slave you could not
be more domineeringw exclaimed Mrs
Fenton, as she put the teapot violently
on the table.
"Take care the tempest does not ex-
plode the teapot, madam her husband
retorted.
"As II l hadn't a namew she cried.
And then followed angry words on both
sides.
They paid no attention to their lit
tie daughter, Ada, who looked first at
one angry parent and then at the 9th
er, until she finally sobbed aloud. EN-
mie-Mrs. Fenton-rose to soothe the
child, but tears are catching, and theirs
mingled. Mr. Fenton meanwhile left
the room, slamming the door after him,
and went to his Office as usual.
Its fortunate that the new house
keeper Is coming to-day" thought EN-
mie. Now 1 can go and see Cousin
Maggie, and get the cobwebs brushed
away. It will do Gerald good to pass
an evening without me-"
She initiated Mrs. Maloy, when she
arrived, into the ways of her house
hold, told her to prepare her husbands s
dinner, and left a message for him to
the effect that she intended returning
by the late car.
Don't leave either house door open,
for tramps come round sometimes" she
cautioned the woman, who replied:
"Sure and amt I afeared enough O.
tramps to lock the doors"
When Gerald came home toward
evening he rang the bell as usual, not
being in the habit of carrying a latch
key, for Emmie liked to admit him her
self.
"Good-evening, Mrs. Maloy," he said,
as he heard the latch click.
The nov housekeeper opened the door
a little way, placing her strong foot
firmly behind it.
"Who are your" she asked, giving
giving him suspicious look. "And
what may you be wanting?'
ITO come in, of course" was the nat
ural answer.
''Sure and We don't!'' was her reply.
'Is Mrs. Fenton at homer" Gerald
asked loudly.
1.-The mistress is out" she answered,
"and the business is none of yours"
Don't you know Pm Mr.. Fenton?"
he began.
But she interrupted him with:
"a mighty foine story to get an old
woman to believe"
Gerald fairly gasped, while he Won
dered how much of his wine Mrs. Ma
10y had imbibed What a mistake he
had made in this woman! Yet he had
done the best he could. After Emmie's
correspondence with her, he had seen
her in his office, for was it not part of
his business as a lawyer to judge peo-
pie by their faces?
mo nonsensew he commanded. LET
me in at oncei"
81 just won't, and so there!" she de-
clared, as she slammed the door in his
face with great bang.
He went round to the kitchen door,
and found that fast bolted. Should he
fetch a policeman and force an en-
trance? The woman might have done
Emmie some mischief. Turning to go
down street, he met friend.
al saw your wife and little girl start
of to Deepdene this morning, intend
ing to come back on the 10 o'clock car"
he said.
Resting on this information, Gerald
spent the evening at his club, returning
ut IL. All was as still as the dead His
wife evidently remained for the night
at her cousins and the old woman was
doubtless In a drunken stupor His only
resource was to so to hotel.
After a wakeful night, the first per-
SON Mr.. Fenton met in the street was
o client of his, who urged his going on
important business to Chicago, and
Eenton consented to start at once His
house preserved the silence of the pre-
yious evening; so. tearing a leaf from
his pocketbook. he scribbled upon it:
"Off to Chicago; you will understand.
Expect me when you see me.
GERALD FENTON."
Slipping the paper under the door. he
thought, This trip will give Emmie
time to return to her former self" Then
he FASTENED away. having barely time
w CdlC6 TIC SApLSSSs
when did Mr.. Fenton come back?"
was his wife's first inquiry of the
housekeeper on her return.
"Sure and Misther Fenton's not
shown himself inside the doorway since
you went awayr'
With falling countenance Mrs. Fen
ton went on:
"Has no one been here then?"
mo one at all to come in." the wom-
an assured her. "One of them sus-
picioning gents came to the door last
evening. as though it was the right that
he had. but gave him me mind on the
subject, and he took himself Off Never
q spoon or fork would ha' been left
the day had he got in,''
AS she moved away from the door
Mrs. Fenton caught sight of the folded |
piece of paper. which she hastily read. |
what was the tramp like. Mrs. Ma
loy?" she asked :
"'Dade and he was like any other |