Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-06-25
The Broken Cloud

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IN EALLY. Gerald. the way you
yM speak to mo Is unendurable! II
I were your slave you could not
oe more domineering! exclaimed Mrs.
Fenton. as she put the teapot violently
on the table.
Take care the tempest does not ex-
plode the teapot MADAME her husband
retorted.
"As II hadn't namey 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-
mle-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.
TITS fortunate that the new house
keeper is coming to-day" thought EN-
lnie. Now | can go and see Cousin
Masgie, and get the cobwebs brushed
away. 1t 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
dinner, and left message for him to
the effect that she Intended returning
by the late car.
Don't leave either house door open,
Tor tramps come round sometimes" she
cautioned the woman, who replied:
Sure and amt afeared enough o.
tramps to lock the doors?'
a When Gerald came home toward
evening be rang the bell as usual, not
being In the habit Of carrying latch
key. for Emmie liked to admit him her
self.
"Good-evening, Mrs. Maloy." he said.
~ he heard the latch click.
The new housekeeper opened the door
= little way, placing her strong foot
draaly behind 1t.
who are your" she asked. giving
giving him a suspicious look. "And
what may you be wan.ing?"
To come In. OF course" was the nat
0ral answer.
Sure and We DON'T" was her reply.
rs Mrs. Fcnton at homer" Gerald
asked loudly.
THE mistress is out" she answered,
land the business is none of yours"
Don't you know I'm Mr.. Fenton?"
( he began.
j, But she interrupted him with:
"A mighty foine story to get an old
woman to believed"
Gerald fairly gasped. while he won
dered how much Of his wine Mrs. Ma
10y had imbibed. What 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 1t not part Of
his business as lawyer to Judge peo-
pie by their faces?
Z, "No nonsense!' he commanded. "Let
me In ut once!'
II just won't. and 80 therer' she de-
clared. as she slammed the door In his
face with great bang.
z, He went round to the kitchen door,
and found that fast bolted. Should he
fetch policeman and force an en-
trance? The woman might have done
Eminie some mischief. Turning to go
down street, he met friend.
81 saw your wife and little girl start
on 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 ut his club returning
at II. All was as still us the dead. His
wife evidently remained for the night
mt her cousins and the old woman was
doubtless in a drunken stupor. His only
resource was to so to hotel.
After wakefui night, the first per-
son Mr.. Fenton met in the street was
a client of his. who urged his going on
important business to Chicago, and
Fenton consented to start at once. His
house preserved the silence of the pre-
vious evening; SO. tearing leaf from
his pocketbook, he scrubbed upon 1t:
ION 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
to catch the morning express.
when did Mr.. Fenton come back7'
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 away!'
With a falling countenance Mrs. Fen.
ton went on:
HAS no one been here then?"
mo one Mt all to come in" the WON
an assured her. zone of them sus-
picionlng gents came to the door last
evening, as though 1t was the right that
he had, but l gave him me mind on the
subject. and he took himself of. Never
spoon or fork would ha' been left
the day had he got I'M"
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
member Of the swell mob, MS we call
such In old Oireland. He had a false
>mustache to his face. and hat that
came down oyer-the eyes Of him."
How was he dressed?"
Faith and couldn't tell you. 1 nev-
er take count Of the clothes of tramps,
for know they niver came into them
the right way" said the deep reason
ing woman.
Still unsatisfied. Mrs. Fenton went to
the house Of her nearest neighbor. and
asked II she had seen her husband pass
by on, the previous evening.
"No." was the reply. "but saw him
this morning walking hurriedlv awav