Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-02-27
J0E'S QUICK CHANGE. /"

shed. And she happened past, and
the sound seemed to go right to her
heart She showed 1t by turning on
him rs fierce as anything.
"Stop that row. she says. Won
derful how it stopped the cough, too!
"You do it purposely for me to hear.
You've had your chance and threw il
away"
'Yes, Kitty. know" he says, very
quiet. ut was you sent the mission
man round; don't think I've forgotten.
l could have II free ticket for the sea-
side home, with tons of grub and
blankets, for the worst winter month.
Go? No; not if he gave me the home
itself" he whispers. looking her in the
eyes for once. "Mayn't be so much
longer! When you've found man
that loves you and wants you more,
then I'll give in. Till then let me go
on hoping, and you sha'n't hear the
cough more'n can help"
Queer words, when you come to
think what happened. We didn't guess
for weeks we only heard whispers and
rumors. But all of sudden. down
flashed the news like lightning. Her
face had done it-that look in her
eyes-at last. And there it was.
chalked all over the place, for poor
Joe Arkell to see.
She'd been standing cue day, strok-
ing out the rose-leaves with her little
brown fingers. and tOff's cab curled
round a corner and all but ran her
down. She jumped away startled, and
suppose he saw something in the
wide eyes that he'd been dreaming
of all his life. Any way, he sprang out
and bought a rose--bOught the bunch.
and offered three times the price. And
next thing-yes, next thing we heard
that his jewel ring had bought Kitty.
She'd flashed up like star and left
us all behind; she was his wife, by
special license. 1t almost stunned us
for the moment. But there it was:
we'd lost our duchess-and poor Joe
Arkell had lost what he'd have put
down his crippled body for twice over.
e stead ofthe cont.
p ,>,.., 'Ou've seen in the
/ 3. pers a picfiire" OF the villa down. at
Hampstead. smotherad in some foreign
creeper. and with n golden railing all
round II; maybe you read Just what
ssfSHd Tfan, hg oif cS9aAsIdg, IL nnedeeg
saw Kitty Lowell, or the chap who
loved her to that length.
She was there, queen of 1t all-villa,
servants and grounds. l fancy l see
her sweeping through the mirrored
rooms and along them balconies, glanc-
ing back to see if her velvet train was
coming along with the correct twist,
and them steel stars shining in her
nigger-curls. Music, dancing Chinese
lanterns, and all the rest OF it-for
maybe a month! And then I see her
| again, when the house IS quiet. break
down terrible and clench her fists as
she drops the smile like mask, and
watches that black cloud creeping up
hand over hand in the distance. Aye,
and can see something else; that pic
ture of Joe Arkell. who'd found it all
out, too, and was haunting the house,
watching for the cloud to burst.
You've guessed? She'd given her
whole life and love to man who was
playing double part-a man who
couldn't know one minute from m
other when hand was going to nip
his shoulder from behind. Money?
Yes, heaps Of money and friends. when
you can forge flash bank-notes and do
other funny little things in locked
room! And ono day, as we heard
afterwards she found the key OF the
room, and found the key to his double
life. But it was too late; she was his
wife. He only laughed when, loving
him so, she went down on her knees
TO say she'd give up all the money to
keep him straight. He might make a
fresh start, If nothing happened, he
sald-with the new year!
And the last day of December had
come r0und-as near as that! There
was to be big party next day; the
rooms were waiting to blaze up with
lights, silver plate, and women's eyes;
the bells were ready to ring. And she
pense. She'd step out, always watch
ing and listening. down to the gate and
out into the quiet roadway, whispering
to her husband only to give up his
| ways before it was too late. And of a
sudden she saw Joe there. as he stood
| nm than hir Tf'S n ho
never meant to tell her what he knew,
perhaps hadn't even meant to speak
but he couldn't help himself.
"Kittyw he whispers. Zone word
For all the money you're not so happy
you'd come back? Only say it-just
once"
And she half put out her hand, and
then shivered and ran back as il he'd
been ghost or detective. And there
Joe stands in 4 sweat. his brain hard
at work on her account; and then. as
if something pulled him, he crept up
along that side path. AS he stood
listening there he heard the man laugh
and Kitty choking back sobs in a way
that no third person would like tC
hear. Did she know? he asks him
self Was it his place to warn ZEN
both that the police We're drawing the
net closer and closer round her prince
Every WE'LL the man was saying
"If I'm such villain. if I'm breaking
your heart, I'll let you co." Just like
that.
He lit n ruby lamp. threw down his
silk hat and furlined overcOat, AND
went out, humming tune Joe found
himself staring through two glas.
doors. half open, and her standing
there like some statue the pansy eye.
looking out at-at what only a woman
sees at such moment in her life
And before he knew it, his blood surg
ing up mad, he lilnps in and snatches
her cold fingers, and fair chokes 1t out
IFS because loved you and cam
bear 1t. Take his word leave hin
while there's time! For your sake