Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-10-02
THE LOCKED DOOR.

chdrierSs US MS Wl1e met nm IN the
hall for the homecoming kiss which is
Indispensable when one is only six
months married, I've just accomplished
an act of pure Christian charity
That's just like my dear, big-hearted
boy, responded the lady, linking a dain
" arm affectionately in his, and pulling
him into the dining room. But what
was it?''
I've invited Dick Medium to stay
with us for the holiday weekend" he
said. Poor chap he would have HAD
such n beastly depressing time of II.
Good heavens, Milly, Aren't you wellgs
The little woman was indeed very
white, and gasping badly, as if for
breath.
You've invited Dick Meldrum-
hereY she cried, as soon as she could
articulate. 20 Frank, how could you?
He mustn't come-he can't, reallyr'
'Musn' can't" exclaimed Mr.. Char
ters, in some irritation. But | tell you
I've asked him! What's the meaning of
all this fuss Milly? What have you got
against him."
Nothing nothing only o, Frank,
/ have asked Ethel Cheriton. | thought
she would be so sad and lonely, and
well, of all the COMPOUNDED, unheard
Of"
20 Frank, please don't swear"
L
who had 50 recently sworn TO love and
cherish an angel in human guise. Il
hope biting emphasis that l am
equal to expressing my feelings in the
presence of a lady without the aid of
bad language. But, hang it all! Mily,
what's to be done now? Why, those
two haven't spoken to one another for
be so foolish 2"
"Me. indeedr reiorted Mlly, hotly.
Il like your stylei Why, l asked Ethel
nearly a week ago. 1t is you who have
been idiotic enough to ruin the whole
| thing"
That's just like woman returned
| Charters. withenngly. Shifting all the
question is, what the deuce are we to
doP
Dor echoed Milly. .Why, you
must put him off somehow. Say we've
got whooping cough or measles or some
thing in the house-anything so long as
he doesn't come"
mo. l am hanged if I dor' said her
some excuse to Ethel, so that she post
pones her visit"
Il shall certainly do nothing of the
kindw answered the lady warmly.
We'll. it is equally certain l shall
not tell Dick to stay away"
4 Il
enjoyable weekend for all Of US. Ethel
won't speak a word to him. I'm sure.
/ He was entirely to blame in the matter;
and. from all | can gather, he behaved
disgracefuliy to that poor girl"
Nothing of the sortl Dick told me
all about it, and Ethel was in fault from
/ first to last"
The dinner partook of the nature of a
nightmare feast than a social gathering
of friends Charters and his wife stu
diously avoided speaking to each other,
while their two guests seemed to be ut
| terly unaware of each others existence.
| When Charters spoke to Ethel, she an
swered him in mOnosyllables and when
/ Medium ventured to address his host
ess, that lady was polite to a disagree
able degree. The end of the dinner was
marked by absolute silence.
| In the drawing room afterward it
was if possible, worse STILL and Char
tiers was scarcely surprised when his
wife, under a preteXt of giving some or
| ders to the servants, escaped from the
room. Her disappearance gave him what
he thought was an inspiration, and,
watching his opportunity-wh Ethel
| was porting over a postcard album, and
Dick was assiduously examining some
ancient china on the sideboard--he slip
ped by noiselessly and softly turned the
key in the lock.
The two occupants Of the drawing
room were considerably embarrassed
when they suddenly found themselves
alone. Each, however, pretended to be
sblivions of the fact. After a few mo-
nents Ethel closed the postcard album
and having made sure that Meldrum's
back was turned, crossed softly to the
door. After turning the handle noise
iessly once or twice, she returned ia
her perusal of the album, with startled
eyes and face of furious red.
\ moment or two later, Dick Medium
BOXED around cautiously and, seeing
Ethel with her back towards him, still
apparently absorbed in her book,
thought it was a good opportunity for
escape. He moved towards the door
with great caution, and his look of an
ger and establishment on finding it locked
changed to one of embarrassment nj
the thought OF his unfortunate position.
lnstinctively, as he dropped into the
nearest armchair, his eyes wandered 10
the dlgnlhed little figure at the farther
side of the room. After short contem-
plation of the bent golden head. a
strange feeling of tenderness swept over
him. That the fastening of the door was
some trick OF Charters to bring them to.
gether again. he could not doubt: but
what would Ethel say il she knew? She
| "NNAN ASSA ahSASs uuEl anu embarrassed
even as he was; and he could NOT bear IA
see her any OF those things just now. No:
at all costs he must keep from her the
knowledge of that locked door.
Now, It is characteristic of the ma.
lority that 10 be forced into doing .
thing is intolerable, even if ii Is some.
thing one wants to do; and Dick Mel.
drum made mp his mind there and then
that the base instigators of the scheme
should be thwarted of their purpose.
OF course, after what might be deem.
ed suitable interval the door womb
be surreptitously unlocked. and, in the
meantime, he must use every eudeayor
TO prevent Ethel from finding out that
she was a prisoner.
That was his thought and the oniv
way to accomplish it, he judged, wonld
be to endeavor to engage her i'm n for
NAL conversation, so as to cover the she.
gestive absence of the Charterses Ae-
cordingly. he launched himself withont
further delay on this doubtful enter
prise.
Our host aud hostess seem to have
deserted us he remarked, in the most
| cNSnnl fODa no goulI ors7,,co