Putnam patriot., 1909-07-09

reom. Indoors or out. he found no rest. He threw himself in the arm chair near The table and sat buried in thought
 Mandy came softly Into the room. Sbe was followed by HaSty. who ear ried tray laden with things that ought to have tempted any man. She mctipned fer Hastr Co put the tray on the table and then began arranging the dishes. Hasty stole to the window and peeped out at the tempting flare of red ire.
 When Douglas discovered the pres enee Of his two s'faifhfulsH be was touched with nomentary eentritien.
 Have you had hard day with the new gravel walkf" he asked Nasty. remembering that he had been laying fresh path to the Sunday school room.
 "Jes' ye' come eat yo' supper Man dy called tc Douglas. "non' yo. worry your head bout dat lazy hushan' ob mine He ain't goin' ter work nun to hurt hisself" For an instant she
 
 know how Nasty had gone to the cir GUS and seen nothing of Polly. but her motherly instinct won the day. and she uryed him to eat before disturbing him with her own anxieties. It was no use. He only toyed with his food; he was clearly Ill at ease and eager 10 be alone. She gave up trying 10 tempt A. o,>A tn i.Aah iy, a roundabout way to the things which she wished so ask.
 Oars quite some racket out dar in de lot tonight. she said Douglas did not answer. After . moment she went on. .Hasty didn't work on no walk today Douglas looked at her quiz- ideally, while Hasty. convinced that for reasons of her own she was going to get him into trouble. was making frantic motions. He done gone ter de circus" she blurted out. Douglas face became suddenly grave. Mandy saw that she had touched an open wound.
 Il jes' couldn't stan il. Massa John. I had ter find out bout dat angel chile" There was pause. She felt that he was waiting for her to go on.
 "She didn't done ride today"
 He looked up with the eyes of a dumb. persecuted animal And de gemmen in de show didn't tell nobody why-ies' speaked bout de udder gal takin' her place"
 .Why didn't she rider" cried Doug las, in an agony of suspense.
 "Dat's what don know. sab" Mandy began to cry. It was the first time in his experience that Douglas had ever known her to give way to any such weakness.
 Nasty came down from the window and tried to put one arm about Man dy's shoulders.
 .Leab me alone. yo' niggerw she ex- claimed, trying to cover her tears with a show of anger that she did not feel; then she rushed from the room. fol lowed by Hasty.
 The band was playing loudly. The din of the night performance was increasing. Douglas nerves were strained to the point of breaking. He would not let himself go near the win dow. He stood by the side of the ta- bic, his fists clinched. and tried to beat back the impulse that was pulling him toward the door. Again and again he set his teeth.
 It was uncertainty that gnawed at him so. Was she ill2 Could she need him? Was she sorry for having left him? Would she be glad if he went for her and brought her back with him? He recalled the hysterical note in her behavior the day that she went away-how she had pleaded, only . few moments before Jimscame. never to be separated from him. Had she really cared for Jim and for the old life? Why had she never writtenf Was she ashamed? Was she sorry for what she had done? What could 1t mean? He threw his hands above his head with a gesture of despair. A mo- ment later he passed out Into the night