The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09

tude, as She stood there, taIEing earnestly to the drive, he'd INN
sPeIbound and alert All was not right; there was passion IN her
movements and IN her voice What she said drew the heads OF
What had pbanppened5 Notb;no that conccrncd the iayvcr Mr..
Esnn Ia nu III ia ~ N "ou4nrs n' s; one s q uS -
front where he had ridden with the driver, but the sister was not
there. No other lady got out of the coach even after his young wife
had finished her conversation with the driver and disappeared into
How can I stand ths3~ thought Mr.. Ransom as the coach
finally ratified and swished away towards the stable. . must hear,
l must see, | must know what IS going on down there. -
l5ds because he-heaTd voices in m the open hall Tossing t. his
into the office close by the front door. He could hear now and
then a word of what they said. but not all Venturing a step fur
Their he leaned over the balustrade which extended almost up to
his own door. This was better; he could now catch most of the
~Temper-her own way-deaf-would walk in all the rain and
sush-a strange character-you can't imagine" and other similar
phrases. uttered in a passionate and halfangry voice. Then eacuia-
tons from Mrs. Dec and a word or two Of caution or injunction in
the staircase, over which he was leaning.
Show me my ROOM" rang up in Georgians beIIikc tones;
Then I'll tell you what to do about her She isn't easily managed
But she'll get her deathP eXPostulated Mrs. Dec; TO say moth
Of asneTityy in # @Sbe nus tTndpe out her tantrnn, fft ~ think
br ;dea 80 80 chou - r. Ioobor - aI ~ - tM@
lane where she used to pick blackberries. You needn't worry about
her getting cold, She's lived a gypsy life too many years to mind
wind and wet But its different with me I'm all II a shiver. Which
She was now at the head of the stairs. Mr.. Ransom had closed
his door, but not latched it, and as she turned to go down the hall,
dressed in a long rain-coat and had some sorto Of modish hat OF her
head, which, in spite of its simplicity, gave her a highly fashionable
s Sncb a woman rmtd to - dTa " all ale eyes, but such a mystery TO her husband
for no one seemed to know her story:
open a door and look in: say a word of COMMUNICATION, ask if the
key was on her side Of the partition, then shut the door again and
All, this looks comfortable" She exclaimed in great satisfaction.
rs that my bag? Put it down, please. I'll open it. Now, if you'll
leave m a mmonet alone, I'll soon be ready. But YOU mustn't X
pect me TO eat till Annra comes. l couldn't do that. Oh, she's a
dreadful trial, Mrs. Dec; you have 4 mOtherly face, and I can tell
you that the girl IS just eating up my life. If she weren't my very
years Of a miserable and hafstarved life I couldn't bear it, especial
ly after what I've sacrificed for her. I've parted with my husband
but | can't talk, / can't I would not have said so much if you
hadn't looked so kind"
All this her husband heard, followed by a sob or two, quickly
checked, however, by q high strained laugh and the gay remark:
Pm wet enough. but she'll be dripping. I'm afraid she'll have to
have her supper in her room. She got out at the new schoolhouse and
started to come through the lane. 1t must be a weterng pool. II
I'm dressed in time III come down and meet her at the door.
Meanwhile don't wait for us; give Mr.. Harper his supper"
Her door closed, then suddenly opened again. "If she don't
come in ten minutes, let som one go to the head of the lane. But
be sure its a careful person who won't starhe her. I've got to put
n another dress, SO don't bother me. I'll hear her when she n
tiers her own room and will speak to her thcn-f I dare; I'm not
sure that I shall" And the door shut again, this time with a snap
OF the lock Quiet reigned once more in the hall save for Mrs. Deos
muttered eXclamations S she made her laborious way down stairs.
Had this good woman been less disturbed and not in 81 much of
a hurry, she might have noted that the door of her literary guests
room was ajar, and stopped to ask why the lamp remained unlt.
For FIVE minutes, for ten minutes, he watched and listened, pass
ing continually to and fro from door TO window. But his vigilance
remained unrewarded by any further movement in the hall, or by
the sight of \ aDOrOachin0 figure II the road He heoan RI feel