The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-12-01

advancing. How dye do, Mrs. Her
rick? How dye do. Kerr?"
How dye do?" said the English
man, without rising.
Flora gripped the arms of her chair
to keep from springing up in sheer
nervous terror. A possible purpose in
Harry's coming, that even Mrs. Her
ricks presence would not defer, shot
through her mind. Was he alone? Or
were there others-men here for a
fearful purpose-waiting beyond in the
hall? But Harry had turned his back
upon the door behind him with a
finality that declared whatever dan
ger had come into the house was COM
plete in his presence.
I've dined, thanks" he said, but,
stripping off his greatcoat, accepted
chair and the glass of cordial Mrs.
Herrick offered him. The ruddy, hard
quality of his face, were it divested
of its present smile, Flora thought,
might we'll have frightened the maid;
but, for all that, it was not so i'm
placable as Kerr's face confronting it..
The look with which he met the in
| trusion had quality more bitter than
the challenge of an antagonist, more
jealous than mere lovers; and that
bitterness, that jealousy which was
between them came out stingingly
through their small pleasantness. 1t
could not be, Flora thought in terror,
that Mrs. Herrick intended to leave
these two enemies to each other! Mrs.
Herrick had risen; and Flora, follow
ing, saw both men, also uprisen, hang
hesitatingly, as If unready to be de-
serted; yet with well-filled glasses,
and newly smoking tocbaco, both were
caught.
Then Kerr, with q quick dash Of his
hand, picked up his glass. Let us be
continental" he begged, and followed
close at Flora's side. Without moving
his lips Kerr was speaking. What
does this mean?"
She sensed the anger in his smoth-
cred voice, but she dared not look at
him.
Il have no idea; but will see you. :"
| "When?"
Her answer leaped to her mind and
her lips at the same moment.
"In the rotunda when the house is
quiet"
Harry had followed leisurely in
their wake. The flush of haste had
subsided in his face, and when the
four regrouped themselves in the
high, darkly-paneled room, among the
low lights, Flora remarked his ex-
traordinary composure. Bitter he
might be; but all the nervousness, sus-
picion, uneasiness, that he had shown
of late had vanished. There was a
tremendous confidence about him, the
confidence of the player who holds
cards that must win the game, and
sits back waiting for his moment.
But she was ready to laugh at him
in his security. He had underesti-
mated his opponent In spite of him
she was to have her meeting with
Kerr! Harry had waited too long to
prevent that, whatever he might do
afterward. In this inspired moment
she felt herself touching conquering
heights which before she had only
touched in imagination. She felt
enough power in herself to move even
such mountain of obstinacy as Kerr.
| She stole a look at him-a look of
glad intelligence. He understood as if
she had spoken. They were to meet,
while all the house slept fast, to meet
for his great renunciation. Then, in
the morning, when Harry was ready
with whatever move he was holding
back, Kerr would be gone. There
would be no Kerr-but she must not
think of that! She glanced at him
again in the thick of the talk, and
caught his. eye upon her, puzzled, and
she thought, with glimmer of doubt
She smiled; and smiled again at the
ease with which she reassured him
merely by looking at him. He should
see, in the end, how true she could be!
In the room where, some eight
hours before, she and Mrs. Herrick
had talked, Flora waited, fully dressed
1t had been early when they had sepa
rated. The strain of the four togeth
er had been terrific; and she was still
feeling it, though an hour had passed
She was feeling that, now her situa
ton was upon her, she was alone
Mrs. Herrick could only be near her
not with her, and Kerr was still an un
known quantity-except that he was
fire.
| And there was Harry, with his ter
rible certainty, and no apparent thing
to account for it. 1t could not be
there were men in the house without
the servants remarking it; but in the
garden? She peered out upon it. Only
tree shadows moved upon the lawn
Nothing glimmered in the walks OF
drives. The solitude held her like an
enchantment. She listened for the
small sounds in the house to cease
for the lights in the lower story to &c
out, proclaiming all the servants were
in bed. Even after the stiffness she
waited-waited to be sure it was the
long stiffness.
Finally she crept to the door and
opened 1t boldly wide.
She stood where she was upon the
threshold trembling in cruel fright
A gas-jet burning far up at the enc
of the hall, threw dim light dowr
the pale, pinkish, naked vista, void o.
furniture, window or curtain; and
leaning against the blank wall almos
opposite her door, and directly facing
her, was Harry.
Without speaking they looked a
each other. He was fully dressed, bu
lacking his shoes, as she noted in thu
acuteness of her startled senses. Th'
furtive suggestion of those shoelesi