The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-09-10
CHAPTER III.
Mr.. John Bailey Appears.

SOpb oofSy NPPSo'os
l had dinner served in the break
fast room. Somehow the huge dining
room depressed me, and Thomas.
cheerful enough all day, allowed his
spirits to go down with the sun. He
had a habit of watching the corners
of the room, left shadowy by the can
dies on the table, and altogether it
was not a festive meal.
Dinner over I went into the living
room. had three hours before the
children could possibly arrive. and
got out my knitting.
The chug of the automobile as it
climbed the hill was the most well
come sound l had heard for long
| time, and with Gertrude and Halsey
| actually before me, my troubles
seemed over for good. Gertrude stood
smiling in the hall, with her hat quite
over one ear, and her hair in every
direction under her pink veil. Ger
trude is very pretty girl, no matter
how her hat is, and l was not sur
prised when Halsey presented good
looking young man, who bowed at
me and looked at Trude-that Is the
ridiculous nickname Gertrude brought
from school.
Il have brought guest, Aunt Ray"
Halsey said. Il want you to adopt
him into your affections and your Sat
| urday.to- Monday list. Let me present
John Bailey, only you must call him
Jack. In IL hours he'll be calling you
Aunt; l know him."
We shook hands, and I got a chance
to look at Mr.. Bailey; he was tall
fellow, perhaps 80, and he wore
small mustache. l remember wonder
ing why; he seemed to have a good
mouth and when he smiled his teeth
we're above the average. One never
knows Why certain men cling to a
messy upper lip that must get into
things, any more than one under
ltards some women building up thei-
hair on wire atrocities. Otherwise,
he was very good to look at, stalwart
and tanned, with the direct gaze that
like. l am particular about Mr.. Bal
ley, because he was a prominent fig
ure in what happened later.
Gertrude was tired with the trip
and went up to bed very soon.
made up my mind to tell them moth
ing until the next day, and then to
make as light of our excitement as
possible. After all, what had to tell ?
An inquisitive face peering in at a
window; a crash in the night; a
scratch or two on the stairs, and half
cuff-button! As for Thomas and his
forebodings, 1t was always my belief
that a negro Is one part thief, one
part pigment. and the rest supersti
ton.
1t was Saturday tight. The two
men went to the billiard room, and ]
could hear them talking as went up
stairs. 1t seemed that Halsey had
stopped at the Greenwood club fol
gasolene and found Jack Bailey there
with the Sunday golf crowd. Mr.. Bal
ley had not been hard to persuade
probably Gertrude knew why-ant
they had carried him off triumphant
ly. l reused Liddy to get them some
thing to eat-Thomas was beyond
, reach in the lod9-and paid no at
; tention to her evident terror of thu
kitchen regions. Then l went to bed
The men were still in the billiard
, room when finally dozed off, and the
last thing l remember was the how
, of dog in front of the house.
! walled crescendo of woe that trailet
, of hopefully, only to break out afresl
, from new point of the compass.
! At three O'Clock in the morning
r was ropsed by a revolver shot. Tn,
r sound seemed to come from just out
side my door. For a moment coul,
a not move. Then-I heard Gertrude
! stirring In her room, and the mex
l moment she had thrown open the COZ
Meeting door.