The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-05-01

tAke. Inside was the curious, distinctive
smell of a country sitting room. A red
patterned cloth covered the table, and
upon 1t stood some flowers stuck down
tightly into a. gilt chine vase. A f1y-rest
of colored paper hung from the ceiling,
and there We're some framed chromos ON
the walls. A brilliant stove, pushed back
against one of the windows, stood on a
salver of embossed tin. The room was
frankly hideous. convincingly homelike.
Not until Miss Conyers came to a pause
inside the doorway could she see the
speaker. an angular, middle-aged woman.
wedged with pillows Into a big rocking
chair. She had her face toward the door.
Her hands. kno,ted and work-hardened.
were clasped with al awkward effect OF
patience upon her lap. In the frequent
wistful turns of her head upon the chintz
pillow could be read a tale Of enforced
helplessness. She looked the strange up
and down with a shrewd. eager scrutiny.
You didn't git morn a few drops, did
you?" she began at once. Her eyes were
keenly studying the folds of the dainty
French muslin gown. II watched you go
past The house a while ago, an L thought
then, There, it's comm on to rain. an
she amt got no umbrella along!' j made
sure you'd git Il good drcnchin' fore you
got back"
Miss Conyers smiled.
81 nearly did! / ran for the nearest shell
ter when 1 saw it coming. | was going
10 ASK II l could wait on your porch till
the shower was over
II guess I'll see folks standin' on my
porch while I've got a cheer to offer EN-
The pain-lined face curved unexpectedly.
we amt quite destitute here yit! Stayin'
over the village, amt youo"
AT the hotel" With quiet tact Miss
Conyers had fetched one of the stiff
backed chairs from against the wall and
sat down. I've never been in this part
before. It's very pretty."
Il knew you We're a visitor. I've
watched you goin' by here sometimes.
You drove by here with a gentleman last
Sunday, in one of Haynes buggies. 1
can see most everyone that goes past the
house, through the door there. That's
how [ saw YOU comm today.
The screen door framed, In fact, a COM
pie.e little vista of the street outside.
From her chair this middle-aged prisoner
could watch day by day a detailed portion
of the world beyond her doorstep.
II take a real pleasure noticin' people. ]
amt always been as helpless as %this-only
since last March. My daughter, Ida, she
come back then. She'd bin away from
home Soin' on three years. First thipg
she sad was: Now. as soon as the wealth
er s.ts settled. I'm go;n' to move YOU In
to the front room. SOS you can see a bi: OF
everything goes on An here she fixes
me up, every afternoon"
Miss Conycr's eyes rested on the shrewd.
patent face. The slight, happy change of
voice. an unconrcious difference Of inflec-
!ion. had not escaped her.
You must have been glad to get your
daughter back" she said.
II guess ! was! She came right away
as soon as she heard. Jest left everythin'
an come. She's an artist. what they call.
! don't mean paintin'." Mss Conyers
nodded. She acts. She's Travelled pretty
well all over the country, actin. Maybe
you've seen her sometime. l wouldn't a
bit WONDER
perhaps I have. What is her name?"
Ida Bassett, bat she took the name OF
Conyers. Miss Helen Conyers. because she
said 1T was better'n usin' jest her own
name, up in the city. The papers spoke
awful well of her. She cut out most of
the notices an sent EN- back TO me.
There's quite a big book of en- Nv got.
There was a genuine interest in the Wis
i;or's face as she said: "Jndeed. mas | see
them? You say she plays under the name
of Helen Conyers?"
"Conyers-ycs. Thet's the book over
there. on the stand al the corner. You'll
hev to excuse me; / cans. move around.
but maybe you wouldn't mind gittin II fur
me? On the notion shelf. You'd be inter-
ested to see it,"
II certainly should"
Miss Conyers moved wonderingly to the
little vanished stand while the woman
quick glance directed her almost impa-
tiently. She found the '""t 9 chear