Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-14
CHAPTER vi,

breach between Vincent and myself
except his unusual pallor, which sug-
gested to me that he, too, had spent a
sleepless night.
The girls were inclined to joke our
solemn faces, but so long as the meal
passed off without disclosing that
something was s.miss between us did
not care. All day we saw nothing OF
sach other, but this was not unusual,
AZ we always pursued different
courses. I spent most Of my time
with Agatha Fourth, the only honor
able, whom l found to be really de-
lightful girl and certainly the posses
sor Of remarkable musical talent.
In the evening the others went out
to row on the lake and left Agatha
Fourth alone with me. She sat at the
piano and played everything she
could think OF, while l lay on broad
divan where I could watch her and
listen to the soft music
l suppose that my bad night had
something to do with the fact that
| was boor enough to fall asleep while
the beautiful Agatha Fourth was play
ing for me. Certainly I know that /
was guilty Of that appalling rudeness,
for | was suddenly brought to a state
of consciousness by the sound of a
clock striking. | counted the strokes
mechanically-there were IL. I must
have slept for hours, and, sure enough,
the room was dark except for the fire
light, and my sighted hostess was
gone from the piano stool. AS l was
about to rise heard voices, and, turn
ing, | saw on the other side Of the
piano man and girl. The man was
Vincent, of course, and l thought, as
I looked at him sitting full in the
bright freight, that he had never
looked so handsome. His evening dress
showed OFF his superb athletic form
to the best advantage, and his face
was fresh and strong, with the bronze
Of his tan extending to the roots of bis
hair, which was cut close to conceal
a wave in the gold of 1t. 1t occurred
to me at once that his face had lost
much of It's boyishness and he looked
every inch a man. But 1t took me
some time to realize that the girl who
sat with him was none other than the
secretary.
At first l could not tell what it was
that had so changed her, whether 1t
was her shimmering white evening
gown, or the cleaning bracelets. until
at last 1t came TO me In fash that 1t
was nothing more nor less than the
glory of her hair that had wrought the
transformation. had never seen the
secretary with heE hair done any way
but plainly and unbecomingly, but
now 1t was dressed as l knew 1t should
have been dressed long ago. She wore
1t low on her long, slender neck. rolled
at the sides and ripping loosely back
from her forehead. in shining waves
and little willful rings held in place
with big shell combs.
And when at last IL dawned upon
me that 1t was really the secretary
who was Vincent's companion, so
breathless was 1 with amaze that at
first l hardly realized that could
hear perfectly what they were saying.
And when I did realize It, wanted to
rise and let them know that / was
there, but on second thought I saw
Iudl uluSI nave DScu tOSTc lOT 50 iOlt5
that they would never believe that l
had not heard the whole of their con-
versation. Furthermore, 1t occurred
to me that 1t might be well If l stayed
to hear what Miss Marsh had to say
for herself.
And so l calmly took the dress and
put 1t on, just to amuse myself"
heard the secretary saying, "and did
my hair the way the others do theirs,
you know. And 1t was so late l thought
no one would find me here"
And If hadn't left my pipe on the
table no one would have found you
and think what I should have
missed" Vincent's voice was elo-
quent.
''Of course, 1t was very vain of ME,
very vain," she went on; but you
know when girl has to earn her own
living she gets a little tired Of all
work and no play, and sometimes the
impulse to pretend she's fortunate and
happy and-and pretty"-the secretary
flushed under Vincent's gaze as she
faltered the last word, and hurried on
land like the others-is so strong
that 1t tempts her to deck herself out
In borrowed plumcs and sit in an
empty drawing room at IL o'clock at
night enjoying the Illusion for brief
hour"
mo-" said Vincent, softly, Il don't
think it was vain; think it was the
most natural thing in the world, and
and I'm glad you did It," he ended.
rather lamely.
The secretary laughed, and I won.
dered what there was about the sound
that made Vincent rave over 1t. Then,
as his eyes wandered to her hair, ne
sighed.
'Why slightest thou, oh, furnace?'
she smiled at him.
I was just thinking about some
thing"
About what?"
You don't want. to hear?'
"AhI But dol"
All right, then" He turned on her
swiftly. Il was just looking" he said
at your hair. I'll bet the angels have
halos like that"
The secretary blushed. Its horrid
hair" she said, giving it a vindfctive
little pull that only brought it to a
more charming disarray. Il hate the
color of it. Why, when was a child
noyor oould hear RI bavo <ba ho~o;r or