The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-22

sistent and oveTpowering violin; the banjo
and the coster songs were given over even
the collegians music was defeated; and the
peighborhood was forced to listen to the
dauntless fiddle: but not without protest. for
there came an indignant spoken chorus from
the quarter whence the college songs had
issued: ''Ya-a-ay! Wetherford, put 1t away!
She'll como back!, The violin played on z
':We all know each other here, you see, Mr..
Harkless," Miss Hnsdale smiled benignantly.
They didn't bother Mr. Wetherford Swift
said the widower. "Not that time" Do you
hear him?-'could ye come back to me,
| Douglas'?' ''> - i = : d." ''%EI
| 20, but it isn't absence that is killing him
| and his friends, = crted one Of the young
| women. 1T Is Brainard Macauley." T.:
THAT is a mistake" said Tom Meredith,
as easily as he could. There goes Jimts
double quartet. Listen and you will hear
! them try To- =. 49,. q.
| But the lady who had mentioned Braipard
Macauley cried indignantly: "You try to
| change the subject the moment it threatens to
| be interesting. They were together everywhere
| until the day she went away; they danced and
sat out together through the whole : Of
one country club party: they drove every.
afternoon; they took long walks, and he
was at the Sherwoods' every evening Of her
last week In town. That is a rnistake!' - ~
I'm afraid it looks rather bleak for;
Wetherford," said the widower. III went up
to the Journal office on business, one day.
and there sat Miss Sherwood in Macauley.s
inner temple, chatting with a reporter, while
Brainard finished some work.:
Helen is eccentric, said the former speak
er. but she's. not quite that eccentric, unless
they were engaged. It is we'll understood that
they will announce 1t in the; fall -..% Z
Miss Hinsdale kindly explained to Harkless
that Brainard .Macauley was the editor. of the
man. not over %, and perfectly wonder
full Already a power to be accounted with
In national politics, he was really a tremepq-
Gus success and sure to go far; ''one Of
| those delicate-looking men, who are yet so
| strong you know they won't let the lightning
| hurt you" It really looked as II Helen sher-
| wood (whon Harkless really ought to neet)
had actually been caught in the tolls at last,
those tolls wherein so many luckless youths
had lain enneshed for her sake, He must
meet Mr.. Macauley, too, the most interesting
man in Rouep., After her little portrait Of
him, didn't Mr. Harklessg agree that #
looked really pretty dull for Miss sherwoodss
other lovers? - ~. - - -
Mr.. Harkless smiled, and agreed that it did
| indeed. She; felt u thrill of compassion for
him, and her subsequent description of tho
pathos Of his smile was luminous. She said
1t was natural that a. man who, hsd been
| through SO much suffering from those hor-
rible White -Cappers". should have a smile
that struck into your heart like a knife. !. =
Despite all that Meredith could do, and after
his notorious effort to shift the subject he
could do very little, the light ,prattle ran
on about Helen Sherwood and Brainard Ma
cauley. Tom abused himself Tor his wild
notion of cheering his visitor with these
people who had no talk, apd who, II they
drifted out Of commonplace froth, had no
medium to hoat them unless they sailed the
currents Of local personality, and he mentally
upbraided them for a set Of gossiping ninnies
They conducted a: conversation III 1t could
ha foH h1yo 81 yxH,{ <$v
could possibly partake, and which. by >
hideous coincidence, was making his friend
writhe, fguratively speaking, for Harkless sat
like a hxed shadow. He uttered scarcely 3
word the whole evening, though Meredith
knew that his guests would talk about him
enthusiastically, the next day. none the less.
The journalists silence was enforced by the
T., topics; but what expression and manner the
light allowed them to see was friendly and
receptive, as though he listened to brilliant
suggestions. He had nice courtesy, and
Miss Hinsdale felt continually that she was
cleverer than usual this evening, and no one
took his silence to be churlish, though they
all innocently wondered why he did not talk
more; however, it was probable that a man
who had been SO Interestingly and terribly
shot would be rather silent for a time after
ward.
That night, when Harkless had gone to
, bed, Meredith sat late BY his own window
calling himself names. He became aware OF
a rhomboidal patch OF yellow light on q
wall of foliage without, and saw that it came
from his friends window. After dubious con
sideratton, he knocked softly on the door.
Come. .>. :. -.
He went In. FIarkless was In bed, aud
laughed family as Meredith entered. "
I'm fearing you'll have to let me settle your
gas bill, Tom. I'm not like used to be
quite. I hnd-Ence-since that business,
r cant sleep without a light 1 rather get the
= the horrors in the dark. ...
Incoherently, Meredith made a compassion,
I ate exclamation and turned to go, and, a.
a he left the room, his eye foil upon the nantel,
| piece. The position Of the photographs had
been altered and the picture Of the girl wht
j looked straight out at you was gone Ths
9 mere rim Of it was visible behind the image
: OF an old gentlemen with a sardopic mouth.
u An hour later, Tom. came back, and SPOKE
through tho closed door. boy, don't 70,
J., think you can get to sleep now?" .,
: "Yes, Tom. It's all right. You 90 to bed
: Nothing troubles me-"
Meredith spent the next. day in great tribu
), lation and perplexity; he felt that something
v had to be done, but what to do he did no
know. He still believed, that. "stirring-up
= was what Harkess needed-not the species O
'stirring-up' that had taken place last night
{. but a diversion which would divert. AS the
A sat at dinner, a suggestion came to him an
he determined to follow it. He was called t
murmured in a tone Of polite de6erence: -
,e lady wishes to know II Mr.. Meredith an
his visitor intend being present at the cour
" try-club this evening I ,":,+~ - -. ->>ya
d He had received the same inquiry from Mis-
Ia Hinsdale on her departure the previous ever
ii ing, and had answered vaguely; hence he no,
NJ rejoined: -
IN you are, quite, an expert ventrtloquist, b.
D. you do not deceive me- - -. 50. i
e; Il beg your pardon, SIT, I" creaked the snaa
articulation. -; - -,
s"This is Miss Hinsdale, isn't it?' It. -.
D. mo. sir. The lady wishes to know il 70
will kindly answer her question ~
10 Tell her, yes" He hung UP the receiver
lv and returned to the table Some Of Cias
IN Hinsdale's play he explained. "You mad
a devastating impression on her, boy; 70
T. were wise enough not to talk any, and ST
foolishly thought you were as interesting g
1e you looked. We're going. out to countr!
e. club dance. It's given for the devotees vi
stay here all summer ahd swear Rouen is a
xt ways, cool; and nobody dances but ma an
the very young ones It won't be 50 bad; I'd
is can smoke anywhere, and there are litt
ar tables. Well co. =. = - : T. ...
Thank you.* Tom, you'reso good to thtn
III OF it., but - - ~ r:>>. W sS*f'
ne But what?' =, - 4 : - .. y,
yn Would you mind going alone? ind
very pleasant sitting on your veranda, or I,
he get a book" II. = ~. = . ~. ~, H.,
:. VERY we'll, If you don't want to CO.
r. don't. haven't had q dance for three month