The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-11-20

The young wife eagerly accepted the in
vtation. 1t would enable her to forget,
for a little time at least.
Agatha went rapidly about her toilet.
Her guest was stated in the dining room,
and by leaving the door open converse
tion could be carried on during the hair
brushing and the dress changing.
"Where are you going to spend
THANKSGIVING? Mrs. Ferris asked,
while she studied the arrangement of the
violet-strewn silkolene drape on the shelf
near her, secretly wondering if she could
not initiate It.
"Thanksgiving," Agatha repeated with
a hard, little laugh. 'There is to be no
such day in my calendar. l can't think
of one thing that l am thankful for, I'M
less it is that this dull life will soon kill
me-"
"Why, Mrs. Clair I suppose that you
were thankful that you and Mr.. Clair
were still living in the borderland of
bliss that lovers imagine will last"
There was a moments silence. Agath a
was busy fastening the collar of her
pretty green serge. Outside the window,
opened to admit the crisp autumnal air
white-faced man leaned against the
house, the golden straw with which he
had been covering the pansy bed blow
ing unheeded about his feet.
II am thankful that we have emerged
into the land of common sense. If we
had done it year and a half ago life
might still mean something for mo. Now
l see l have made a mistake"
Ten minutes later Eugene Clair came
forward to put his wife and Mrs. Ferris
into the waiting carriage. He replied
courteously to the question of his neigh
Dor and as they were starting, said:
"Good-by, Agatha"
But Agatha was too busy covering hel
dress with the robe to do more than noe
in reply.
The sun. red and angry looking, was
just disappearing from sight behind thu
forest crowned hills west Of Agatha
home when Mrs. Ferris left her at th'
gate. The wind walled loudly around tn
house and the young wife shivered al
she hurried up the path.
IT hope Eugene will have a fire." sh
said to herself. "He always remember
such things"
For once he had not remembered. TIL
house was empty and cold On the tabl
S lay a letter addressed, Agatha"
= Chilled by a nameless terror she car
=, rled it to the window, and by the dir
a light, read:
1 Dear Agatha have a chance to e
h with Fowler to Chicago with a carloa
g of horses. Must start at once and b
l gone a week. Hardness is coming i
, the morning to see about Mamie TIE
a him he can have her for a hundred an
} twenty-five dollars. He will pay yol
y Take the money and go to Orley, you ca
Z, get your new clothes after you get Their
l. Stay as long as you like and enjoy you
e self. I'll get along nicely, and if Fov
d Ter makes me a good offer | will go d
rectly to the lumber camps for the viii
5 ter. Ever yours,
E, EUGENE"
a "Sold Mamie" Agatha gasped. Ell
e. gene gone for week and / am to tie
is Hardness that he can have Mamie"
e Mamie was a beautiful black col
y Agatha knew how proud her husbar
lie was of the intelligent animals beaut
and grace. She had often heard him d
lie clare that money could not buy her Al
I'd Hardness was noted for his cruelty, Il
er last person into whose hands Eugel
he would be willing to place Mamie.
e Then that mention of the lumb
e. camps and the hint that he might not T
IL turn. What did it all mean? Was
s. because of her words that morning tn
~ he was trying so hard to secure none,
When the hired man. who lived in t
til tenant house brought in the milk. Az
st. tha learned that Eugene had made 9
in rangements in case he did not come bac
He asked me if Margie and me won
sleep here" Tom concluded. said