Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-09
A DANGEROUS FILTRATION 4
By BRADFORD K. DANIELS
Copyright. 1904. by Deily Story Pub. Co.,,

I OHN DREW shut the stable door i.} with bang that made Bess, the gray ! mare, snort in her sta1l. There they are again!" he growled, as he got a
 glimpse of a dainty form in white muslin through the shrubbery across the way,
 and heard hearty masculine laugh. s"fhey're playing croouet, ard he's step ping round in his patent-leather shoes l and high collar putting on all his fine
 airs, and she's comparing him to me. I saw her look at my shoes and then at his when 1 called for her Sunday, and she hinted that I'd better send my col
 lars to the steam laundry instead of let
 ting mother do 'em up.'' Two hours later, John crossed the
 road in. the gathering darkness, and ! started up the path to Mamie's home. T used to like to call for Mamie, but now it's worse than pulling teeth, with that dandy looking at> >me> as if I'd just come out of the ark he said. # | In a moment the sound of singing
 reached his ears, and he paused to listen. "Yes, they are singing together. She never would sing with me; said I couldn't keep in tune," he added bit terly. g
 Going round to the window, John looked in. Mamie was seated at the or
 gan, and MT. de Pledge was standing
 beside her turning the music. Once he stopped so low to look at the sheet that John was sure Mamie's yellow curls touched his cheek With an oath the 1 jealous lover turned away and strode blindly across the flower beds and out
 to the road Then he suddenly stopped as if possessed of new idea. "He sha'n't have her, curse him! I'll teach him to come between me and Mamie" And he hurried off to his own house. In few
 minutes he appeared at the back door ! with saw under his arm, looked cau-
 tiously about, and then slipped along in the shadow of the fence till he disap- peared among the naples in the direc-
 tion of the reservoir
 ''If you care to, you may take my
 easel and try another sketch this morn ing, Miss Payzant; I've got to run up
 to the city. You do wonders, consider ing how little I've shown you I wish
 you u ChOoC ShdA ACu Olu u CC0 HI 1lC ravine below the reservoir; they are so picturesque"
 ''Oh, thank you, MT. de Pledge. It's
 so kind of you! When do you think the | light will be best?"
 This morning, I think. I've been working there myself every morning for
 a week, and I've found the light at it's best about ten"
 Then 1 must hurry off, for it's after
 nine now" And Mamie hustled about and finished her mornings work, and
 was soon on her way to the ravine. sl
 Willow Gap,'' as the ravine was
 called, was deep cut through hill, made by the ceaseless wear of brook
 which emptied into the river beyond
 Willows with gnarled roots clutching at the stream fourished in this deep re- cess, which, since the two great reser- voirs had been built above it for the towns supply of water. was almost dry i through the summer months
 Mamie was hardly out of the house , before Louis de Pledge, the young artist who had come up from New York in search of a few weeks quiet in the coun- try and was boarding with the Payzants,
 started for the railway station Seeing that he was likely to miss his train if he went round by the road, he decided to
 take~a short cut over the hill past the reservoirs. AS he approached the upper
 reservoir he saw something flash in the sunlight at the end Of the sIuice, and, looking more closely. saw a hand grip ping something bright disappear behind
 a. projecting buttress. In mom ent there was a crash, as the timhers which 1 supported the massive gate of the slutce gave way; the water came
 through with a mad plunge, and at the
 same time John Drew leapt nimb1y up l to safety, the saw with which he had donethe dastardly deed st.ll in his hand. He wheeled suddenly round ccd wbe-n