Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-05-19


So all he did was to steady the girl,
set her gently upon her feet, and looR
away from her face.
I'm wait until they come" he said
II didn't believe he would be here,
The letter was lie. He was beast
TO drag YOU out into the storm, We
shouldn't have come"
II was the girls turn now,
He is my husband" she answered,
falterins inst the least bit ever the
last word Il could do nothing else
but come" She picked up her hat
from the piano and walked to the hall
with her little chin up Let's so to
the billiard room, she said, III
make you tea, Its chilly down here"
l listened to their footsteps upon the
staircase-one of those hardwood af-
fairs that made even the girls Sman
shoes sound Clattery. They were gone
sure enough, and it was an opportunity
for me to be going. was cramped
and stiff from my conservatory crouch
mally. My teeth chartered at the
thought of trying to walk back to the
station. Aand then, TO tell the truth, /
was interested enough in things to
hate leaving. II could solve the mys-
terry it would be the making Of me.
reflected.
There was just one thing left for me
to do. couldn't stay in the house,
but | could get in again by slipping
outside and ringing the bell. At least.
he might offer to have me driven to the
station when the carriage with the
servants from the $50 train got to the
house.
| didn't dare to blow out the candle.
But then | imagined that they'd be
busy with the tea, and had to chance
1t. l paused for just a moment to look
again at the pastel over the mantel.
shelf-there was a sort OF fascination
about the thing-and as made to go
, toward the door had a chill that
didn't come from the sound of the hur.
ricane among the pines. There was a
, man on the breakfast room threshold
staring at me. He wasn't the young
, fellow | had seen. Instead while my
backbone seemed to stiffen and then
suddenly relax into disconcerting
curves, didn't have to do much
, thinking to understand that he was the
Hon Stanley with his foot upon his ma
tive heath.
He stared at me, and-there wasn't
anything else to do at the moment--l
stared at him. don't believe either
of us enjoyed It, Then he took a step
toward me.
"Who-who the devil are you?" he
asked. where's the other one?"
The Hon Stanley had been drinking.
His breath reeked with whiskey even
at five PAGES. And | noticed what |
had not noticed before-that there was
something steely and bright clutched
in his right hand So | pointed up,
stairs My brain rocked as ! tried to
think how | could warn the two above
that we We're there But there wasn't
any way Besides he didn't give me-
time.
Take off your shoes" he said |
saw that he was in his stocking feet.
The steely thing pointed and my shoes
were off. too. Then he seemed to for,
get me Like a cat he sprang to the
staircase and slipped up without a
sound
That was my time for slipping out ;
but to have gone then would have
the girl to think of, They had lighted
a yellow shaded lamp at the landing,
and the Englishman turned swiftly to
the left toward half opened door.
From within came the click of ivory
at long intervals as if some one were
making practice shots Then in the
pause came the girls voice.
I've got to say it. Dick" 1t said.
, "The whole world will know it some
time"
) She seemed to be waiting for an an.
} swer, but there was only another
: click, with a rebound echo.
; Never really happy" went the
voice, like a thin, weakened wire
Never really happy once"
The husband bent from his listening
He turned to me, anu graspei my
shoulder.
| Curse you, he whispered
You've been eavesdropping. Go in
first then" His heavy hand showed
: me against the Unmatched door, and ]
stumbled into the room. clutching al
} the polished jambs to keep from fan
r ing
".
, People never act the way you think
| they're going to when they are sur
prised. The good looking young fel
, low had been making a shot when the
! door opened He half bent from cal
: culating the angle, sent one quick
glance from me to the Hon. Stanley
, and then, with as steady hand as II
he had been playing tournament, he
. finished. II wasn't a nervous. jerky
shot. The balls kissed gently and
E hung into position for another try