Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-11-16
-tney nave broken nv Will


stone house that stood apart and COM |
manded a. noble view of the Hudson
and the Palisades. II was, In the
main. q reproduction of a French cha. |
teau, and such changes as the archi- |
tect had made in his model we're not
positively disfguring, though anus.
ing.
The appearance Of othe man who
opened the door for Anita and me
suggested that our ring mad reused
him from bed where he had deposit.
ed himself without bothering to take
of his clothes. At the sound Of my
voice, Ball peered out of his private
smokingroom, at the far end of the
hall. He started forward; then, see
ing how | was accompanied, stopped
with mouth ajar. He had on a ragged
smoking-jacket, pair of shapeless old
Romeo slippers, his ordinary business
waistcoat and trousers. He was wear
ing neither tie nor collar, and short,
black pipe was between his fingers.
We had evidently caught the house
hold stripped Of Tugs" and sunk in
the down-to-the-heel sloyenliness
which Is called comfort" Joe was
crimson with confusion, and was
using his free hand TO stroke, alter.
nately, his shiny bald head and his
heavy brown mustache. He got him.
SELF together sufficiently, after a few
seconds, to disappear into his den
When he came out again, pipe and
ragged jacket were gone, and he
rushed for US in gorgeous velvet
jacket with dark red facings, ana a
snowy pair of slippers.
"Glad to see you, Mr.. Blacklock"-
In his own home he always addressed
every man as Mister, just as Mrs.
B." always called him Mister Ball, +"
and he called her Mrs. Ball" before
company" Come right into the
front parlor. Billy, turn on the cleo
trio lights"
Anita had been standing with hei
head down. She now looked round
with shame and terror in those eI'
pressive blue-gray eyes Of hers; her
delicate nostrils were quivering.
fastened to introduce Ball to her.
Her impulse to fly passed; her life
long training in doing the conven,
tional thing asserted itself. She low,
cred her head again, murmured an in.
audible acknowledgment of Joe's
greeting.
"Your wife is at homer" said |. II
one was at home in the evening, the
other was also. and both were always
there, unless they were at some the
ater-except on Sunday night, when
they dined at Sherry's, because many
fashionable people did 1t. They had
no friends and few acquaintances. In
their humber and happy days they
had had many friends, but had los,
them when they moved away from
Brooklyn and went to live, like I'm
easy, out-of-place visitors, in their
grand house, pretending to be whai
they longed to be, longing to be whai
they pretended to be, and as discon
tented as they deserved.
"Oh, yes, Mrs. BIS at home" 10.
answered. Il guess she and Aly,
were about to go to bed" Alva wa.
their one child. She had been chris
tened Malvina, after Joe's mother
but when the Balls 'blossomed out
they renamed her Alva, which the,
somehow had got the impression wa
smarter"
At Joe's laundering confession tina
the females Of the family were in nj
condition to receive, Anita said to M
in low voice: Let US CO."
| pretended not to hear. ~Rorit 'er
out" said | to Joe. Then, take m
electric and bring the nearest parsor
There's going to be a wedding RICH
here" And looked round the Ion
salon, with everything draped for tn
summer departure. Joe whisked tn
cover of one chair, his man took O.
another. IN have the women-fol
down In two minutes" he cried. The
to the man: Get a move on 70,
Billy. Stir 'em up In the kitchen. d
the best you can about supper-an
/, put lot Of champagne on the icl
That's the main thing at a wedding
5 Anita had seated herself listlessl
In one of the uncovered chairs. tn
!, wrap slipped back from her shoulder
and-how proud I was of her! Jc
gazed, took advantage Of her not loo
Ing up to slap me on the back and
Jerk his head in enthusiastic approve
Then he, too, disappeared.
A few minutes Of silence, and the
was a rustling on the stairs. 81
started up, trembling, looked roun
as II seeking some way to escape
some place to hide. Joe was in Il
" doorway holding aside one of the Gu
:, tains. There entered In q beribbon,
and benounced tea-gown, q pretty,
!, !, rather ordinary. woman OF forty Wi
~ petulant baby face. She was tryir
to look reserved and severe. 81
; hardly glanced at me before fastenir
d sharp. suspicious eyes on Anita
y Mrs. Ball." said |, this liz Mi
~ Ellersly."
g. Miss Ellersly!" she exclaimed. h
face changing. And she advanced al
Is took both Anita's hands. "Mr. Ball
30 stupid" she went on with IN