Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-11-06
CHAPTER III.-continued.

Onds ago, nad not seemed One-nalt so
awkward to meet as this.
Explanations to person of his caliber
Indifferent. hstless, barely civil-struck
Diana as particularly distasteful, and
she decided merely to speak brief re-
lection, and leave her companion to frame
his own conclusions.
With an effort she controlled the tell
tale color and did so.
"As you like" said the other careless
". and swept his hand across the banjo
in few bars of Pyrennean love song.
Diana could not help observing-even
at so awkward moment-ilow rich and
full was the melody he managed to ex-
tract from the instrument
She stood and considered him under the
shelter of her cap, and was quite uncon-
scious that he was likewise taking stock
of her.
''You are not southerner, l take it ?"
he drawled presently Perhaps York
shireman?"
~Why?" asked Diana, not trusting her
low feminine voice to more than mono
syllable conversation.
Independence, 1 have always gathered,
is the keynote to Yorkshireman's char
acter ~ won't even remove your cap,
but prefer to stand aloof like a popular
picture of Napoleon in Elba. Pray do as
you like, however"
And, striking chord, pianissimo, he
hummed a few verses of a plantation
lullaby, and left his companion to her
own devices.
The grace of the man, his charm of
voice, the rich comfort of the surround
ings in which she had discovered him.
made curious impression upon Diana.
An instructive contempt dilated her
nostrils, and as she stood looking down
upon him from her five-foot ten inches he
glanced up and returned the gaze with
equal chill and hostility.
What graceful lounger the man APP
peared, born to syllable lovesongs, mu-
sically to minister in boudoirs, and to
make drawing room reputation by deli
cate persifage.
Her criticisms were cut short by the
entrance of DIR. Sanderson
He was booted and cloaked, and carried
small bag.
"Gout again, / suppose, sir2" he said
rapidly "Gout and complications, or I
shouldn't have had you here on such a
night. Get that box of matches off the
mantelpiece, will you? object to hav-
ing no light about me in these dark lanes
Now come along and measure your pace
with mine"
To obey his behest it was necessary for
Diana to leave her post behind a settle
and cross the rich rugs of the doctors
sanctum; and a swift jet of annoyance
flashed up in her bosom that at the last
moment her host should imperil the sue
cess of her disguise and make explana-
tons unavoidable.
Her skirt was kirtled high above her
ankles, and Diana's foot was particularly
small and unmasculine.
Dauntlessly, however, she trod the in
teryening space, fearful to her finger
tips of the alertness behind half lowered
eyelids.
She reached the mantelpiece and put
out her hand for the box
The gray eyes from the sofa head
watched her, caught by her pride of gait
A CLEAN of humor widened the half
dropped lids, a quick contraction of mus
Gle strangied an unbidden smile.
BY Jove!" he said under his breath
And from the well -shod foot and firm,
round ankle his eye leapt, lightning like,
to the slender hand seeking the match
box
For brief second their eyes met.
The recognition meant nothing, for she
had had no intention to masquerade. or
to deceive.
McClure's enjoyment of the moment
Its silence, its exquisite surprise--was
acute, and every line of his face showed
it.
If Diana could have slain him by a
glance he would have met his death that
very night indeed
With painting bosom and head thrown
IN alr-the veriest Diana of the Woods
aggreved-she withdrew her gaze from
ms, and the last impression she bore with
her into the wet blacl1ness was a fine
thln face flung upwards in an inward
paroxysm of laughter and nonchalant
ups keeping back their mirth.
Poor fool!" cried her angry heart. ITO
afnuse people of your stuff isn't diff
cult task"
and her vexation became almost rage
u was only with an effort that she
brought back her mind to the questions
OF her companion.
Please, am woman and not a man.
~. Sanderson," she said hotly, before
ney mad well left the crooked larch be-
nlnd i don't know why you thought
me anything else"
Bless me, / can't think why l did," he
iielomed imperturbably splashing along
" her side. 'But no bones are broken
9y the mistake. You took US both in
delightfully."-"
know"
4, ~ eoursel My own mistakei And
heCInre lives in world of his own, and
~oaidnt have noticed if you had been
'uroaned or trousered"
lie looks pleasant idler," said Diana,
mno was still smarting under her recent
APerence, and put her annoyance into
her criticism.
IN the darkness.
Fieasant idlerl Hey day, You ex-
press your opinion easily, young lady"
CHAPTER ".
Turing week in which UncleNat was