Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-07

Saxton sat in deep wicker chair, mop
ping his forehead. He had spent busy
day, and it was with real satisfaction that
he found himself In cool house where the
atmosphere of comfort and good taste
brought ease to all his senses. He had
not expected to find so pleasant a house;
verify. the marks of philistinism were not
upon it, 1t seemed to him unlikely that Por-
ter maintained solitary state here. and he
wondered who could be the other members
of the household. The maid had disappear
ed into the silent depths of the house with
out waiting for his name and did not re-
turn. His eyes moved again in leisurely
fashion to the wall before him, and to the
mirror, which reflected nothing of his i'm
mediate surroundings, but disclosed the
shelves and books of room on the opposite
side of the hall.
He was amusing himself in speculations
as to what manner of library a man like
Porter would have, and whether he read
anything but the newspapers. when the
shadow OF young woman crept into the
mirror; she stood placing flowers in vase
on a table in the center of the room. He
thought for a moment that figure from a
painting had given pretty head and a
pair of graceful shoulders to the mirror.
In the room where he sat the frames con-
tanned peasants in sabots, generous panels
of Hudson river landscape, a DetailIe and
an Inness. He changed the direction of his
eyes to inspect again the Brittany girl that
stood looking out over the sea in the man.
ner of Brittany girls in pictures. The girl
in the mirror was not the same; moreover
he could hear her humming softly; her head
moved gracefully; there was no question of
her reality. Her hands had brought a
bunch of sweet peas within the mirrors
compass, and were detaching a part of them
for the vase by which she stood. She hum
med on In her absorption, bending again.
so that Saxton lost sight of her; then she
stood upright, holding the unused flowers as
II uncertain what to do with them The
head flashed out of the mirror which re-
,lxy H.
books. Then he heard a light step crossing
the hall, and the girl, still singing softly
to herself. passed back of him to a little
stand which stood by one OF the drawing
room windows. The back of the wicker
chair hid him; she was wholly unconscious
that any one was there. The breath of the
sweet peas which she was distributing sud-
denly sweetened the cool air Of the room.
Seeing that the girl did not know of his
presence In the house. and that she would
certainly discover him when she turned to
go, he rose and faced her.
II beg your pardon!"
oh! The sweet peas fell to the floor.
and the girl looked anxiously toward the
hall door.
Il beg your pardon Saxton repeated Il
tnink-i fear-I wasn't announced. But I
believe that Mr.. Porter is expecting me-"
YesT The girl looked at John for the
hrst time. He was taking the situation
seriously. and was sincerely sorry for hay-
ing startled her. His breadth Of shoulders
was impressive; he was clad in gray home
spun. and there seemed to be a good deal
OF 1t in the room. His smooth-shaven face
was sunburned She thought he might be
an Englishman. He was Of the big blond
English type common in the American cat
tie country.
Father will be here very soon, think"
She moved toward the door with dignity.
ignoring the fallen flowers, and Saxton
stepped forward and picked them up
ALLOW me-" The girl took them from
him. little uncertainty and guardedly,
then returned to the vase and placed the
flowers in 1t.
Thank you very much" she said. st
think hear my father now" She went
to the outer door and opened It, inclining
her head slightly as she passed John. who
also heard Mr.. Porters voice outside He
was demonstrating with the gardener about
the position of the sprinklers, which he
wished reset In keeping with ideas of his
own
We'll. Evelyn" he said as he came ur,
the steps. Saxton could hear the young
woman making an explanation In low tones
to her father. He knew. of course, that she
was telling him that some one was waiting
and MI. Porter stood suddenly In the door