Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-10-06
THE SIREN
By CORA HATHORN SYKES
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

EuCu uWeiilnS SnOulQ be thing OF
itself, not containing any one except
the family whose home it is. Many n
wife and husband have been separated
innocent children made to suffer ana
sometimes murder done because OF n
man or woman going to live with
fa1nlly or which they were not q part.
The Browns were q humdrum couplc.
content with each other and their
home. When 1t was decided to have n
governess for their children Miss Olive
Markham wns selected for the PURPOSE.
Miss Markham was pretty, and Mrs.
Brown should have hesitated before
taking her into the sheepfoId. Not
that the wolf was likely to harm her
lamDs' but there was sheep in the
FAMILY who, though not very tender.
was liable to fall prey to the new
conner. Neither Mrs. Brown nor her
husband gave the entrance of Miss
Markham into the family a thought so
rar as danger was concerned Neither
had ever known a pang of jealousy.
Mr.. Brown was n pudgy, baIdheaded
man or forty-two; Mrs. Brown was a
junior. Neither supposed that the
other could attract any one else even
IL so inclined The governess was but
twenty and replied to Mr.. Browns re-
marks with Yes. SIR" and mo, sir"
as person Of an entirely different
generation. And yet there was danger
In her presence at the Browns.
Mr.. Brown had his own sleeping
room, where he might get n quiet
nights rest without being disturbed
by the rest OF the family. One night
he Weakened from n bad dream and
could not go to sleep again. After
vainly endeavoring for an hour or
more to do so he got UP, put on dress
Ing gown and went downstairs to get
biscuit and n glass of wine, hoping
that by thus drawing the blood to his
stomach no might return to slumber
He took great care to move softly that
he might not awaken any OF the fam
lily and on reaching the dining room
refrained even from striking a light
He found what he wanted In the side
board and. having partaken OF It, was
about to return to his room when he
Mr. Brown knew Mrs. Browns hand
very well. 1t was not soft: it was not
even round. On the contrary, II was
hard and bony. A current shot quick
~ up his arm and entered--hiS heart?
no, his self esteem. exciting that nat.
ural qualification man who has pass
cd middle life feels I'm attracting
young woman. The conviction that
the governess had fallen in love with
him popped into Mr.. Browns head
and created there disturbance Mt
once delightful md terrifying ON the
one land was his home his wife. his
children; on the other. the siren. II
he listened to the one the wreck OF
the others was sure to follow. But
had he the power TO resist? Mr..
Brown felt I'm his bones that he had
not.
All this flashed through Mr. Browns
mind in the two OF three seconds that
he held the hand in his Then il was
withdrawn. and without sound or fare
well the OWner passed with n wildly
beating heart he stood. listened. hoped
for further manifestation. feared he
would receive II. CROPPED for II With
ou'strrtched hands. was dlsappointcd.
comfortcd troubled. pleased and
thrilled nll NJ the same time. At last.
being convinced that the owner of the
hand hid ronc. no returned TO his
room
Mr.. Brown lay awake till daylight.
prey 10 different emotions. then went
to sleep and dreamed that he and the
govcrncss were floating down n river
whose banks were covered with luxu.
RANT foliage and ovcrhung with now.
ers. She was the same woman. but
TRANSPORTED TO one OF transcenlont
beauty. IIc bent over the side OF the
boat and saw his own face reflected
In the water. To his surprise, his hair
had come back on his head with no
gray streaks I'm it, and his eye had re.
gained the fire Of youth.
Then he took her hand in his-the
same hand he had held before. There