Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-10-19
CHAPTER XIII.
Thrust and Parry.


My dear Flora: I am going out early
and shall not be back to dinner.
CLARA.
Flora let the little note fall as if
she disliked the touch of it. She was
relieved to think she would not have
to see Clara that day. 1t was her de-
sire never to see Clara again. If only
they could part here and now! How
she wanted to shake the whole thing
of her shoulders! How foolish not to
have gone to Harry when she had
first made up her mind to! For why,
after all, make him any explanations?
Suppose she should just take the ring
to him and say: ct gives me the shiv-
-ers, Harry. Let's take it back and get
something else" If he didn't suspect
the sapphire already, he would never
suspect it from that.
But did she really want Harry to
rid her of the ring? She would get
hold of him first and then she would
see what she would do.
She stepped into the hall with all
the confidence of one who has fully
made up her mind to carry matters
with a high hand; but at the tele-
phone she hesitated. Calling him up
at such an hour of the morning de-
handing his attendance on such a
fanciful errand-wouldn't he think it
odd? No, he would think it the most
natural thing in the world for her to
be so Eighty. Reassured, she gave the
club number and stood waiting, listen
- I,o h01 4f Eah0
off voices and the crossing click,
click, that was bringing her fate near
er to her. She heard some one COM
ing up the stairs and down the hall
toward her. Marrika stood stolid at
her elbow.
'Mr. Cressy," she pronounced.
Eyes, yes" said Flora, with the
club clamoring in her left ear.
HE is downstairs" said Marrika.
Flora nearly let the receiver fall.
Harry here? What piece of luck!
But here on his own account, at such
an hour-how extraordinary!
Hello, nello," persisted the club.
whats wanted?"
'Why. +" Flora stammered. Its
2
him now" She hoped that Harry had
not heard her as he came in, since it
was his informal fashion to await her
in the large entrance hall. She didn't
want to spoil the chance he had Civ
en- her of seeming off-hand about the
ring. But the hall was empty, and as
she descended the stairs she amused
herself with the fancy that Shima had
had a vision, and that she would still
have to ring up the club and explain
to the attendant that, after all, she
wanted Mr.. Cressy.
Then from the drawing-room thresh-
old she caught sight of Harry stand
ing in the big bay window of the draw
ing-room, in the same spot where
Kerr had awaited her the afternoon
before Harry was tall and large and
freshly colored, and yet he did not fill
the room to her as the other man had
done. He met her, kissed her, and
she turned her head so that his lips
met her cheek close beside her ear.
She did not positively object to his
kissing her on the lips, but her Ia
stinct was strong to offer him her
cheek. He had sometimes laughed at
this, but aow he resented it. He in
sisted on his privilege, and she was
passive to him, conscious of less love
in this than assertion of possession.
'FYou are not going TO Burlingame,
are your" she asked him with her first
breath.
He looked down at her with
flushed and sulky air. What differ
ence would that make to you? am,
as it happens, but suppose you think
that's no reason for disturbing you
so early" He was angry, but at what,
she wondered, with creeping uneasi-
ness.
"What is the matter?" she urged.
"Are things going crookedly at Bur-
lingame?"
Things are going as crooked as
you please, but not at Burlingame. Sit
over there" he said, nodding toward
the window-bench; 81 want to talk to
you"
Harry had the air of one about to
scofd, and certainly Flora thought If
anybody was carrying matters with
q high hand, it wasn't herself: but she