The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-11-11
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serted; yet with well-fllled glasses,
and newly smoking tocbaco, both were
caught.
Then Kerr, with a quick dash of his
hand, picked up his glass. Let us be
continental" he begged, and followed
close at Flora's side. Without moving
his lips Kerr was speaking. What
does this mean?"
She sensed the anger in his smoth-
cred voice, but she dared not look at
him.
81 have no idea; but I will see you"
"When?"
Her answer leaped to her mind and
her lips at the same moment.
in the rotunda when the house is
quiet"
Harry had followed leisurely in
their wake. The flush of haste had
subsidized in his face, and when the
four regrouped themselves in the
high, darkly-paneled room, among the
low lights, Flora remarked his ex-
traordinary composure. Bitter he
might be; but all the nervousness, sus-
picion, uneasiness, that he had shown
of late had vanished. There was a
tremendous confidence about him, the
confidence of the player who holds
cards that must win the game, and
sits back waiting for his moment.
But she was ready to laugh at him
in his security He had underesti-
mated his opponent. In spite of him
she was to have her meeting with
Kerr! Harry had waited too long to
prevent that, whatever he might do
afterward In this inspired moment
she felt herself touching conquering
heights which before she had only
touched in imagination. She felt
enough power in herself to move even
such a mountain of obstinacy as Kerr.
She stole a look at him-a look OF
glad intelligence He understood as if
she had spoken. They were to meet,
while all the house slept fast, to meet
for his great remuneration. Then, in
the morning, when Harry was ready
with whatever move he was holding
back, Kerr would be gone. There
would be no Kerr-but she must not
think of that! She glanced at him
again in the thick of the talk, and
caught his eye upon her, puzzled, and,
she thought. with glimmer of doubt.
In the room where, some eight
hours before, she and Mrs. Herrick
had talked, Flora waited, fully dressed.
1t had been early when they had sepa-
err had been terrific; and she was still
feeling it, though an hour had passed.
She was feeling that, now her situa-
ton was upon her, she was alone.
Mrs. Herrick could only be near her,
not with her, and Kerr was still an I'M
known quantity-except that he was
fire.
And there was Harry, with his ter
rible certainty, and no apparent thing
to account for it. 1t could not be
there were men in the house without
the servants remarking it; but in the
garden? She peered out upon it. Only
tree shadows moved upon the lawn.
Nothing glimmered in the walks or
drives. The solitude held her like an
enchantment. She listened for the
small sounds in the house to cease,
for the lights in the lower story to go
out, proclaiming all the servants were
in bed. Even after the stiffness she
waited-waited to be sure 1t was the
long stiffness.
Finally she crept to the door and
opened it boldly wide.
She stood where she was upon the
threshold trembling in cruel fright.
A gas-jet burning far up at the end
of the hall, threw a dim light down
the pale, pinkish, naked vista, void Of
furniture, window or curtain; and,
leaning against the blank wall almost
opposite her door, and directly facing
her, was Harry.
Without speaking they looked at
each other. He was fully dressed, but
lacking his shoes, as she noted in the
acuteness of her startled senses. The
furtive suggestion of those shoeless
feet struck her with horror-formless,
unreasoning. 1t was like an evil
dream to find him there, stolen to her
door in the night, waiting outside it
without sound, looking her steadily,
hardly in the eye without a word.
She tried to speak, but, with terror
sobbing in her throat, the words
failed She made step forward with
a crazy impulse to rush past him.
He Strengthened, with quick move
ment toward her. She recoiled before
him, precipitately retreated, closed
the door, shot the bolt, and leaned, for
faintness, against the wall. She ex-
pected each moment to hear him tap.
She neither heard a knock nor the
sound of soft, departing feet He was
still there! He was on guard! He had
had good reason for his terrible GER
tainty! He had foreseen what her
plan might be. and she knew he would
no more let her get past him down
the hall than the turnkey will let the
wretched prisoner escape.
CHAPTER XXI.
HlaraIe Markef