The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1904-09-01

7 Jean talked Of art, and pictured hu
manity without IL as race Of jelly
Ash. A vapory dusk had just settled
down, and we saw no one enter the
gate. But, of a sudden. from the hal
came the sound of voice-soft, rich
clear, wonderful-above the landlady'f
E.urmur.
A tap. The landlady stepped In
apologized, and stood twisting heI
hands mysteriously I'm the dusk. We
stood up on a mutual impulse, Jean
foremost
"Mr. Lorrimer--gentlemen--you see
me SO awkwardly placed. But said
I'd put 1t to you. have only the
spare bedroom. and-tbe young lady
must have sitting room with piano
as we'll. And the town Is full" She
sank her voice. "Such q sweet young
tbing--a singer, down for the rest OF
the season. I knew you wouldn't
mind il I closed these folding doors
and let her have the rear half"
was about to reply. There was
no need. Jean Lorrlmer cleared his
voice and threw new, deep ring into
It.
"The idea, my good madam! Ger.
tainly halve the apartment at once;
we shall be only too delighted"
Miss May Ronald thanks you very
much, and thinks 1t wonderful kind
ness" excitedly whispered Mrs. Cor.
bould, looking in again.
II mean tt dol" came the rich.
laughing voice, with just tremor of
fun and shyness.
Tall, fair, and imposing? No! A
little, dainty, dark, elfin creature, with
big, brown dancing eyes that seemed
10 change their light every second.
And Jean had my best gray suit; |;
she had seen him in it-and he would
have to keep it!
Three of the strange. precious days
had licked out. While pretending ut
ter Indifference, we were watching
each other warily-ready for a leap
In the dark. If Jean went out, fol.
lowed. II Jeans headache came on,
I stayed In to keep him company.
Did she understand? She must be
heart-whole. because no woman who
had loved and lost-or loved and won,
FOR that matter-could have such eyes
and such note In her voice!
And so the dreamlike days ran on,
Until only three were left to us. A
crisis was In the air. 1t was just after
tea. as the blue haze came stealing
down. We sat, with all the evenings
possibilities before us. listening to
those indeflnable sounds beyond the
folding doors.
l thought knew something. Jean
LOrrimer meant to speak before
could. Behind the newspaper in his
twitching hands he was staring at the
concert bill which said that Miss May
Ronald would sing Killarney" at the
Casino that evening. He meant to
watch, follow her as she left the hall.
sink down upon one knee-of my gray
t.ousers-and offer her his heart in
words that could never hope to
equal. He meant to scotch my pre-
sumption at blow.
we DOtn sprang 10 the WINDOW cur.
tain, struggled for the best place. and
watched. Had she glanced back our
way? II so, 1t was only as an elusive
woman. conscious of her own powers.
could glance. She was gone, and the
dusk seemed to plunge into darkness
OF a sudden. Jean. stood, breathing
hard.
Look here. can't stand this! I
refuse to be watched. to have my
thoughts read In this way. You know
my feelings-you know what has
come over me. In your place should
have stood back like man. Instead,
find my own friend working in the
dark against me. Now. what Is 1t to
be, Billy? Speak,"