The San Francisco call., 1906-07-01


HIM goin' back ONE" said Annie
Otter.
The boarders clattered out and down
the front steps. One or two of the
Younger men called across the yard to
her:
Hi there, Posyr''s
Don't cry, sissy. 'Teint as bad as
il looks"
Wait till the clouds roll By. Mamie"'
Annie otter bolted for the kitchen,
the yellow dog at her heels. and collid-
ed with Mrs. McClintock on the way to
the back stoop.
Did Mrs. Vaughan send f'me?"
Annie asked, then clapped. both hands
over her mouth.
The wilder jumped. She had heard
agitated voices in the front room, had
OWNED that this was no ordinary call,
but such a revelation went beyond the
widest conjecture.
No Mrs. Vaughan's still a-talkin'
with him" she said cunningly. Ssh
don't say a word. The rest of EN-
amt TO know"
Annie's look of wretchedness changed
TO one of relief 1t was such COM
fort to have some one else in the Sc
cret. A secret unshared is the most
hopeless form of solitary confinement.
Baby there, too?" she queried.
Course" replied Mrs. McClintock
His fatherd want to see him-There
he's a-goin'. now" She scuttled ava.
in the direction OF the front room
Her heart was in her throat, but if i
choked her. she must avail herself OF
the opportunity that Fate had put int
her hands. There was still that ole
score over Dick Dale to be wiped out
TO say nothing of the countless occa
sions when the parson had shown hi.
dislike of her and his contempt. Sht
hurried into the hall. Della was al
ready halfway up the stairs with the
child. The parson had gone; he hat
escaped, but his wife was at her mercy
What's your hurry?" she called ia
miliarly. Why didn't ye ask your hus-
band to stay and eat dinner with yeY
Della looked down over the bannister
Her face was white Should she deny
her true relationship to Vaughan before
this woman? Whittier yet she grew, but
she did not speak.
''Ye oughter KEEP yer husband to ca
With ye"' repeated the landlady.
Tell that hard-featured, mocking
creature that she was not Clement
ff-ughan's wife? Impossible!
He was in a hurry this noon. Hi
viii be in again, later" she said loftily
and, wrapping her dignity of married
womanhood about her, went on to he
room
Very soon after she had entered il
! there came a tap at the door. Il don
wanter entrewed," said Mrs. McC!in-
! took. entering, but l was thinkin
| praps you'd like somethn' differali
/ for dinner. The rest of us had pigs
/ feet" She seated herself in rocking
chair and rocked 10 and FRI.
1t makes very little difference wha
/ have" snapped Della. so l am al.
/ 70 IL a&al fa al
Annie to bring the baby's milk. and {
cracker, and be quick about it.'' Sht
/ opened the door into the hall.
My, but she's a Tartar" commented
the landlady. descending the stairs. :.
guess he's got his dose. all right, with,
out any help from me-"
She found Annie and delivered hei
over to her mistress. to be dealt will
as Della saw good, then threw a shaw
over her head and went out the bach
way through the alley to Mag Reddy' s
To her, with voluble comments upor
the story, she handed the torch Mas
! handed il to Billy. her man. Billy tool
il to Jackson's saloon. Before nlidnigh
the conaagration had spread from tn,
'ieiger Grade to Richmond lHill.
1t was Mrs. Wellman who igniteI
! Miss Emmeline. seeking her out fo
/ that purpose as she sat alone in the
/ library reading. Katharine was in he
own room. playing softly to herself OF
the piano. The rest. save the children
who were in bed, had gone to one o
the infrequent dramatic performance
! given by travelling companies in th
! town hall.
Il never was so upset in all NJ,
days. said Mrs. Wellman, when sh
/ had repeated what Mr.. Morgan sail
/ that Mrs. Barker said that Mrs. Jack
son said her husband told her. An,
I Sheds out of town. as he always i
when there's anything going on.
just had TO talk to somebody. so
come over here.-Shed fairly worship
the ground that man walks on don
know what on earth the churchill dc
1 suppose it'll go TO pieces again.-Th
superintendent of Missions II have t
take it up. He sent him here
Has anybody seen herr" asked Mis-
( Emmeline, in hushed. awed tones. ''Th
woman, l mean"
Mrs. Morgan thinks she saw her tn
day she came. standin' on the corner il
front of Jack Perry's saloon, talkir
with him. with the child in her arms
Just think. a child"
%But if she's his wife" suggeste
Miss Emmeline tamely.
But they say she amt" excIaime
the visitor. First. she said she was
then she said she wasn't Anyhow i
looks queer, ms not saying word al
this time"
Yes, it does" said Miss EmmeIint
The vague doubts and suspicious whic
the young preacher had aroused in he
upon his arrival returned.
No wonder he made her feel queei
What would Katharine say? She lis
tened absent mindedly while Mr..
Wellman went on repeating gossiI
hearsay and supposition. Now an
then she interjected a sympathetic o
encouraging exclamation.
II must go" said Mrs Wellman a
length. Miss Emmeline watched he
down the steps, off into the velvet
October darkness. There was a damn
; unwholesome odor of decaying vegeta
tion in the air. Her delicate nostril
quivered before il. 1t somehow SCENE
related TO the story she had heard. a
! atmosphere TO be avoided. to guar
ones self against. She instinctivel
laid about her for IL otecting counter
influence. Katharine ought to know
anyway. She tiptoed across the ha.
and raped at he door of the little sit
ting-roon.
Katharine sat before the piant
dreamily lingering the keys. Her hear
had been filled with strange. changin
emotions since dawn. The sleeples
night, the intoxicating consciousness @
a presence that EMBODIED and elaine