Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-02

was scarcely 10. Time enough for that
aftcrward.
He drew out tho drawer Of chffo.
nicr, opened closet and glonted over
the order and plenty of their contents.
He lmndc difficult selection from these
and. steady'ng his progress by wall
ana chair. opened the door of an nd.
joining bathroom. It contained cir
cular bath with needle shower. With
ont removing his clothing he climbed
into this. balancing himself with an
effort. found and turned the cold fan-
Get and let the ICY water chilled from
nrtcstan depths. tr!cklc over him In
hundred singing needle points.
1t was II very different figure that
rc-entered the larger room n half hour
later from the sinking mudark that
Ind climbed the rose trcllis. The old
Hugh lay. heap of soilcd and sodden
garments; the new stood forth shay.
Oh, fragrant with fresh linen and clean
and TT apparel The tnnudlin had van
lShrd. the gaze was unvcXed and
bright. the whole man seemed to have
/
/ trim. noncbalnnt, debonair He held
up his hand. palm outward. between
the electric globe and his eye. There
WIS not a trcnor OF nerve or muscle.
Hc smiled. No headache, no fever no
uncertain feet or trembling hands or
swollen tongue after more than n
/ week OF deep potatious. lie could still
I ia n
Blake. the butler. to help HIM when
1t had been Il mere matter Of an even
inE's tipsincss. And how fine II felt to
be decently clad agnn
He crossed to q 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 santed across the right brow.
blrthmarl, resen bling a scar. All
his life this mark had been an eyesore
TO its owner 1t had n trick Of turn
ing an evil rod under the stress OF an
ger or emotion
On the features. young aud vigorous
as they were. subtle lines of self IN
diligence had already set themselves
and beneath their expression. cavalier
and caressing. lay the unmlstakable
ktignata Of inherited weakness But
these the gazer did not see He re-
Garded himself with cgotistic compla-
cency. Here he was Just as sound rs
ever. He had had his cling and taught
"thc governor" that he could get along
well ennngh without any paterna help
II he ci.S$e.
He nttentively surveyed the room
1t was clean and dusted-evidently il
had been carefully tended. lie might
have stepped ont of it yesterday. Not
a thing had been disturbcd--yes. one
thing. His portrait that had hung over
his bed was not in its place a mo-
mentnry 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 clincheh hands. Somewhere In
the house unconscious Of his presence
was that ward Of whose coming he ha'
learned. Moreau was u good friend L
have warned him Was she part Of
plan Of reprisnl-her presence there
tentative threat to him? Could his ia
Their mean to adopt her? Might tina
great house those grounds the bulk O
his wealth. go to her. and be. the sou
be left in the cold? He shivcred PEI
haps he had stayed away too long!
AS he turned again. he heard II SCUM
In the hall. He listened. a light ste
was approaching-th swish Of n gowr
With sudden impulse he stepped int
the einbrasure OF the window. as tn
figure OF a girl paused at the door. II
felt his face flush. She had thrown
crimson kiInono over her white nigh
gown, and the appnrition seemed I
part the dusk of the doorway like th
: red breast of Il robin She held In he
. hands n bunch OF the pale Marechs
Mel roses, and his eye caught the lon
= rebellous sweep Of her bronze hal
and the rosy tint OF bare feet throuH
the wOrsted meshcs OF her night sill
pers
l To his wonder the sight OF the lteh
ed room seemed TO cause her no gu
| y
though listening. then entered an
II placed the roses In vase on a readln
J. stand by the bedside.
Hugh gasped. TO reach the stan
the girl had passed the spot where b
: stood, hut she had taken no note {
:, him. Her gaze had gone by him as
= he had been empty alr. Then he rea
lied the truth; Jessica Holme wa
= blind. Moreau's letter had given hi
no inhling of that. SO this was ,h
= girl with whom his father now threa
encd him! Was she counting on h
. not coming back. waiting for the win,
TALL? She was blind-but she We
beautiful. Suppose he We're to tur
y the tables on the Old man, not onl
cllmb back into his good graces throug
. her, but even
y The thin line Oh his brow spiMr
= suddenly scarlet What suppl
graceful arm she had! How adrolt b,
!. fingers as they arranged the 10,
!, stems! Was be already wholly hlao
encd in her opinion? What did 81
>, think of him? Why did she hrir
those flowers to that empty veon
y Could 1t have been she who had keI
J. 1t clean and fresh and unaltered again
y his return? \ confident, daring loo
u grew In his eyes. lie wished she cou
9 see him in that purple tie and velv
" smoking Jacket What an apporsupi