Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-22

it sent a shiver through the blue-eyed
girl
yes. my mother: we left her in
here last might; thought ii was this
room"
Il do not comprehend nam seIle."
''No. il was not This room" Alice
looked in again-"no. it was not this
room"
The hall was very quiet Anita
could hear the parrots chatter IN the
court below, the spashlng fountain.
the "coo-coo-coo" Of the pigeons
even the scraping OF Hippolyte's
broom came TO her from the ban
quette. All around her and about her
was the settled serenity OF the Creole
life. Yet she hegan TO fear-anf
tried 10 keep Alice from seeing 1t.
Anita glanced from the politely at
tentive face Of Monsieur Victor to
Alice's round blue eyes, startled and
wide open. Then She looked again
into that unfamiliar room. 10 was
very puzzling. but Of course nothing
could have happened.
Maybe. maybe" she suggested. as
II trying 20 roassure herself-"maybe
it's the next room; but felt sure that
this was the one. May we look?"
"Certainement as YOU please.
ma'm'selle"
Monsieur Victor. courteous and in
credulous. opened door after door.
There We're six rooms I'm that psrt
or the house. three on either side OF
the hall. and an rented TO carnival
visitors One OF these rooms the girls
had occupied. and in one they felt
sure they had left Mrs. Ashton. But
which? As Monsieur Victor opened
the doors the anxious girls peered in.
They found nothing.
Alice caught him by the arm.
Monsieur Victor. 10 was the room
with the great big bed I'm it-with
the green silk curtains-you remem-
Der the room that YOU put mother in
last night?"
The Frenchman smiled induigently,
and looked blank
Anita. You remember ito"
The older girl nodded. shut her lips
tightly and went On searching. In
the rear room opposite their own they
found a swect-facod old lady. very
deaf Knitting beside window.
Monsieur explained something TO her
in French through a trumpet. She
nodded thar the young ladies we're
free 20 search her room if they chose
Anita murmured an apology. and
drew Alice after her into the hall
Monsieur Victor. where Is nv
mother" Alice caught the lapel Of
bis coat. and he=ousht him: the
Frenchman SHRUGGED his shoulders
with IN expression OF painful irno-
rance.
My mother. Monsieur Victor. my
mother" the girl insisted. don't YOU
emember-try 20 remembcr-her foot
slipped size stepped In the gutter
last night when You helped her from
the cab2"
Piteously as she razed Up into his
face, the mans expression showed
that he did not remember. although
for her sake he tried very hard. He
was very sorry, very sympathetic. but
could recall no other lady being with
the two girls when they came TO his
house.
Alice dropped into a chair beside the
door. and began to cry. Anita was
not satisfied. She kept WANDERING
from room 20 room. utterly bewildered
looking for something that would set
her straight Time and AGAIN she
stopped az the FIRST door that thew
had entered.
This is the room" she said final.
ly; I'VE noticed the broken knob ON
this door when We came out last
night"
Monsieur Victor seemed a triae dis.
concerted at the positive statement
Alice sprang up and came running
ayes. 1t is. IL is"
The maid followed: Alice dragged
her across the threshold.
Try 90 remember. Arthemiso.
mother sat right there. you took on
her stocking and washed her foot
surely you remember that? Oh. no
II wasn't here at all" and the girl
burst out crying again.
Arthemise spoke no English. but
she understood, and shrugged her
shoulders
Alice came like a child to Anita
hid her head on tic other girls
breast. and suffered herself TO be led
from the room. anita stood perfect
ly still in the hail str0Ging Alice's
hair. and trying sperately hard to
think what could have happened.
For Mrs. Asht0a's room had disap-
psared-the huge bcd with green cur
tains-the Crusader knight the cabi-
net-the memories Of Laftte-Mrs.
Ashton herself the real and the I'M
real-an, everything had vanished
from the daylight. like night-born
fantasies OF q dream.
(TO BE CONTINUED