Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-11-04

amazement, and she fancied, horror.
Harry came straight for her.
Why, you poor child, what's hap
pened to yOu?"
She gave him a look. She couldn't
forget their scene in the red
but the mixture of apprehension and
real concern in his face went far to-
ward melting her. h might even
have told him something. at least a
part of the truth, but for that other
standing watching her from the draw
ing-rOOm door. With Clara, there was
nothing for it but to ignore her disor-
dered hair. her hat in her hand. her
ruffle torn and trailing on the floor.
She put on a splendid nOnchalance,
as if it were none Of their business.
oh, l am sorry If l kept you wait
ing"
1t was Clara who spoke to her, past
Harry's blank establishment. why,
we don't mind waiting a few moments
more while you dress"
Il shan't nave to dress" Such a
statement Flora felt must amaze even
Shima. waiting like an image on the
threshold of the dining-rOOm. But If
these people were waiting to be
dIlldZ6U SHE lSlI HSlSSlI Cqudl "
amazing them to the top of their ex-
pectatiOns.
"Oh, cut at least go up and let
Marrika give you some pins" Clara
protested, hurrying forward as If fair
ly to drive her
: Thank you, no, this will do" Flora
said. On one point she was quite
clear. She wasn't going to leave those
two together for a Omen to discuss
her plight; not till she could first get
at Harry alone. Then and there she
turned to the mirror and with her
combs began to catch back and smooth
the disorder of her hair, seeing all the
while Clara's reflection lowering per
turbed and vigilant in the background
of her own.
While her hands were busy seem
ing to accommodate Clara, her mind
was marshaled to Clara's outwitting.
The only thing to do was to tell
nothing. Let Clara spend her time in
guessing. Unless by some wild chance
she had seen Kerr in the garden she
couldn't come near the truth of what
had happened. But what was to be
done with Harry? Harry was too close
to her to be ignored.
At that dreadful dinner. where she
sat a conscious illustrator of these two
silent ones, glancing at Harry's face,
she knew that if she didn't attack she
would be attacked by him. 1t was
mere in the midst of the ~nOiSelesS
passings of Shima, watching Harrys
suspicious glances flashing across the
table at her strange disorder, that the
idea occurred to her of a way out OF
#. She was bold enough to try a
daring thrust at the mystery. If ever
a hunter was to be led off On a false
scent, Harry was that one. She was
amazed at the sudden, fearless I'M
pulse that had sprung up in her. She
wasn't even afraid to say to him un-
der Clara's nose, Harry, l want you
to myself after dinner. Come up into
the garden study
He was very willing to follow her.
She thought she detected in his alac.
rity something more than curiosity or
oncer It seemed almost as if Har
nv was ashamed of that scene in the
red room, and anxious to make 1t uT
with her. He even tried before they
had reached the head of the stairs
ooh Floral say, Flora, I"
buI oil ca 1lIlhC1Oh NHO
was the last thing she wanted just
then. She fairly ran. leaving him
painting in the wake of her airy skirts
For the first time since h thing
began Clara was left out completely
Flora knew she was even left out O
p possibility of listening at the key
hole. For the bright, tight, little
room into which Harry followed he
was approached by a square entry an
a double door. The room itself over
hung the garden as a ships decl
o~verhangs the sea. Leather books ar
? lone red curtains were the note of it
She and Harry had often been her
r together before.
, He hadn't got his breath. He ha'
: hardly shut the door on them befor'
she began. We'll, something ha
h~appened." She had his attention
His other purpose was arrested. "Oh
, something extraordinary. l wOul,
have told you on the spot, only
thought you would rather Clara didn'
know it."
~" That left him staring. "Wha
f have t O do with it?"
At this she gave him a long loOl
. ut was through you he ever had tn
chance of seeing me. | mean tn
2 blue-eyed Chinaman. He has follow
ed me all the evening. He followed m
4 hel e to the very door" F1ora's ARA
O of facts fell so fast, SO hard, so pOin
ed, that for a moment they held hill
speeches. in the middle of the room
a, Any feeting suspicion she migt
have had of his completely in tn
r Chinaman's pursuit vanished. Il
showed plain bewilderment. For
moment he was more at sea tina he
\ self. The next she saw the shadow
a thought so disturbing that it shar.
ened his ruddy face to harshness- +
~ stepped toward her. What did h