The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-08-20

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 WITH oUIcn STROKE HE CUT A SINGLE LEAF.
 there were no lights on tha schooner. When I still remained obdurate he he"- She paused. You may have heard of it. He killed one of my men,"
 "Impossiblew calculated Boyd. "Oh, but it isn't impossible Any thing is possible with interruptions men where there is no law. They halt at nothing when in chase of money. They are different from women in that. I never heard of a woman doing mur- der for money"
 .'Was it really murder?'
 Judge for yourself. My man came down for supplies. and they got him irunk-he was a drinking man-then they stabbed him. They said China man did it in 8 brawl. but Willis Marsh was to blame. They brought the poor fellow here and laid him on my steps. as if I had been the cause of it. Oh. it was horrible. horrible"' And you still stuck to your post" said Emerson curiously.
 Certainly. This adventure means . great deal to me, and. besides. will nor be beaten"-the stem of the glass with which she had been toying snap ped suddenly-"at anything"
 The unsuspected luxury of the, din- ing room and the excellence of the din ner itself had in a measure prepared Emerson for what he found in the liv- ing roOm.' One thing staggered nina piano. The bearskins on the floor. the big sleepy Gheirs, the reading table lit tered with magazines, the shelves of | books, even the basket of fancy work l all these he could accept without fur l ther parleying. but a piano-in Kalvik! | Again Boyd withdrew into that si- lent mood from which no effort on the | part of his hostess could arouse hiE, and it soon became apparent from the 1 listless hang of his hands and the dis | t&ht light in his eyes that he had even become unconscious of her presence in l the room.
 | After an hour. during which Elmer son barely spoke. she tired of Fraser's anecdotes. which had long ceased to be amusing. and. going to-piano, shuf- lied the sheet music idly, inquiring: Do you care for music?" Her re- mark was aimed at Emerson. but the other answered: My favorite hymn is the Maple Leaf Rag Let her go. | professor"
 Cherry settled herself obligingly and | played ragtime. She was in the midst of some syncopated measure when Boyd spoke abruptly. Please play something"
 | She understood what he meant and began really to play. realizing very soon that at least one of her guests knew and loved music Under her | delft fingers the instrument became a medium for musical speech. Gay roundelays, swift, passionate Hunga- rian dances. bold Wagnerian strains followed in quick succession. and the more her utter abandon the more cer- tainly she felt the younger man re- spond- Then her dream filled eyes widened as she listened to his voice breathing life into the words. He sang with the ease and fexibility of an artist. his powerful baritone blending perfectly with her contralto.
 For the first time she felt the mans personality. his magnetism. as if he had dropped his cloak and stood at her side in his true semblance.
 "Oh. thank you" she breathed-
 Thank you." he said. 'sI-I-that's the first time in ages that I've had the heart to sing. I was hungry for mu- sic; was starving for it. I've sat in my cabin at night longing for it until my soul fairly ached with the silence v
 He took seat near the girl and con- tinued to talk feverishly. unable to give voice to his thoughts rapidly enough.
 Fraser ambled cIumsily into the con- versation. Emerson listened tolerant ly. idly running through the maga- l zines at his hand. his hostess watch ing him covertly. Suddenly the smile of amusement that lurked about his lip corners and gave him pleasing look hardened in a queer fashion He started. then stared at one of the pages, while the color died out of his brown cheeIAs Cherry saw the hand that held the magazine tremble. He looked up at her ana. QlSregarolng Fraser. broke in harshly:
 Have you read this magazine?"
 "Not entirely"
 "I'd like to take one page of it.
 "Why. certainly" she replied
 He produced a knife and with one quick stroke cut single leaf out o1 the magazine, which he folded and thrust into the breast of his coat.
 Thank you" be muttered. then fell to staring ahead of him. again heed less of his surroundings. This abrupt relapse into his former state of suller and defiant silence tantalized the girl He offered no explanation and took DO further part in the conversation until. noting the lateness of the hour he rose and thanked her for her hos pitality in the same deadly. indifferent manner.
 "The music was a great treat ht said. looking beyond her and holding aloof. ga very great treat l enjoyed it immensely Good night"
 Cherry Malotte had experienced
 new sensation. and she didn't like IL
 She vowed angrily that she disl1keC
 men who looked past her. Indeed, she