Middletown transcript., 1907-08-17
THE CROOKED STICK
Ard she has never married !

AS E6b---lt0. 4Sz NSeN 81 z - -
one Of those who go through the
wood, and at The end pich up g I
crooked stick. I've told her 50 Q
dozen times, but she only laughs
perhaps you may have noticed
her way about this thing
And you think she has picked
up the crooked stick now
The Duchess shrugged her
plump shoulders comfortably
oh, we'll Latimer Is . dear,
nice fellow, but still | don't know.
There are queer stories about
him, you know, and should be
sorry if q filtration on his side
was interpreted as something
more-by her. She might have
had her pick of the eligible BACH
elors in London-to say nothing
of several counties some years
ago. but she would have nothing
to say to any one OF them.
Rachel was always di6lciie. and
being her own mistress makes it
the harder to counsel her. There.
she goes again Really, ] do
hope she is not finding her soul,
or whatever they call it, with
Latimer!
Mrs. Werner laughed.
Well, they seem to be enjoying
1t, whatever they are doing, She
said gaily, and then turned away
and picked up her book. II was
really too bad to watch The cou-
pie, who were SO engrossed II
one another that they might have
been on desert island alone for
all the good they were 20 the rest
of the world.
II was New Years Day. Out
side, the world lay still i aud pence
full under the she!tering mantle
of newly fallen snow. Inside,
great wood fires filled the quaint
old rooms with brightness and
warmth, and skating was ex-
pected to be the great amusement
during the coming week. A
number of people had assembled
under the Duchess of Hastleton $
hospitable roof to celebrate the
festive season, and among the
crowd Latimer and Rachel En-
derby had almost instinctively
gravitated together from the
very first. It was as if fate was
drawing them together with 9
cord TOO strong for any human
hand to break, and TO Latimer
this was q new and intoxicating
influence in his life He had
seen and known his world, but in
it he had never met another
Rachel that was about What il
all came to, yet he spoke no word
only his eyes told their own tale
and the woman was content tt
drift along in The knowledge OF 9
coming happiness, which woulc
surely be hers all in good time.
It was, on this snowy New
Years Day, when the magic O
the season Of peace and goodwill
on earth lay about them, that hs
walked with her in the picture
gallery, where dead and gone
Hastletons and their fair wives
looked down at them FROM stately
portraits, and was moved by al
irresistible impulse to speak t
her of what had been to him ant
the world sealed book. The
world said that Latimer had {
past of not altogether repnt
able character they also saie
that whatever the scandal haC
been, he had lived it down dog
gedly, and things were coming
right for him; but mud stick:
too fast TO be easily shaken off
No one knew better. about tina
subject than Latimer himself.
Yes, I had to fight my owr
way in the world, he said abruptly
Il was in the army for time
spent some Of my youth in lndii
then fate was kind for once
and brought me q legacy which
set my feet in another position
altogether. / came home, tool
up my new duties as country
gentleman, and changed N,
name-that was part of the ar
rangement--it allowed me t.
make a fresh start anyway.
Rachel nodded she remem
bered with q swift rush Of colo
TO her face that someone had toll
her thai Latimer had q history
But you will make more .
yoursfuture, she said gently, in
tone of assertion rather than .
interrogation. Ile stared at her
then grew little white.
would if The words diet
on his lips as gay voices ant
hurrying feet invaded the soil
- - a a. r~allarx