The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-09-09
An Invisible Hand ! !
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CHAPTER XIV.


CHAPTER XIV.
THE OWLS SCREECH.
They4were seated at the round table
IN the lofty, ~well-warmed dining room
Clusters OF. candles IN great c%andelahra
threwsa soft glow upon the plate Of
silver and sold, used o3ly on Festivals
array Of sparkling glass and on the
4ellciously odorous dollhouse flowers,
leaving almost in shadow the room sur
rounding them, with it's wainscotting OF
cid oak, above which hung ancient
tapestries representing categorical sub
lects.
Edith. who had been taken into din
ner by Godfrey, sat beside him, her
Sown,. Of some soft lustreless material
the color of dead gold, contrasting
the fairness of her gracefully-curved
shoulders. A faint pink tint, like the
heart Of a blush rose, was Just visible
through the transparency Of her COM
plexion. and her eyes shone with the
mystic light OF happiness. Her only
ornament was a string of pearls clasped
about her beautifully rounded throat.
She was in the strange position of
sitting at table with three men, each of
whom had asked her to be his wife.
GSyfNWSi Ol III AdA ACAd5SA MOulA
have been more than human had they
forgotten their hopes Of winning her.
They glanced from her, with her ex-
preston OF unrestrained and undis-
Euised joyousness, to him whose coun-
tenance showed his triumphant salts
faction, and felt their blood stirred
with burning jealousy, with bitter dis
Quietude.
II thought your friend. Signor Ven
eto, most interesting" Lady Bysshe
said to Dunstan, being anxious to rouse
him from the silent mood into which
he had fallen. rs he still on the verge
OF great discoveries?"
She smiled at him with her gracious,
affectionate manner, and he turned
toward her responsive to the sympathy
he intu1tively knew she felt for his
wounded love: and adlmiring her hand
some. regular features with their eX-
preston: OF intelligence and humor, and
her we'll set, portly figure clad in violet
velvet, with amethysts clasping her
Arms and throat.
"Signor Veneto still believes in the
unknown power Of electricity. To him
It Is a genii, who il only captured, can
YORK Miracles" he told her.
Like that poor DR.. Zoffani, who is
csrtain he will one day be able to make
gold from lead"
7 heard Of him when I was In Italy,
but Z saw him."
'Dreamers," CALCULATED the count.
It'll ID dreamers who make the worlds
history" remarked Dunstan. Their
dreams are suggestions on which others
act"
NY dear friend" the count replied,
g he turned his vacant eyes toward
him. 7 did not use the word disparag-
3ngly. Our dreams, whether by day or
night, are the result of imagination;
and without 1t what should we be?
Mere human machines. Besides, I am
myself a dreamer"
What do you dream of. papa?"
asked Edith.
Strange things" he replied.
Tell US Of Them" Lady Bysshe en-
treated.
That would BIO impossible" he said.
his handsome face becoming unusually
thoughtful. Our dreams are the
But shAye your dreams never become
Actualities? 2" asked Dunstan.
sOh, yes; some of them have-some
q them" h count admitted.
Z thought they must"
why. whyf' the count asked. with
abrupt anxiety.
"oh, simply because it's q theory Of
words ones desires, Il persisted in. be-
come reaiities+though not always," ne
.Addsd. remembering h1s own dfsap-
pointment.
The momentary silence that followed
his words was broken By the bar1ister.
whotplunged into Q witty story regard
ing = HSll-known Judge and his slhEu.
brisklys enough for the remainder Of the
meal
In the drawing room later on, Ill
seemed TO Join in making the last
might Of the year merry. An expert
ment in thought reading was proposed
by Max, who had lately seen some
but II was objected to by the count,
who disliked dabbling in such matters,
and II was rejected In favor Of music,
the count playing Beethoven and Cho-
PIN, and Edith singing some old Eng
llsh ballads that seemed inexpressibly
sweet - given By her fresh young
The applause that followed one Of
iteeee was suddenly broken by the clash
q distant church bells. All started,
Let knowing II was % near midnight
They are ringing out the old year.
nay ! open on. Of the windows Sc
The rain had ceased, but the sky wa
tmpenetrable and a heavy density hun.
above the blurred earth.
They stood round the open window,
within the warm, well-lighted room,
listening to the bells in silence as ii
the peal brought each a message that
went straight to the heart. Suddenly
In . brief lull, q sound was heard like
Q stif1ed scream. Edith started, and
asked what It was.
Max laughed boyishly, as II enjoying
her fright. ITS only" he explained
zone Of the owls that build in the Tvs
covering the wing where we sleep
They sometimes wake me at night
and make my blood run cold. Don't
you think they ought to be done away
mo, no." Edith answered, II have
always been fond Of owls, and I hope
nobody will interfere with them" 4
s1.kear, dear, you may catch cold"
said her aunt. Let us close the win
dow, and wish each other a happy new
year before we disperse."
"But we ought not to dispense with
out drinking to the health and happi-
ness OF each other" the count sug-
Eested.
"of course not" responded Edith,
turning to where the servants had al
ready placed wines and whiskey and
syphens OF q side table; and in q mo