Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-05-06

the long night, and h was not my idea
Of comfort. / uttered an impulsive
ejaculation OF sympathy, but she
checked me with some dignity and re
marked that she thought she would
take my advice and go home.
Il shall be all the better for a cup
Of tea" she said. Isn't it curious how
depressed one gets when one is cold
and tired"
l watched her frail figure walk Ian
guidly in the direction of her house
and knew that the tea, even II she
drank it, would bring her no comfort.
Several times she stopped and looked
behind her and looked out over the
expanse of water toward the far hori-
zon. / knew she was looking for the
little skin / had seen bounding so Joy
ously over the. waves, and when she
resumed her walk, her thin shoulders
dropping and her head bent upon her
breast, / felt the contempt for Harry
Graham which something in his per.
s~onality prevented me from feeling
when he was actually present.
/ was very glad when Gabrielle
joined me and my thoughts could be
diverted into another channel. / saw
at ono that her afternoon had not
been a success and she was anxious to
tell me about 1t.
WELL" she began, slipping her
hand through my arm, I've had the
funniest experience. I'm glad my
brother is not recovering from an i'll.
ness that left him with a crook in his
temper"
It seemed she had gone to Lady
Edith's sitting room at the hotel (for
the Campbells had taken a suite), and
finding her alone had presented the
roses and had a coy little chat, as
we'll as a cup of tea, which she found
very cheering.
"And then" continued Gabrielle,
'just as / was about to come home !
heard some one go into Lady Edith's
bedroom and slam the door. She got
up quickly and then sat down again
and l saw she looked worried. Then
l heard a smash Of china and some.
body swore-yes, and swore hard, too.
I didn't know whether to get up OF
sit still and, of course, / did the wrong
thing; I sat still and I ought to have
gone out; l knew that later"
well, what happened?"
"In a minute the door between the
rooms was flung open and Lord VIII.
frid marched in, SO angry he never
saw me. And, oh, Elise, his arms
were full of roses"
"Roses!"
"Yes, red roses. Dozens of them.
They were more than he could carry
and fell on the floor all round him,
and whenever he saw one on the car.
pet he stepped on it."
WHAT"
Eyes, he did, and ground it under his
heel. He began to say something, too,
in a clustering sort Of way when
Lady Edith interrupted him. She stood
in front Of him, very tall and straight,
and looked directly at him. She said:
'Wilfrid, we are not alone Her head
was very high in the air, and / never
saw her look so lovely; l felt awfully
sorry for her, too, for think her pride
must have suffered
What happened them"
well, then he saw me-and / Ger,
tainly wished | was not there to be
seen-and muttered something. And
then he dumped those glorious roses
on the floor and rang the bell. l tried
to talk pleasantly while we we're wait,
ing for the boy to come, but honestly
the whole room seemed full of red
roses, | never saw such flowers in my
life, and | couldn't think of a thing to
say. When the boy came Lord Will
frid said: Take that trash and throw
1t out and he gathered them up and
went off.
Lord Wilfrid went off, too. He said
something civil to me about having
sailed about in the sun until he had a
horrid headache and the scent of the
roses was intolerable. But you know
he didn't have to smell them, for he
could have stayed in his own room.
He scowled at his sister as he
left the room and | think she is dread
fully worried about him. She is going
to get a doctor from the city, for she
doesn't think this air agrees with
him."
Il wonder what can be the matter
with him." l specialized. Perhaps he
is threatened with brain trouble. She
seems to be so careful of him, and the
least things excite him"
II couldn't help wondering where
SO many exquisite roses came FROM"
said Gabrielle, "for flowers are hard
to get here, you know. Lady Edith
said her brother had never been able
to endure the odor of roses, but l
noticed that the white ones we sent
did not to excite him at all. In
fact, | don't think he saw them. What
sort Of a time did you have%
l told her about my afternoon as
we mounted the steps leading to the
cottage, and we agreed that we were
very glad Jul own families were mere
ly commonplace and possessed no
highly wrought invalids to be watched
and guarded.
The cottage was brightly lighted,
and Elizabeth stood in the door to
welcome us. n metamorphosed Eliza
beth, absolutely radiating happiness
and arrayed in her red dress, which
she only e when she feels espe-
cially cheerful.
Where have you been?" she ex-
claimed. 4 thought you would never
come hOmai,