The San Francisco call., 1909-01-17

!. W. lAElNyMNNAsyS2lAsANssAN.2EAElA MIMI
there came nurmurs OF two voices, q
mans and a woman.s. The latter
laughed prettily.
"Oh, any timer snorted the Ameri-
can. ANY time you're through with
your confounded Irritation. Mr.. George
B. Calendar!"
The voices rose, approaching. "Good
night" said the woman gayly; "fare-
well and-good luck go with you'll"
Thank you. Good night" replied
the man more conservatively.
Kirkwood rose. expectant.
There was a swish Of draperies. and.
moment later he was acknowledging
the totally unlocked for entrance of
the mistress OF the house. He had
thought to see Calendar, presuming
him to be the man closeted with Mrs.
Hallam; but. whoever that had been,
he did not accompany the woman. In
deed. as she advanced from the door
way, Kirkwood could hear the mans
footsteps on the stairs.
This is Mr.. Kirkwood? The note of
inquiry in the well trained voice-a
very alluring voice and one pleasant
to listen to, he thought--made 1t seem
as though she had asked, point blank,
"Who is Mr.. Kirkwood?'
He bowed. discovering himself in the
presence of an extraordinarily hand
some and interesting woman: woman
OF years which as yet had not told
upon her, of experience that had not
availed to harden her, at least in so
far as her exterior charm OF person
ality was involved; woman, in brief.
who bore close inspection well, despite
an elusive effect Of maturity not with
out its attraction for men. Kirkwood
was impressed that 1t would be very
easy to learn to like Mrs. Hallam more
than well-with her approval.
Although he had not anticipated II,
he was not at all surprised to recognize
in her the woman who, If he were not
mistaken, had slipped to Calendar that
warning in the dining room OF the
Pless. Kirkwood's state of mind had
come to be such, through his expe-
riences of the past few hours that he
would have accepted anything. however
preposterous, as a commonplace hap
pening. But for that matter there was
nothing particularly astonishing In this
renoontre.
II am Mrs. Hallam. You were asking
for Mr.. Calendar"
He was to have been here at this
hour. I believe" said Kirkwood
''Yes?" There was just the right in
nection of surprise In her carefully
controlled tone.
Of feeling; that the woman was esti-
mating him shrewdly with her nna
direct eyes. He returned her regard
with admiring interest; they were gray
green eyes, deep set but large, q little
shallow, a little changeable, calling to
mind the sea on windy, cloudy day.
Below stairs a door slammed
II am not detective. Mrs. Hailam,"
announced the young man suddenly.
Mr.. Calendar required a service Of me
this evening; 1 am here in natural con-
sequence. If 1t was Mr.. Calendar who
left this house just now, am wasting
time"
'It was not Mr.. Calendar" The nne
lined brows arched In surprise. real or
pretended, at his first blurted words,
and relaxed; amused. the woman
laughed deliciously. 'But am expect
ing him at any moment; he was TO have
been here half an hour since.
Won't you waitr'
She indicated. with O gracious rce-
ture. chair, and took for herself one
end Of davenport Tn sure he WON'T
be long, now"
Thank you, WIN return, II I may.
Kirkwood moved toward the door.
but there's no necessity eno
seemed insistept on detaining him. DOS
sibly because she questioned his motive.
possibly for her own advertisement
Kirkwood deprecated his refusal with
smile. '-The truth is, Miss Calendar
IL waiting IN q cab, outside. Y-s
Dorothy Caiendari" Mrs. Hailnrn
rose aiertiy. 'But why should she watt
theref To be sure, we've never met:
but have known her father for many
years" Her eyes held steadfast to hts
face; shallow. dawed by her every
thought, like the sea By q cats paw he
found them altogether inscrutabIo; yet
received an impression that their
owner was now unable to account for
him.
She swung about quickly, preceding
him to the door and down the stairs
II am sure Dorothy will come In to
wait, II I ask her." she told Kirkwood
IN q high sweet voice. 'T am SO anx-
ious to know her. It's quite absurd.
really. Of her-to stand on ceremony
with me. when her father made an ap
pointment here-1 I'll run out and
ask
Mrs. Hallam's. slim white fingers
street door, and her voice died awav
as she stepped out into the night. For
moment, to Kirkwood. tagging after
her with an uncomfortable sense of
having somehow done the wrong
thing, her hgure-full fair shoulders
and arms arising out of the glitteriug
dinner gown-cut a gorgeous silhouette
against the darkness. Then. with a
sudden, imperative gesture, she half
turned toward him.
But" she exclaimed, perplexed.
gazing to right and left, but the cab,
Mr.. Kirkwood?'
He was on the stoop a second later.
Standing beside her. he stared blankly.