The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-04-03


dog. I didn't like his style, anyhow,
and 1 don't think she does, either"
You're right about that" said Mrs.
Willers; do you know what he was
there for?''
Something about music lessons, she
said. l didn't like to ask her."
Music lessonsi" exclaimed Mrs. Will
lers, with a strong infection Of sur
prise.
Yes said Barron, uneasy at her
tone and the strange look of almost
agitated establishment on her face;
land I'm under the impression he said
something to her that frightened her.
As 1 was coming up the steps that at
ternoon heard distinctly some one call
out in the drawing-room. / burst in on
the full jump, for was certain it was
a woman's voice, and that man came
out of the drawing-room as 1 opened
the door. He was smooth as a summer
sea; said he hadn't heard a, sound, and
went out Sinking. Then 1 went into
the drawing-room to see who had been
in there and found Miss Moreau, lean
ing against the wall and white as my
cuffs"
He looked frowningly at Mrs. Will
lers. She had listened without moving,
her face rigidly attentive.
"Mariposa didn't tell you what they d
been talking about ?" she asked.
mo; she told me nothing. And when
l asked her about the screams she said
I'd been mistaken. But 1 hadn't, Mrs.
Willers. That man had scared her
some way, and she'd screamed. She
called for Benito and Mrs. Garcia.
heard her. And she's looked pale and
miserable ever since. What does that
BLACKBOARD come to see her for, any
way? What's he after?"
Her." said Mrs. ,Willers, solemnly;
'he wants to marry her."
Wants to marry heri That foreign
spider. Well, he's got a gall. Humph!"
Words of sufficient scorn seemed to
fail him. That he should be similarly
aspiring did not at that moment strike
him as a reason for moderation in his
censure OF a rival
And is he trying to scare her into
marrying him? wish I'd known that
I'd have broken his neck in the hall"
Don't you go round breaking peo-
pies necks," said Mrs. Willers, but I'm
glad you're in that house. If Barry Es-
sex is going to try to make her marry
him by bullying and bulldozing her. I'm
glad there's a man there to keep him in
his place. That's no way to win a
woman, Mr. Barron. 1 know, for that's
the way Willers courted me. Wouldn't
hear of my saying no; said he'd shoot
himself. / knew even then he wouldn't,
but i didn't know but what he'd try to
wound himself somewhere where it
didn't hurt, leaving letter for me that
would be published in the morning pa
per. So / married him to get rid of
him, and then 1 had to get the law in
to get rid of him a second time. A
man that badgers a woman into mar
rying him is no good. You can bank
that
WELL" said Barron, I'm glad you've
told me this. I'll keep my eye on Mr..
Essex. / was going to the mines next
week, but I'll put it off,"
do. But don't let on to Mariposa
what I've told you. She wouldn't like
it. She's a proud girl. But I'll tell
you, Mr.. Barron, she's a good one, too;
one Of the best kind, and l love her
nearly as much as my own girl. But
lock-" glancing at an adjacent clock
with a start, II must be travelling.
This stuffs got to go in at once"
"Good-by,'' said Barron, holding, out
his hand: tits good thing we had
this minute talk"
''Good-by," she answered, returning
the pressure with grip almost as
manly; tits been awfully good to see
you again. 1 must get a move on. So
long"
And they parted, Barron turning his
face toward the Garcia house. where
he had an engagement to take the boys
to the beach at the foot of Hyde street,
and Mrs. Willers hurrying to The
Trumpet Office.
Her walk did not occupy more than
fifteen minutes, and during that time
the anger reused by the mining mans
words grew apace. From smothered
Indignation it passed to a state of SIM
mering passion. Her conscience heated
it still further, for it was she who had
introduced Essex to Mariposa, and in
the first stage of their acquaintance
had in careless way encouraged the
friendship, thinking 1t would be cheer
full for the solitary girl to have the oc-
casional companionship of this clever
and interesting man of the world. She
had thoughtlessly kindled a fire that
might burn far past her power of con-
troll and lead to irreparable disaster.
She ran up the stairs of The Trumpet
building with the lightness of a girl of
sixteen. Ire gave wings to her feet, and
1t was ire as much as the speed Of her
ascent that made her catch her breath
quickly at the top of the fourth flight.
Still, even then, she might have held
her Indignation in check-years of
training in expedient self-control being
a powerful force in the energetic bust
ness woman-had she not caught
glimpse Of Essex In his den as she
passed the open door.
He was sitting at his desk, leaning
languidly back in his chair, evidently
thinking. His face, turned toward her,
looked worn and hard, the lids droop-
ing with their air Of family bored in
science. Hearing the rustic of her
dress, he looked up and saw her max
ing a momentary pause by the door
way. He did not look pleased at the
sight of her.
"Ah, Mrs. WiIlers." he said, leaning