Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-06-10

permanent.
Eighteen" he hazarded-"eighteen
or possibly nineteen dining at the Pless
In a ravishing dinner gown and un.
happy? Oh. hardly-not sher'
Yet the impression haunted him. and
ere long he was fain to seek confirma-
ton or denial Of 1t in the manner Of
her escort.
The latter sat with back to Kirk
wood, cutting a figure as negative as
his snug evening clothes. One could
surmise little from a fieshy thick neck,
a round glazed bald spot. a fringe Of
grizzled hair and two bright red ears.
Calendar!
Somehow the fellow did suggest
Kirkwood's caller Of the afternoon.
The young man could not have said
precisely how. for he was unfamiliar
with the aspect of that gentleman's
back. None the less. the suggestion
persisted.
By now few Of the guests. theater
bound for the most part. were leaving.
Here and there a table stood vacant
that had been filed. cloth furnished,
chairs disarranged, in another moment
to be transformed into its pristine bril-
lance under the deft attentions of the
! servitors.
Down an aisle, past the table at
which the girl was sitting, came two.
making toward the lobby. the man. a
slight and meager young personality
in the lead. Their party had attracted
Kirkwood's notice as they entered
why, he did not remember. but 1t was
in his mind that then they had been
three. Instinctively he looked at the
table they had left. one placed at some
distance from the girl and hidden from
her by an angle in the wall. 1t APP
peared that the third member had
chosen to daily a few moments over
his tobacco and liqueur brandy.
Kirkwood could see him plainly loung-
ing in his chair and fumbling the stem
Of glass. heavy man of somber
habit, his black and sullen brows low
ering and thoughtful above face
boldly handsome.
The woman Of the trio was worthy
Of closer attention. Some PAGES in the
wake Of her lackluster esquire she
was making a leisurely progress, trail
ing the skirts Of gown magnificent
beyond dispute, half concealed though
it was by the opera cloak whose soft
folds draped her shoulders. Slowly
carrying her head high, she approach
ed. insolent eyes reviewing the room
from beneath their heavy lids. metal
lie and mature type of dark beauty
supremacy self confident and self pos
sessed.
Men turned involuntarily to look aft
er her. not altogether in undiluted ad
miration.
In the act Of passing behind the pu
tative Calendar she paused momenta
rily. bending as If to gather up hel
train. Presumably the action disturb
ed her balance. She swayed a little
and in the effort to recover rested the
tips of her gloved fingers upon the
edge of the table. simultaneously
(Kirkwood could have SWORN sin
gle word left her lips, word evident
~ pitched for the ear Of the hypothet
ical Calendar alone. Then she sweep
on, imperturbable, assured.
To the perplexed observer it was in
dubitably evident that some commu
nication had passed from the woman
to the man. Kirkwood saw the ia
shoulders Of the girls companion stiff
en- suddenly as the woman's hand rest
ed at his elbow. As she moved ava,
little ripping shiver was plainly Wis
ible in the muscles Of his back beneatl
his coat, mute token Of relaxing ten
sion. An instant later one plump ant
mottled hand was carelessly place
where the woman's had been an
closed.
To the girl, watching her face Gov
ertly, Kirkwood turned for a clew t
the incident. He made no doubt tina
she had observed the passage. Proc
Of that one found in her sudden stal
Ting pallor (of indignationD and in he
eyes. briefly alight with some inscruta
BILE emotion. though quickly yelled
lowered lashes. Slowly enough sh
regained color and composure, Will
her vis-a-vis sat motionless. head II
clined. as If in thought.
Abruptly the man turned in hi
chair to summon waiter and expose
his profile. Kirkwood was in nowis
amazed to recognize Calendar-a ba(
ly frightened Calendar now. howeve
and hardly to be identified with th
sleek. glib fellow who had Intervene
Kirkwood in the afternoon. His flal
by cheeks were ashen and trembling
and upon the back of his chair the Il
white fingers were drumming ince
sanity an inaudible tattoo of shattere
nerves.
Scared sillyw commented Kirl
wood. "Why"
Having spoken TO his waiter, Calel
dar for some seconds raked the roo
with quick gances. as IL seeking a
acquaintance. Presumably disappoin
ed, he swung back to face the gil
bending forward to reach her cal
with accents low pitched and con
Dental. She on her part fell at ont