Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-19

 lshed. the gaze was cnvexed and bright. the whole man seemed to have settled into himself. to have grown trim. nonchalant, debonair. He held up his hand, palm outward, between the electric globe and his eye. There was not a tremor of nerve or muscle. He smiled. No headache, no fever, no uncertain feet or trembling hands or swollen tongue after more than a week of deep potations. He could still sober up'' as he used to do with Blake. the butler. to help him) when 1t had been mere matter of an even- ing's tipsiness. And how fine 1t felt to be decently clad again!
 He crossed to cheval glass. The dark, handsome face that looked out at him was clean cut and aristocratic, perfect save for one blemish-a pale line that slanted across the right brow, birthmark. resembling a scar. All his life this mark had been an eyesore to its owner. It had trick of turn ing an evil red under the stress of an- ger or emotion.
 On the features. young and vigorous as they were, subtle lines of self in- dulgence had already set themselves, and beneath their expression. cavalier and caressing. lay the unmistakable stigmatn of inherited weakness. But these the gazer did not see. He re- garded himself with egotistic compla- cency. Here he was just as sound as ever. He had had his fling and taught "the governor" that he could get along we'll enough without any paternal help if he chose.
 He attentively surveyed the room. It was clean and dusted-evidently 1t had been carefully tended. He might have stepped out of 1t yesterday. Not thing had been disturbed-yes, one thing. His portrait that had hung over his bed was not in It's place. A mo- mentary sense of trepidation rushed through him. Could his father really have meant all he had said In his rage? Did he really mean to disown him?
 For an instant he faced the hall door with clinched hands. Somewhere in the house. unconscious of his presence, was that ward of whose coming he had learned. Moreau was a good friend to have warned him. Was she part of a plan of reprisal-her presence there g tentative threat to him? Could bis fa- ther mean to adopt her? Might that great house. those grounds, the bulk of his wealth. go to her, and he. the son. be left in the cold? He shivered. Per haps he had stayed away too long!
 As he turned again. he heard sound in the hall. He listened. A light step was approaching-the swish of gown. With sudden impulse he stepped into the embrasure of the window, as the figure of girl paused at the door. He felt his face flush. She had thrown a crimson kimono over her white night gown. and the apparition seemed to part the dusk of the doorway like the red breast of robin. She held in her hands bunch of the pale Marechal Mel roses, and his>eye caught the long rebellious sweep of her bronze hair and the rosy tint of bare feet through the worsted meshes of her night slip pers.
 To his wonder the sight of the light ed room seemed to cause her no sur prise. For an instant she stood still as though listening, then entered and placed the roses in a vase on a reading ! stand by the bedside.
 Hugh gasped. To reach the stand the girl had passed the spot where he stood, but she had taken no note of him. Her gaze had gone by him as if he had been empty air. Then he real ized the truth; Jessica Holme was blind! Moreau's letter had given him no inkling of that So this was the l girl with whom his father now threat ened him! Was she counting on his not coming back, waiting for the wind fall? She was blind-but she was beautiful! Suppose he were to turn the tables on the old man, not only l climb back into his good graces through i her. but even
 The thin line on his brow sprang suddenly scarlet. What a supple, 1 graceful arm she had! How adroit her fingers as they arranged the rose stems! Was he already wholly black ened in her opinion? What did she think of him? Why did she bring those flowers to that empty room? | Could it have been she who had kept it clean and fresh and unaltered against 1 his return? A confident, daring look ] grew in his eyes. He wished she could see him in that purple tie and velvet smoking jacket What an opportunity for romantic self justification Should he speak? Suppose it should frighten her!
 Chance answered him. His respira- ton had conveyed to her the knowl- edge of presence in the room. He heard her draw quick breath. "Somc one is here" she whispered.
 1 He started forward "Wait, waitv' he said in lond whisper as she sprang back. But the voice seemed to startle her the more, and before he could reach her side she was gone. He heard her flying steps descend the stair and the opening and closing of door.
 The sudden flight jared Hugh's pleasurable sense of novelty. He thrust bis hands deep into his pockets. Now he was in for 1t! She would alarm the house, rouse the servants. He should