Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-06
By
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE
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has said. the great and the good as
well as those Of lesser clay?
But. be that as 1t may, in this partic.
ular instance the devil was not lurking
in, tampering with the improvements
and refnements of detail in the big
red body of Mrs. Challoner's mastodon
model. No; it was not with the ma
chine that he was concerned. but with
the man himself, befuddling whatever
brains he had left, and the devil it was.
and no other, that melted Challoner to
leave certain stablishment-abou
which we shall have something to say
later on-take the wheel from the
chauffeur and embark on a sensational,
bacchic career up the avenue at an
hour when the view of that fashion
able thoroughfare through the silken.
dow in a corner house facing the
park was too alluring not to be ire
| sistible.
| And SO 1t came about that the com
ments on the passing throng made by
two women taking afternoon tea in
interrupted in a manner quite embar-
RAISING
Look, Miriamw Shirley Bloodgood
was saying to her hostess apropos Of
a woman passing by whom they both
knew. did you ever seen anything
more atrocious than that gown
| The other smiled her appreciation,
and again the voluble Miss Bloodgood
went on:
"And do look at the Heath girls in
those huge hats! What frightsy'
But, whatever were her thoughts on
the subject, Miriam Challoner did not
| answer. for precisely at that moment
her attention was attracted by some
thing strangely familiar in an unusual
~ insolent and insistent honking of a
motor horn which was causing a wave
Of apprehension to sweep down the
long line of vehicles. And moment
later they saw that chauffeurs were
rudely interrupting the purring of au-
tomobiles lazing over their allotted
miles; that drivers were swerving
their horses into closer relations with
the curb; that hardly had these at
tanned a position of comparative safe
ty than there flashed by them and
fetched up in front of Mrs. Challoner's
house big machine. which distin-
guished though dissipated looking man
had been recklessly forcing with utter
disregard of the right of way.
Rising quickly. Shirley Bloodgood
put out her hand. "Goodby; thank you
SO much, Miriam" Her one thought
was to escape what she wisely inter
preted as an oncoming scene between
husband and wife.
But. though there was mist before
her eyes, surging in her ears not a
muscle Of Miriam Challoner's face
moved
Surely, my dear, you're not going!
What? So soon?"
Conventional though they were. there
could be no installing the tone of sin
cerity in Mrs. Challoner's words as
she took the girls hand in both of hers
with an affectionate movement. In
deed, for the barest fraction of a sec
ond it almost succeeded in convincing
Shirley that the distressing incident OF
the motor had entirely escaped her. AT
any rate, it augmented the doubt
whether the woman before her had
even an linking of the stories in circu.
lation concerning the doings Of her
husband. But, gratifying us was the
thought Of the wife's possible igno
rance, 1t by no means lessened the ne
cessity Of departure ON Shirley's
part, and somewhat confusedly. but
affectionately, she kissed her hostess
goodby.
ooh, my dear Miriam, but I must
Your tea is perfectly delicious, though
If only l had time''- Shirley stopped
abruptly. Her endeavor to conceal hel
anxiety to be gone was making her un
certain Of her words.
zones tea. like ones friends. my
dear, should be of the BEST" Miriam
returned. with sweet smile.
Miriam's smile and manner touched
Shirley deeply. The inclination tc
offer words of comfort was strong II
this tall, rangy girl, whose every move
ment was as graceful as It was i'm
pulsive. How sweet, how easy, Il
would be. she thought. If Miriam would
only give q hint that they would 81
welcomed
On reaching the hall below Shirley
was able to see through the open dool
Challoner ascending swiftly, but un
certainly. the graystone steps. Witt
a. quick movement she drew momen
tarny to one side while he began t.
stumble up the soft carpeted stairway
Left rather abruptly alone, Mrs
Challoner went back into the drawing
room and, resting her arms on the
mantel, bowed her head upon then
and gave way to the misery Of her re
Elections. It was not the FIRST time, t
be sure. that Lawrence had returned
IN this condition. but heretofore ht
had been gracious enough to hav.
It occur at night. and she had cher
ished the belief, that she was his oni,
witness. Now there was an elemen,
connected with his h0mecs ming thai
4 was stlN hardee,te bear-the aynpath,
which pleaded for recognitaon on thu
facs OF her friend. PrSeenA1y. Hftiul
Iher hesd.. sis seEaand ~ .naAn Anl