The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-05-22

fering so much more extreme than amy
Loretta had ever before witnessed
frightened her so that the tray shook
IN her hand as She set it down on the
table among the countiass objects Mrs
Jeffrey always had about her. Tba
noise seemed to startle her Mistress
who had walked t. the window after
opening the door. foF she wheeled i'm
petuously about and Ecretta saw her
face. II was MS II O blight had passed
over Il. Once gay and animated be-
yOnd the power Of any one 10 describe
Il had become in twenty four hours n
ghosts face. with the glare Of some
awful resolve on n: or % Il would
appear from the way Loretta describ-
ed it.
Loretta, who was evidently accus-
toned to seeing her mistress arrayed
in brilliant colors and much begem-
med. laid great stress on the fact that.
though it was on the verge OF evening
and she was evidently going out she
was dressed ia black cloth and with.
nut even diamond or flower TO re.
iieve its severe simplicity Her hair.
too. which was always her pride. was
piled in a careless mass upon her head
as II she had tried TO arrange it her
self and had forgotten what she was
doing while her fingers We're but half
through their work There was a
cloak lying on a chair near which She
was standing and she held n hat IN her
hand, but Loretta saw no gloves AS
the maids glance and that Of her mis-
tress crossed. Mrs. Jeffrey spoke and
the effort she made in doing so natu-
rally frightened the girl still more. Il
am going out" were her words. Il
may not be home till late what are
looking atY'
T Loretta declared that the words took
her by surprise and that she did not
know what to say, but managed to COW
er up her embarrassment by intimating
that if her mistress would let her
touch up her hair a bit she would
make her look more natural.
At this suggestion Mrs. jeffrey cast
a glance in the glass and impetuously
declared, 1t doesn't matter" But she
seemed to think better Of 1t the next
minute; for. throwing herself in a
chair, she bade the girl to bring a
comb and sat quietly enouV' though
evidently in a treat e.. .dor Of haste
and impatience. NGlle Loretta combed
her hair and put It up ia the old way.
But the old way was not as becom-
ing as usual, and Loretta was wonder.
ing II she ought TO call IN Miss TuttC
when Mrs. jeffrey jumped to her feet
and went over 10 the table and began
to eat with the feverish haste Of one
/ who forces herself to take food in
| spite Of hurry and distaste
This was the moment for Loretta tC
leave the room, but she did not know
I how TO do so. She felt herself fixed
! TO the spot and stood watching Mrs
/ Jeffrey till that lady suddenly becom
ing conscious Of the girls presence
turned. and in the midst of the moan'
which broke uncousciously from hel
/ lips said with a pltiable effort at hel
/ old manner:
Go away. Loretta; ! am i'll; have
been ill for two days J don't like peo
I ple to look nj me Ike that" Then, as tn,
/ girl shrank back. she added in a break
I ing voice. when Mr. jeffrey comes
/ home"- and said no more for severa
minutes, during which she clutchel
her throat with both hands and strug
| gled with herself till she got her voic,
back and found herself able TO repeat
when Mr. Jeffrey comes, if he does
come. tell him that ! was right abou
the way that novel ended. Remembe
that you are TO say to him the momen
You see him that was right about tn,
novel and that be is to look and see i
il did not end as ! said it would. And
Loretta here she rose and approach
cd the speaker with a sweet, appeal
ing look which brought tears TO th'
impressionable girls eyes-"don't &,
gossiping about me downstairs.
shan't be sick long / am going TO b'
better soon very soon. BY the tim'
you see me here again shall be quit
like my old self Forget how-how'-
and Loretta said she seemed to have
difficulty in finding the right word her
-"how childish have been"
OF course Loretta promised. but sh,
is not sure that she would have ha,
the courage TO keep all this TO hersel
II she had not heard Mrs. Jeffrey stoI
In Miss Tuttle's room on her way out
That relieved her and enabled her Il
60 downstairs to her own supper will
more appetite than she had though
ever to have again Alas, II was IN
last good meal she was able 10 eat fo
daysl In three hOdrs afterwnrd I
man came from the station house Will
the news Of Mrs. Jeffrey's snIcide fl
the horrible old house IN which sin
had been married only two weeks be
fore
As this had been continuous mar
rative and concisely told. the corcne
had not Interrupted her When al thi
poiut q litsle gasp escaped Miss Tuiu
and a groan broke from Francis JET
frey's hitherto sealed lips the feeling
Of the whole assembage seemed q
find utterance A young wife's miser
eliminating IN dedth on the very spo
where she had been 50 lately married
What could be more thrilling or ap
peal more closely to tie general hear
OF humanity But the cause Of TIA
misery, This was what every one pres
ent was eager To have eNplained Till
Is what we now expected the corone
TO bring out But Instead OF contnu
ing ou the line he had opened up h
proceeded 10 ask.