Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-02-03
CHAPTER /.

Since Tempest had shut himself. up
In Craven he had added to rather than
diminished his popularity. lie re.
fused to be further lionized; either
tlmid or wise in the white heat of his
fame's fame, he ran away! Rather
than watch his fame fall to ash, or
fearful that It's tense heat would harm
him? For neither reason. He was
o thinking Of London, or his pubic,
he was thinking of himself.
In Craven, whilst immured. he was
as well delightfully."- at large. The
castle itself was a prison, standing, as
1t did, II miles from any railway.
dominating, as 1t did. the entire coun.
~ OF shire. Craven was a fortress
for the writer's hours of labor-a
pleasure.garden for his leisure. But
on this occasion he had not come 10
II for the sympathetic atmosphere It
extended to his work. Craven was not
10 offer In this s~ojourn any OF Its
Rforetime tonic-nor was It demanded
that II should suggest a new theme, or
even cradle an old idea. Mr.. Tempest,
a solitary inhabitant of his study,
asked a new balm of his r~etreat-it
must be a panacea.
1T should be-" he said aloud as he
replaced q book in the shelves and
found another. "a padded cell"
Into the great bow window whose
squares Of glass let in the whole wide
country sweep to his eyes-once a
veritable lovers eyes for this English
nature. whose graccs and beauties
Tempest had made to live and bloom
in his book TIL all England echoed his
muse-into the bowed windows his
housekeeper daily ~cleverly drew the
Writing.table. Tempest many times
before II had seer hour after hour slip
away, until. exhausted yet supremely
content. he had risen, aching in every
limb, the pile OF manuscript grown at
his hand, his work done, and he him.
self free and buoyant as only the
creator can be before his self.appoint.
ed task. But writing materials re.
NAMED these days untouched.
November hal almost gone, and the
drear baroness OF the landscape, al
though not yet %despoilcd Of LEAKAGE,
was hidden on this afternoon by n
mist full of rain. Tempest had the
extent OF blank gloom before him as
he faced It by the window, leaning
against his workable, his back to the
room. Something of the leadrn quail
lty of the outside reflected itself in his
countenance. But he had not time to
follow his meditations tO their end.
for q rap on the door fell once-was re.
peated. then the door opened and his
h"ousekeeper came In.
Il beg pardon. MIR. Basil" he did
o stir.
She waited a moment. then adj
"anced: Il beg your pardon. sir"
After another silence he blurted
out:
We'll? What for, pray? II you
have any good reason to break in on
me. ilenly, you will give IT,"
1--WE disobeyed you, sir"
I'D rather forgive you than hear
about it-don't do ii again"
II won't indeed, sir, but"
Tempest turned reluctantly TO the
intruder, She said oh" involuntari.
ly as she caught sight OF his face: the
last hour had ravagcd It. Her evil.
dent affection, not her sympathy. mod.
fled his mood.
What the devil have you done?" he
asked. not unkindly. 1T can't be
worse than coming here to me after
my express %injunctions.'
It's worse, sir" she nodded: 1--WE
let in a lady"
She breathed freer with the whole
confession of her crimes enormity.
Tempest's surprise was as sharp as
his displeasure. "A ~lady-you're
dotty!"
She pleaded, 81 couldn't help II, Mr.
Basil-she had walked from Craven
ford-to see you. strand ! hadn't the
heart"
Gomez" he exclaimed furiously
Il am not to be obeyed then, Henly
see plainly you are taken advantag,
of-of-I mean to say you're astound
Ing. l give orders to leave me II
peace. to refuse my doors; to keep m,
mail. my dispatches, away, ard 20,
admit God knows whom and for wha
purpose at your pleasure"
She let him fume. and her patient
gentle bearing of his detestable hume
made him ashamed. What for. pray :!
- don't know. sir" she said humbly
~ couldn't say no-somehow. Sh,
begged for a moment-she had wake,
the ~ mites and she says she mus
Ha...ML