Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-08-07
00OME at last!

Pullman section, picturing this home
coming, and now that it was a deed
accomplished she could have cried as
she hugged the hideous old marble lion
that guarded the steps.
Safely home! Yes; but explanations
would be in order; and from the alb
sence Of lights it would seem that her
father was dining out! Well! A
shrug; a laugh; and she ran up the
steps
The hall was unchanged; the same
carved chairs, the same lounge by the
staircase. The last time sheghad slid
down those banisters Hardwick Hol-
den had caught her as she bumped up
against the post at the bottom, and
laughed aloud over her performance.
A step sounded on the upper stairs,
then u cough Masters out" an in
visible some one remarked; and Bess
darted through the nearest door The
voice was q strange one, and she was
not prepared to make explanations to
new servants.
NAS iouShCu again 40 Sllc tlDlOtu
into the half lit library. What right
had father to break into her plans this
way by being out? What would he
think Of her crossing the continent
alone? What would other people think
Aunt Annie-and Hardwick Holden,
for instance. Hardwick had no bust
ness to think anything; she had not
come to see him!
Bess smiled serenely; but the Sc
renity changed. What allied the IL
brary? Mothers picture had been
taken down, and the table-why, the
dear old library table was gone She
had sat on that table when she was
mite and played checkers with
father during the black, creepy hour
of and I. In later years she had
sat there and wept over her first
geometry problems, which father in
despair had tried to solve for her,
and couldn't; and life had been Il
bowling wilderness to them both un-
til Hardwick brought sage counsel
and arranged to come in evenings and
help her. That table would have to
come back; it shouldn't be pushed
! aside; it stood for big slice Of home.
And the dear, old, beautiful times were
all going to come back, too.
Yes, everything would be perfect
now, Bess decided as she smoothed
back her hair; for Hardwick had SO
much tact. Tact? Supposing Hard.
wick, with his superabundance of
tact, should consider it necessary to
keep out Of the way! If he once
made up his mind to it, he could be
come invisible, even If his great
empty, lonely house were only across
the street. She knew that of old; il
had happened once when, among 9th.
er things, she had told him to mind
his own business; and the time that
followed had not been pleasant one
The room had become uncomforta
bly, hot, and Bess pulled off her jacket
with a sense Of injury. He needn't
have been so stupid as to write OH tc
New York three months before and
ask her to marry him.
The next moment she was scramb
ling her belongings together and hat
slipped into the chubby hole Of room
adjoining the library; for the step thar
had first sent her flying into the Ii
brary was abroad In the hall.
Ten minutes later Bess was reused
by the sarcastic comment, Don't LEI
, me disturb you. Take your ow.
time"
, This must be new butler. "Lool
here" Bess began, sharply; bu
! the man interrupted.
"Oh, l see. All right. A preciou,
mess you've made. Did these rag,
come out Of that drawer" He picked
them up. Look as though they nigh
) have been sunbonnet once. Masterl
]. be mortal angry over this"
/: Bess stamped her foot.
: MAN.
!; !: young woman, more'n likely you'll
. 60 to the lookup"
But just then a voice outside the doc
interrupted = voice that was wei
a known to her.
r what Is 1t, ROberts?"
/ "Please, sir, this young person.
e "Yes, see. You can go, Roberts"
e "Shall l 90 for the policeT Robert
II asked, hopefully.
q mo! Get out, will you?"
Roberts vanished. Then Hardwicl
Holden came forward, hesitated. stoI
b ped. Something in the girls eyes fol
bade further approach.
"If you were so terribly anxious
get rid Of these-these things"-he