Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1910-11-25
THE SIREN
BY CORA HATtloRN SYKES
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.


itself. not containing any one except
the family whose home II Is. Many
wife and husband have been separated.
innocent children made to suffer and
sometimes murder done because Of
man or n woman going 70 live With q
family OF which they were not part
The Browns were q humdrum couple.
content with each other and their
home. When II was decided to have a
governess for their children Miss Olive
Markham was selected for the purpose.
Miss Markham was pfetty. aud Mrs,
Brown should have hesitated before
taking her into the shecpfold. Not
that the wolf was likely 10 harm her
lambs. 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 thought SO
| far as danger was concerned. Neither
had ever known pang OF Jealousy.
| Mr.. Brown was pudgy. baldheaded
man Of forty.two: Mrs. Brown was
tall, angular woman but year his
| junior. Neither supposed that the
other could attract any one else even
II SO inclined. The governcss was but
twenty and replied to Mr.. Browns re-
marks with "Yes, sir" and "No, sir"
as a 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 a quiet
| nights rest without being disturbed
by the rest Of the family. One night
he Weakened from a bad dream and
| could not go to sleep again. After
vainly endeavorlng for an hour or
more to do so he got up. put on dress
ing gown and went downstairs TO get
a biscuit and a glass Of wine. hoping
that by thus drawing the blood TO his
stomach he might return TO slumber
He took great care to move softly that
he might not awaken any OF the fam
ily 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 be
felt his hand clasped by a softer one.
Mr.. Brown knew Mrs. Browns hand
very well. It was not soft; It was not
even round. On the contrary Il was
hard and bony. A current shot quick.
" up his arm and entered-his hearth
no, his self esteem. exciting that nat
ural qualification man who has pass
ed middle life feels In attracting q
young woman. The conviction that
the governess had fallen In love with
him popped into Mr.. Browns head
and created there disturbance at
once delightful and terrifying. On tile
one hand was his home, his wife, his
children; on the other. the siren. II
be listened to the one the wreck Of
the others was sure to follow. But
had he the power 10 resist1 Mr..
Brown felt In his bones that he had
not.
All this flashed through Mr.. Browns
mind in the two or three seconds that
he held the hand IN his. Then II was
withdrawn, and without sound or fare
well the owner passed. With wildly
beating heart he stood, listened, hoped
for further manifestation, feared he
would receive 1t. groped for 1t with
outstretched hands, was disappointed,
comforted, troubled. pleased and
thrilled all at the same time. At last,
being convinced that the owner Of the
hand had gone, he returned to his
room.
Mr.. Brown lay awake till daylight,
a prey to different emotions, then went
to sleep and dreamed that he and the
governess were floating down q river
whose banks were covered with hxu'
RANT foliage and oyerhung with dow
ers. She was the same woman, but
trans6gured to one Of transcendent
beauty. He bent over the side Of the
boat and saw his own face reflected
In the water. To his surprise. his hall
had come back on his head with nc
gray streaks in It, and his eye had re-
gained the fire Of youth.
Then he took her hand In hls-the
same hand he had held before. There
was the same pleasurable thrill with
out the, dread Of consequences. The
wife Of his bosom. 80 far as his dream
was concerned, had no existence; his
children were not yet born He drift
ed in paradise.
He was awakened by shake ant
the words: elisha. are you going t.
sleep all day? Get up"
It was Mrs. Brown. IN dlshabille ant
forming q dreadful contrast with TIN
companion Of his dream. Mr.. Brown
lay a few moments trying to get uset
to the returned reality, then slowl!
got out. Of bed, forced himself into hi
clothes and went down into the din
ing room. The family were at break
fast. His oldest daughter, aged four
teen, looked at him mischleyousy.
HIInxu did vnii likn fha ghost nam y