The Cairo bulletin., 1910-10-04
THE SIREN
BY CORA HATlIORN SYKES
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

| the family whose home 1t is. Many q
| wife and husband have been separated,
, innocent children made to suffer and
sometimes murder done because of
| man or woman going to live with
family Of which they were not part.
The Browns were humdrum couple.
content with each other and their
home. When it was decided to have n !
goyerness for their children Miss Olive |
| Markham vas selected for the purpose. |
Miss Markham was pretty, and Mrs |
| Brown should have hesitated before |
taking her into the sheepfold. Not |
that the wolf was likely to harm her |
lambs. but there was sheep In the
family who, though not very tender,
was liable to fall prey to the new
conner. Neither Mrs Brown nor her
husband gave the entrance OF Miss
Markham into the family thought so
far as danger was concerned. Neither
had ever known pang OF jealousy.
Mr.. Brown was pudgy, baldheaded
man of forty two; Mrs. Brown was
tall, angular woman but a year his
! Junior. Neither supposed that the
other could attract any one else even
} IL so inclined The governess was but
; twenty and replied to Mr.. Browns re.
marks with Yes, sir" and mo. sir,
as a person of an entirely different
f generation And yet there was danger
In her presence at the Browns.
!, Mr.. Brown had his own sleeping
room, where be might get a quiet
nights rest without being disturbed
by the rest of the family. One night
/ he Weakened from a bad dream and
could not go to sleep again. After
yainly endeavoring for an hour or
more to do so he got up, put on dress
5 ing gown and went downstairs to get
a biscuit and glass of wine, hoping
that by thus drawing the blood to his
It stomach he might return to slumber.
a He took great care to move softly that
= he might not awaken any of the fam
!. lily and on reaching the dining room
refrained even from striking light.
h He found what he wanted In the side
y board and, having partaken of 1t, was
q about to return to his room when he
: felt his hand clasped by a softer one.
Mr.. Brown knew Mrs. Browns hand
very well 1t was not soft; 1t was not
even round On the contrary, 1t was
hard and bony. A current shot quick
ly up his arm and entered-his heart!
g no, his self esteem, exciting that nat
e. ural qualification q man who has pass
cd middle life feels in attracting a
I6 young woman. The conviction that
IA the governess had fallen in love with
,6 him popped into Mr.. Browns head
ia and created there disturbance at
once delightful and terrifying. On the
one hand was his home, his wife. his
children; on the other. the siren II
he listened to the one the wreck of
- the others was sure to follow. But
had he the power to resist2 Mr..
y Brown felt In his bones that he had
90 not.
All this flashed through Mr.. Brown S
I'd mind In the two or three seconds that
r he held the hand in his. Then 1t was
q withdrawn and without sound or fare
% we'll the owner passed With wildly
IN UtuTL ue btOOut iIoAtiith' HppNb
esI for further manifestation. feared he
would receive It, CROPPED for 1t with
-. outstretched hands. was disappointed
~ comforted, troubled, pleased and
thrilled all ut the same time. At last
being convinced that the owner OF the
hand had gone, he returned TO his
room.
.e' Mr.. Brown lay awake till daylight
* a prey to different emotions. then wen
ef to sleep and dreamed that he and thu
* goyerness were foatipg down rive
nd whose banks were covered with luXu
an RANT foliage and overhung with flow
ers. She was the same woman, bu
sc TRANSPORTED to one of transcenden
r, beauty He bent over the side Of tn
,et boat and saw his own face rehecte'
in the water. To his surprise, his hal
had come back on his head with n
. gray streaks in 1t. and his eye had re
gained the fire Of youth.
Then he took her hand in his-th
same hand he had held before. Their
'rs was the same pleasurable thrill will
re out the dread of consequences. TIL
'ai wife of his bosom, so far as his dreaI
ne was concerned, had no existence; hi
'te children were not yet born. He drift
VI cd In paradise.
He was awakened by shake an
the words: elisha, are you going t
iot sleep all day? Get up"
'ut 1t was Mrs. Brown, In dlshabllle an
ne forming dreadful contrast with tn
ne companion Of his dream. Mr.. Brow
'm lay few moments trying to get use
to the returned reality. then slowl
III got out of bed. forced himself into h
az clothes and went down into the diI
'rh Ing room. The family were ut brea
w fast. His oldest daughter. aged fou
teen. looked at him mischievously.
How did you like the ghost, papa
she asked, her eyes dancing with fun
What ghost"
ar But he knew before she told hi
dea that she had got up in the night for
on glass of water, heard him leave b
)uy room, followed him and, with bett
.us- eyes than his clasped his hand.
az "My dear" said Mr. Brown to b
hat wife after breakfast and before goii
T.. | u 80 fhintrfnU tb