The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-02-26

|
mad wild when band played ant
dance ana sing like an actress born tC
| it-and then burst suddenly into sob,
| that no one could make out. Sh,
| couldn't understand her own self And
| 10 think Of him watching her day after
| day, holding his breath 10 throw Few
yiOlets through her window and make
n sort OF romance Of it-there, il was
| nigh heart breaking.
One night-One night-as we heard
IL had been raining hard, and Joe stood
coughing 10 himself under the cab.
shed And she happened past. and
the sound seemed 10 80 right TO bcr
heart. She showed it by turning on
him as fierce as anything
"Stop that row. she says Won.
dcrful how IL stopped the cough. too,
"You do ii purpOscly for me 10 hear
You've had your chance and threw il
away"
"Ycs, Kitty, ! know" he says. very
quiet 1T was you sent the mission
man round; don't think I've forgotten.
! could have n free ticket for the sea
side home, with tons Of grub and
blankets, for the worst winter month.
Go? No; not If hp gave me the home
itself" he whispers, looking her in the
eyes for once "Mayn't bc so much
l0ngerl When you've found man
that loves you ana wants you more,
then I'll give In. Til then let me go
on hoping, and you sha'n't hear the
cough morc'n ] can help"
Queer words, when you come 20
think what happened We didn't guess
for weeks; we only heard whispers aud
rumors. But all Of sudden, down
flashed the news like lightning Her
face had done it-that look in her
eyes-at last, And there il was.
chalkcd all over the place, for poor
Joe Arkell to see.
She'd been standing Que day. strok-
ing out the rose leaves with her little
brown fingers, and toff's cab curled
round corner and all but ran her
down. She jumped away startled, and
] suppose he saw something i'm the
wide eyes that he'd been dreaming
of all his life. Any way. he sprang out
ana bought n rose-bought the bunch.
and offered three times the price. And
next thing-ycs, next thing we heard
that his jewel ring had bought Kitty.
She'd flashed up like star and left
us all behind; she was his wife. by
special license II almost stunned ms
for the moment. But there il was:
we'd lost our duchess-and poor Joe
Arkell had lost what he'd have put
down his crippled body for twice over.
He proved il.
Yes very likely you've seen In the
papers n picture of the villa down at
Hampstead, smothered in some foreign
creeper, and with golden railing nj
round il; maybe you read just what
happened And if you couldn't under.
stand il all, it's only because you never
saw Kitty Lowell. or the chap who
loved her TO that length
She was there, queen Of IL all-villa,
servants and grounds fancy see
her sweeping through the mrrorcd
rooms and along them balconies. glauc-
ing back 10 see if her velvet train was
coming along with the correct twist,
and them steel stars shining in her
nggcr-curls. Music. dancing. Chinese
lanterns. and all the rest Of it-for
maybe n month"; And then | see her
again, when the house is quiet, break
down terrible and Clench her fists rs
she drops the smile like mask, and
watches that black cloud creeping mp
hand over hand in the distance. Aye,
and can see something else, that pic.
turc of Joe Arkcll. who'd found IL al
out, too, and was haunting the house,
watching for the cloud 20 burst.
You've guessed? she'd given her
whole life and love 10 man who was
playing n double pNrt-a man who
couldn't know one minute from an.
other when a hand was going 10 nip
his shoulder from behind. Money
Yes, heaps of money and friends. when
you can forge fash bank notes and do
other funny little things in n locked
room! And one day. as we heard
afterwards. she found the key of the
room. and found the key 10 his double
life. But IL was too late; she was his
wife. He only laughed when, loving
him so, she went down on her knees
TO say she'd give up all the money "a
keep him straight. He might make q
fresh start, IL nothing happened, b,
sald-with the new year,
And the last day of December hat
| come round-as near as that! Ther,
was TO be big party next day; tb,
rooms were waiting 20 blaze up will
| lights, silver plate. and women's eyes
the bells were ready 10 ring And sh,
couldn't bear the last few hours of sus
pense. She'd step out. always watch
inc and listening down 20 the gate an,
out into the quiet roadway. whisperin,
To her husband only 90 give up hi,
ways before IL was too late. Aud Of
sudden she saw Joe there. rs he stoo,
under them big trees. Its certain h,
never meant 10 tell her what he knew
perhaps hadn't even meant TO speak
but he couldn't help himself
"Kittyp he whispers. "0nc word
For all the money you're not so happ.
you'd come back? Only say titus
once"
And she half put out her hand. an,
then shiyered and ran back as IL he,
been n ghost or a detective. And ther
Joe stands In sweat, his brain har