Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1910-09-08
CHAPTER I.


Mrs. Annie Desterle padded uncom-
fortably up the front stairs to the SEQ
ond story front room, grumbling loud
ly at every step.
For Mrs. Desterle, who was nearly
nifty years old, and who for more than
half that time had supported herself
and her husband. Pierre. by keeping
a boarding house. had recently begun
to grow more than partridge plump.
With the rapid obliteration of her
gtrlish outlines, which process might
have been checked had Mrs. Desterle
been less a mistress of culinary art
and still less fond of her own cook
Ing. had developed an increase In the
transportation problem around the
pesterle domioile. In these days, from
the basement kitchen to the third
story front was as appalling climb
to Mrs. Desterle IS tho journey up
Washington monument had been when
she and Pierre had taken their hon
symoon trip for Sightseeing thirty
years ago.
Dear mel" pufred Mrs. Desterle at
the second floor landing. Il believe I'll
ask that woman to move whom her
weeks up. She never gets down to
breakfast and the two days she's been
here she's acted mighty queer. Don't
know why I'm 30 foolish to toll all
the way up hero like this. but I've
rung her bell twice and she don't an
swer, though It's most noon. If Pierre
was ever around now. Lately he seems
to be of less use than ever. Strangers
In tho house always did make mo feel
nervous. I'm most afraid to climb
any further; seems like / sense
something wrong. And az long
~ I've been keeping boarders never
didn't know anything at all about.
But the poor little thing looked SO
tired and pretty. and her big bunch
OF violsts smelled sweet: why. she
was just like n spirit coming out of
the rain. 1t was so late, too. and.
we'll. as ] was mono too careful in
finding out who she was. but she's had
time enough to look around by now.
and I'll just tell Miss Csrisss Wayne.
az she calls herself. that she'll have to
move tomorrow. This IL such a love
~ spring day that looking for an
other room may bring n little color
into her pale cheeks. No. don't want
her around. Young Simpson was max
Ing eyes at her last night. which II too
bad. for he's engaged to Miss Gentry
And Ada Gentry's q Moo girl She'll
be getting mad and leaving next, and
then he'll follow. and they're two OF
my best boarders: been here now for
seven Christmases-"
Mrs. Desterle's soliloquy and her up
ward pilgrimage ended with the same
breath. At the end of tho hall before
her tho door to the third story front
parlor looked ominously funereal In 1t,
dull responsibility of time-stained wal
nut. Annie Desterle was born to emer-
Gencies, and had been q mainstay ant
. prop all OF her life. but for the mrs
time within her memory her spirit fall
tered.
"Um." she snirred. as she approached
tho door. TT does smell like cigar.
cites up here Ada told me yesterdn,
morning she thought she smeIls<
smoke coming from Miss Wayne,
room. Oh, Miss Wayne. Miss Wayne
Miss Waynei" called the landlady IL
q succession of crescendos-
No answer came So the woman II
the hall knocked loudly on the door
Silence still. She tried the door. 1
was locked. though beneath the nrn
grasp of this experienced landlady
coupled with = vigorous kick, the loci
rave way and the door swung open.
Mrs. Desterle's quick eye gave on
glance around her. her jaw droppe'