The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-08-24

air of indecision. But Mrs. Lawson
had caught sight of him from the
porch where she sat, with huge hand
bell on her knee, waiting for her
boarders to come home for supper.
There was shade of embarrass-
ment on his handsome face.
Mrs. lawson" said Sinclair, with
visible effort, Il came by to see if you
would take Katharine and myself to
board
I'm the name of the blessed lamb"
calculated Mrs. Lawson, staring at
him over the gate pickets, whatever
has happened? What do you want to
go anywhere and board foy? Amt the
Catalpas-"
1T is wrench to me to leave the
old place." Sinclair interrupted, "and
my father will be very lonely now that
my mother is dead. But Katharine
has set her heart on it, and if you will
take us"
II haven't sign of room left,
Alick," Mrs. Lawson broke in, except.
the room on the roof" she added
obviously. -.
well. what is the matter with the
room on the roof" demanded Sinclair,
whimsically.
He threw back his head as he spoke,
and screwed his eyes up at the box
like structure planted on the roof of
the low cottage.
Nothing" returned Mrs. Lawson,
hastily, nothing at all, except that it
is so small. Besides, the stair is like
ladder. Katharine would never"
"All right; I'll take it at your own
price, Mrs. lawson"
She was very beautiful, the golden
haired girl whom Alick Sinclair had
brought, bride, to his fathers house
less than two years before. The mys-
FERROUS malady which developed short
ly after her marriage, and which con-
tinued to battle her physician, had
robbed her cheeks of their color and
bloom. But it. added an indescribable
charm to her delicate face and fragile
figure. An unearthly, expression
dawned into her large blue eyes-a
president gaze, as if ner vision, like
her sense of hearing, had become alb
normally acute. Something almost
akin to awe filled those around this
exquisite. young creature at sight of
her strange and inexplicable suffer-
ings. She had, apparently, no bodily
allment. But the slightest irregular
sound thrilled her with nervous alarm;
her attenuated frame shook with con-
vulsions at any unexpected appear
ance; she paled at Whit of unaccus-
toned perfume. She ate but little,
and seemed to have lost the faculty of
sleep. Latterly, morbid distaste for
the old Sinclair homestead had pos
sessed her. She breathed with cliff
Guilty within it's lofty walls; she was
oppressed by the atmosphere of it's
shadowy garden.
The same night saw them installed
in Mrs. Lawson's room on the roof.
The room was small. A four-posted,
mahogany bedstead, with balduchin
and side steps, occupied at least one
quarter of the floor space
Sinclair, seated on the side of the
bed, smiled as he compared this
cramped rookery with his wife's ample
dressing-room at the Catalpas. But
he felt an unwonted lightness of spir-
1t. He could see the reflection of
Katharine's face in the mirror oppo-
site. She stood with her back to him,
brushing out her long hair. There
was a look of content on her white
brow; he even fancied touch of color,
in her lips; her golden hair seemed to
nave regalned somewhat of it's lost
luster
She was right" he thought; .*the
change has already helped her.
He watched with delight the rhyth-
mic motion of her slender arms.
Meanwhile he chatted gayly Of his
boyhood days, and the recollections
aroused by Mrs. Lawsons motherly
gossip. Katharine listened, turning
from time to time with nod or a
smile
He stopped abruptly, staring con-
fusedly into space. He passed H.;
hand across his forehead and contin-
ued his story. But the words were ut
tered mechanically Was .there-hs
was asking himself-was there some
thing moving between Katharine and
himself? Something faint and shad-
owy?-cloudlike? misty? Yes! No.
He shut his eyelids tightly and opened
them again. Yes! He could see It
plainly now, the gray-clad figure of
woman with head dropped to her
breast and arms hanging at her side.
my God!" he groaned, inwardlv
NOW Katharine will turn around.
She will see it! The shock will kill
her! She will die! She will drop
dead before my eyes!"
"Katharine!'' the words burst invo1-
UNFAIRLY from his lips He sprang for
ward with outstretched arms.
Did you speak, Alick?" asked his
wife, looking over her shoulder.
"Yes-no-that is, -" he SIAM
mered, a cold sweat beading his fore
head. \
The visitor had resumed her ghostlv
walk s~s
Dear Alick," said Katharine. Ca
ressingly, Il know you must be tired.
l will be ready for bed in one mo-
ment." - - rs%E1 = ~