Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-01-27

disfguring mole on his nose; but there
was no one else for the damsel to ogle
and address so she fixed upon him.
All at once, whilst this by-play was
going on, under cover of the music,
the door from the staircase opened,
and in sprang Eve, with her tambour-
inc, dressed in the red and yellow
costume she had found in the garnet,
and wearing her FURNISHED necklace of
bezants. Barbara withdrew her hands
from the piano in dismay, and flushed
with shame.
'Eve!' she exclaimed, go back! How
can you'll But the toy from the table
beckoned again to her, pointing to the
piano, and her fingers; Eve skipped
up to her and whispered, Let me
alone for Jasper's sake then bounded
into the middle of the hall, and ratified
her tambourine and clinked its jingles.
The men applauded, and tossed off
their rum-and-water; then; having
finished the rum, mixed themselves
eagerly hot forums of brandy.
The face was at the window, with
he nose fiat and white against the
glass, like dab of putty.
Barbara's forehead darkened, and
she drew her lips together. Her con-
science was not satisfied. She sus-
pected that this behaviour of Eve was
what Walter had alluded to when he
begged her not to interfere. Walter
had seen Eve, and planned it with
her. Was she right, Barbara asked her
self, in what she was doing to help a
criminal to escape?
The money he had taken was theirs
Ewes; and if Eve chose to forgive
him and release him from his punish
ment, why should she object? Martin
was the brother of Jasper, and for JAS
per's sake she must go on with what
she had begun.
So she put her fingers on the keys
again, and at once Watt and Jasper
resumed their instruments. They
played the music in Don Giovanni in
the last act, where the banquet is in
| terrupted by the arrival of the statue.
Barbara knew that Eve was dancing
alone in the middle Of the floor before
these men, before him also who ought
to be pacing up and down in front OF
the corn-chamber; but she would not
| turn her head over her shoulder to
| look at her, and her brow burned, and
her cheeks, usually pale, flushed. AS
for Eve, she was supremacy happy;
the applause of the lookers-on en-
couraged her. Her movements were
graceful her beauty radiant. She
| looked like Zerlina on the boards.
| Suddenly the boy dropped his bow,
and before anyone could arrest his
hand, or indeed had suspicion of
mischief, he threw canister of gun
powder into the blazing fire. Instantly
there was an explosion. The logs were
| flung about the floor, Eve and the
maids screamed, the piano and violins
were hushed, doors were burst open,
panes of glass broken and fell clink-
ing, and every candle was extin-
guished. Fortunately the hall floor was
of slate.
The men were the first to recover
|
| themselves-all that is, but the ward
er, who shrieked and swore becau e
red-hot cinder had alighted on his
bad foot.
The logs were thrust together again
upon the hearth, and the flame sprang
up.
No one was hurt, but in the door
way, white, with wild eyes, stood Mr.
Jordan signing it'll his hand but I'M
able to speak.
ooh, papa! dear papa!' exclaimed
Barbara, running to him, do go back
| to bed. No one is hurt We have had
a fright that is ALL
'Fools!' cried the old man, brandish-
ing his stick. He is gone! I saw him
he ran past my window