Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-31
CHAPTER I.

swept into the room, and. as with spiteful
hands. had caught up and whirled q dozen
pages Of his, manuscript to the floor. Hav-
ing looked up. he sat staring.
For In place of the gaunt. Manufactured
servant woman who for years had waited
on him, q bright-haired. 7brown-eyed, rosy
checked girl stood smiling in the doorway.
From one hand hung q pail Of steaming
water, in, the other was a. mass of cloths
and busters. sz7@
II guess I'll clean them windows" she
said. Looks as though they hadn't had
shine this tweIvemonth." 2 - -
The inventor STOPPING abstractedly to
pick up the scattered pages Of his precious
notes, his mind engrossed by the invention
upon which he had been working for the
past ten years, heard her as though from
miles away. Absent-mindedly he waved a
hand like one shooting chickens.
But she did not, or she would not under
stand She made for the middle Of the
room with a certain youthful, healtnful IT.
repressibility, the steaming pail at the end
Of rigid pink arm, her cloths and busters
in hand.
"I guess I'll clean them windows she
repeated with cheerful vigor.
The inventor detached his mind from the
Idea and applied 1t to the actual. NOT
while I'm here" he objected peremptorily.
She halted a moment to stand beamlng
bless you" she said, with real or pre-
tended Innocence. you won't be the least
in nv way. You needn't even move your
chair. And I shall have them windows
cleaned almost before you could wink
Certainly before he could bring his alb
stracted mind to the level Of speech like
this she had set down her pail. ana oasn-
chasing 1t vigorously round and round the
dingy panes.
The inventor remained speechless in his
chair, PROSTATE between shock and amaze.
rnent at an insistent energy which would
not be denied.
martha, you know" she volunteered
nresently in broken gasps, "shes gone and
got marrit."
10 long and so grimly rendered him domes-
tic service. a.
The Young woman faced about with
flash Of white, strong teeth and laughing
eyes. Queer, isn't 1t. anypodyd want 10
marry the likes OF herr
The inventor made no answer. Irritability
the supreme irritability ~ OF the brain
worker interrupted In his work-was sue
ceeding upon shock. AS a law OF the
Modes and Persians for ten whole years had
not on pain of death should any one intrude
upon his working hours. When he required
food or Lights or fire he would ring. Unless
he should ring, even though an interval OF
days should pass, NOBODY was 10 aisturo
him. - tsto
The law had been observed to the letter.
Nobody had had the slightest interest In
disturbing him. The less trouble he gave
the better. If In the tension OF brain ef-
fort he forgot to ring for dinner the mis-
tress and maid OF the house wherein no
lodged observed lightly one to another that
the dinner would serve warmed up for sup
per- It was his orders, not anybody's fault,
If he went without his meals. =
He had been grateful to them for what he
regarded as proper respect for the idea:
The present outrage perpetrated upon II
was thing to gasp at. 1t seemed to him
that only by rising and staying the perpe-
traitor could he properly meet the ends OF
the case. He had momentary vision OF
sturdy, laughing maid of all work dying on
the floor. -
But she turned and stood before him.
There, now!" she exclaimed, pointing ex-
utantly to the translucent panes. why,
you couldn't see hand before you through
them. Now you can sit and watch the peo-.
pie passing IN the street, and get bit OF
lig.l. To my mind you look as II bit OF
light'd do you good-you look that pale and
pindlin'." --a'
She caught up her pail and her cloths
and whisked briskly away, closing the
door sharply behind her. He heard her go
humming down the stairs. g
He sat staring at the door. For ten whole
years he had come into no more relation
with women than was to be obtained by
passing them abstractedly in the street.
Martha and her mistress scarcely counted.
Either of them dressed in uniform would
have made an excellent policeman.
For some minutes he was f1uttered. There
was a pinkness in the atmosphere that
beclouded the Idea. Then he shook. back
his shaggy hair, reached up once more
into the gray light of inventive attitudes
and went on with his work.
It seemed to him but minutes, although
in point Of factesome hours had passed,
when a preliminary rap, upon his door
was followed by the reappearance of the
maid, her cheerful rosy countenance above
a tray. g.
II guess you're about ready for your
dinner" she said. It's gone three this
half hour" 80
It was too much to be borne. Without
a word, In a blaze Of uncomfortable anger,
the inventor started from his chair and
selling her by the shoulders forcibly turned
her about and tretted with her from the
room. Closing the door violently he locked
and bolted 1t. SF@. 3. tAFf rs
my. how he skeered mel" he heard her
exclaim In the passage Her footsteps
sounded a precipitate retreat.
He worked on steadily for couple or
hours. Then exhausted nature gave out.
His pen dropped from his hand. He rose;
stretched himself, unlocked the door and
rang the bell.
He was a well-buit, strongly made man
Of thirty-five, though his ten years labors
had bent his back and added twenty years
to his looks. His hair was already graying
around the temples He might have been
handsome had 1t not been for dragged
irritable lines about the mouth and the bag
gard palIor Of long and close confinement.
Possessed Of small competence he had
been able to abandon hts work in a neigh
boring factory in orderht to 4devefop an In
vention that had occurred u him as FEAST
BILE. 1t was now nearing It's completion. "
The maid ,re-entered with her tray. A
cloud was over her rosy face. She set
down her burden with decision. She laid
the peaceable domestic knives as one might
lay out weapons for . zQtHE The spoous
rang war whoc The M&fr jug thumped
q tocsin of defiance. k9M table spread
she whisked away. Thu fentor stopped
TO pick up a sheet Of g&flhtf rically figured
foolscap. He swore soft3f hind his teeth.
He mathematical MarfkAxAnd marriage.
Martha moved heaviIyN ~ slowly and
without whisking Of skiE$E
Martha's substitute N2h&ed. She set
a frugal meal Of fish an& Vegetables before
him. The inventors meSgfsas also his de-
fiance Of the laws Of hi its and exercise.
precluded more robu# tet.
Then placing her two Eej11s on the table
she addressed him. :. Ahybody but mo
wouldn't have hotted It up again for you."
she said reluctantly. II should think you'd
be ashamed OF yourself. treating . person
sol" gs II ts-Ss,s9 ~
She founced from the room. The inventor
stopped once more to pick up sheets Of
Hvo