The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04

stories?"
why, / heard them talking in court
today; and last night didn't mean to
Il overheard you and Mr.. Dingley as
YOU came out OF the study"
Father locked grim. 1T is with those
stories they viii try to convict him"
He took few more strides before he
added, IF they can prove that Mont
gomery wansed to cut out Rood they'll
have a bad case against him" He
didn't speak again until he put me in
the carria 60. Then he said. Il hope
you will get this matter out OF your
mind. ] hate to have you think
about it"
said would try. Indeed. after
that last remark of fathers about
Montgomery wanting to cut out Rood
il seemed TO me that. If I didn't quickly
get something else into my mind, I
should 60 crazy. So while the car
riage bounded over the cobblestones,
was busy planning-the menu for din
ner tomorrow. where to leave my car
rings 10 be mended. how to do over my
blue silk gown. and where had been
the error in the butchers bill. ny
thoughts rushed from one little thing
to another. afraid for an instant to
let go.
Upon arriving home. Abby hanging
over the banisters, wanted to hear
about the court proceedings; but
called out TO her that my testimony
hadn't been required-and would size
please get the apricots. and after
luncheon I would make that sauce she
had been after me to do for the last
week
She seemed astonished. but Cratifisd.
al my Unwonted energy. had been an
absolutely useless creature about the
through luncheon and attacked the ap-
ricots as if my life were staked on get
ting them halved. stoned. and boiling
Good heavens, child. how you rush
Abby protested. There's no such great
haste" But she did not know that
was trying to run away from an idea.
In the intervals of preserving I dived
into the cellar and brought up my rose
and lilac plants: and the afternoon was
spent in running hot checked from the
stove to the garden. digging carefully
sprinkling. while Abby lowered the
roots: then packing the earth and pat
ting with ali nay might: darting back to
the kitchen again TO ladle out the
steaming stuff into Jars and strenuOUsly
TO screw on their covers.
But for ali my wearing myself out.
through the steam Of the cooking pots.
between the leaves Of the rose bushes.
the pursuing idea would lift its head.
The picture Of the Spanish Woman as
she stood in the witness room. the
golden glimmer of her hair her won-
oerful white WaNy face. and the way
her eyes had sparkled at me through
her lashes. returned to my memory.
powerful as the odOr of her flower l
compared her with that flower
luxurious and perfect looking as if she
had grown in a hothouse; and with that
strange overwhelming characteristic
which drew, in spite Of all disliking. 1t
was useless to cry. L do not like you
and I viii not believe in you There
were two things I had to acknowledge
her will, and her power of seduction.
Hadn't felt the light Of it as she stood
looking at me?
Finally, when Wearied out. / lay in
bed that night the idea I had been flee
ing overlook me; and I gave up and
looked 1t in the face. Well. yes. and
suppose he does love her? Should that
surprise me so much? How should he
Still that admission had been forced
out OF me in moment of weakness.
between my pillow and the dark; and
1 was determined il should not get
hold OF me with its swarm OF attend
ant tormenting thoughts. I was re-
solved to go into court thinking of
nothing but just that small measure
OF evidence which was mine to give.
and TO come away again. turning my
back upon the whole matter and TAX
ing up again the round of my daily
employments
This heroic resolution was knocked
on the head the next morning by
Fathers announcing that 1 was not
summoned for the opening of the court
and ne added parentheticaly Lord
knew Wheni--but might be called for
any time that afternoon. so / was 10
hold myself IN readiness. This left me
In miserable state of uncertainty.
winch was not improved by, seeing nv
name In the Alta as witness lust
above an eXhortation TO the people Of
San Francisco to see that Justice was
done. even If the law failed in its work.
Inc best course seemed to be the
immolation Of myself in the long neg
lected housework. A vigorous sweep
ing OF my room. the preparation of an
elaborate luncheon salad and the total
arrangements of the parlor furniture
might help TO get rid OF that heart
beating notwithstanding and bull
warking me around with domesticftv
But the excitement OF the city kept in
Nading my retreat. as IL IL were so full
of that great matter that IL had 10
spill over even into houses where 81
wasn't wanted. The first ripple had
been the sight Of my name in the paper
thst morning, but the wave went ouite
over me when, just before luncheon
Halle rushed in. She had been At the
trial all the morning and had only lust
seen the Alta with my name
She hugged me number Of times
with ordinations OF how awfl,l hut
fascinating IL must be to be a witness
and what was ii / knew-whv hsdn,t
] told her-she would never have al
Nulged one word of it-though of
course If I was under oath, S,iu
couldn't j tell her all about il now
believe that Hallie's respect for me-
had taken a leap with the news ~ ,,,,,
position. and when I explained that /
was still under oath and couldn't tell
anybody anything until I told it from
the witness stand she looked at me
with positive awe
She stayed TO luncheon and it was a
trying but most exciting meal Alas
for my elaborate salad, We might
have been eating indiarubber for An
we knew or cared. For Halle poured
forth all the history of the trial from
la