Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-10-06

Z
/ fact, in sort Of hand-painted, NINA
/ ture kind Of way. She wore a most
| becoming gown Of cream color, and
/ her fine profile showed to advantage
| against the black of Terbune's coat as
| he stood beside her.
! Nevertheless l couldn't help letting
| my eyes wander to my wife who sat
| across the room from NE. delicate as
| a flower. supple as a young tree and
wholly sweet. Her hair, which curled
| to distraction about her long white
neck, made a gorgeous halo about her
| head
| 1t was a pleasant moment that
| after dinner interlude, as I looked
| around me at my wife and my guests,
the fine old room with it's goIden-toned
/ piano and the soft glow of many
| lamps. But as l looked and sighed
| with content, I suddenly missed the
| fifth member of our party-Agatha
| First She was not IN the room. In
case of odd numbers it is easy not
| TO notice the absence of the odd one.
| Poor Agatha First was undoubtedly
| that unlucky individual. having no
man to pair off with, though Dearest
| and | had tried our best not to let her
| feel this deficiency.
| However, gone she was from our
midst, that was certain enough, and
| | was just about to wonder aloud as
| to her disappearance when the door
from the hall opened and in she
| walked
Don't let's stay indoors" she en-
| treated in her breezy American voice,
| its so lovely outside! The moons
| just coming up!" And she strobe Wig
orous1y across the room toward the
| glass doors that opened upon the
| lawn. As she paused at the threshold
with little commanding gesture to-
ward the terrace I couldn't help think
| ing that my wife's friends were both
| Of them uncommonly handsome girls.
She was so superbly healthy, with
such a color in her cheeks, such a
snap to her eyes.
| caught Terhune glancing irreso-
lutely from the girl at the piano to the
girl at the door
Let me open it for you" he offered
at last, going to her and throwing
wide the long windows. And the rest
of US, Agatha Sixth after him and
Dearest and myself last, followed
them out, my wife and l exchanging
looks of more or less significance as
We did so. AS well as [ could read
1t, her look expressed a slight appre-
hension. Mine I meant to indicate
| amusement. Terhune is such con-
cetted old chap, a wink or a nod from
one Of the other sex Is enough to up
set him, and he changes his allegi-
ance as easily as he changes his coat.
1t would be just like him, after all
our pains. But, as l said later when
we had gone upstairs, prophesying
about Terhune in connection with
the fair sex, is about as much worth
while as guessing which way the wind
will blow
1t was on an afternoon day or so
later when Dearest and I were dis
| cussing Terhune's chances of win
ming Agatha Sixth before the expira-
ton of the ten important days stipu-
lated upon by his Aunt Georgy, that
learned an aspect of the case which
seemed to me to simplify matters even
while 1t made them more interesting
Il can't think he would be foolish
enough not to stick to one or the 9TH
err" said my wife. Surely he sees
that it's impossible to waste any time
flirting when he has only ten days
eight days now-in which to win a
wife"
We were upstairs and she had come
into my room to chat before we
dressed for dinner, and had, incident
ally, wrapped herself in my blue
striped loungtng robe in lieu of an
evening frock, a costume that !
thought quite as becoming as more
conventional attire The turquoise
blue of the stripes set on her sparkling
hair to the queens taste, and the
rough folds of the hood about her
throat made her head and face smaller
and more delicate by comparison.
"A week to win a wife," I laughed.
Sounds like the title of a penny
dreadful! And, by Jove! This affair
of Terhunes is getting to have as
much of thrill about it, It's the
shortness of the time, with what he
has at stake, that makes 1t excitingI
Fancy picking a wife in ten days
time!"
Yes. but of course he has the ad-
vantage of having a girl he knows
as well as he does Agatha Sixth, to
pay court to- 1t makes a lot of differ
ence, you know, where the girl in the
case happens to care for the man in
the easel"
l had been strolling about the room
as we talked, hunting up a favorite
waistcoat / wanted to wear that night,
but at this last remark of my wife's
| halted in my stride
What did you say, Dearest?" l
asked in establishment For it was
news to me that Agatha Sixth actual
~ cared for Arch. I had only dared
hope she would eventually
Il said that she-Agatha Sixth
cared for Terhune," repeated Dearest,
obligingly.
You don't say SOL" I exclaimed,
with long whistle of astonishment.
"Of counsel" she answered calmly.
Stupid boy not to have seen il all
alongi"
Well, l didn't" I admitted, 'and
don't see how you did either!'
TT was as plain as your classic
Vincent nose is beautiful" replied my
wife, and besides, if it wasn't, I
would have known, for she told me
herself"
We'll. them" I cried, doesn't that
fix things? What's all this uncer.
tainty about? l should say that Ter
hume was certain of his aunts prop
erty Why haven't you told him this
long ago, and put the poor old fellow
out of his suspense?"
(TO BE CONTINUED