Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-12-06

! very vaguely seen through the glass
and lace of the inner door Her heart
beat with apprehension. The door
opened upon Clara.
Flora precipitately retreated. She
was more disturbed than relieved by
the unexpected appearance. For Clara
must have seen Kerr leave the house.
Three times now within three days he
had been found with her or waiting
| for her. She wondered if Clara would
ask her awkward questions. But
Clara, when she entered Flora's dress
ing-room few moments later with
the shopping-list, instead of a ques-
ton, offered statement
Il don't like than man." she an
nounced.
'Who?"
That Kerr. / met him Just now
on the steps. Don't you feel there is
something wrong about him?"
"Oh, / don't know" said Flora
vaguely.
Clara gave her a bright glance.
But you weren't at home to him."
I'm not at home to any one this
morning" Flora answered evasively,
feeling the probe of Clara's eyes, I'm
feeling i'll. I'm not going out this
evening. either. I think I'll ring up
Burlingame and tell Harry" 1t was
in her mind that she might manage
to make him stay with her while
Clara went on to the reception.
"Burlingame! Harry" Clara
echoed in surprise. why, he's in
town. saw him just now as 1 was
coming up"
Are you sure?"
eyes. He was walking up Clay from
Kearney. 1 was in the car"
why that-that is" Flora STAN
mered in her surprise. Then some
thing must have kept him." she al
tered her sentence quickly. But
though this seemed the probable ex-
PLANTATION she did not believe it, Harry
walking toward Chinatown, when he
| had told her distinctly he would be
in Burlingame! She thought of the
| goldsmith shop and there returned to
her the memory of how Harry and the
| blue-eyed Chinaman had looked when
| she had turned from the window and
seen them standing together in the
| back of the shop.
you do look ill.," Clara remarked.
why don't you stay in bed and not
| try to see any one?"
| Flora murmured that that was her
! intention, but she was far from speak
ing the truth. She only waited to
make sure of Claras being in her own
rooms to get out of the house and
| telephone to Harry.
1t was not far to the nearest booth,
| a block or two down the cross street
She rang, first, the Office. The word
| came back promptly in his partner
voice. He had gone to Burlingame
! by the early train. 1t was the same
| at the club. He must be in town, then,
on secret business
She walked rapidly, in her excite
ment, turning the troubling question
over in her mind. She did not realize
how far she had gone until some girl
she knew, passing and nodding to her,
called her out of her reverie. She
was almost in front of the University
/ club. A few blocks more and she
would be in the shopping district. She
hesitated, then decided that it would
| be better to walk a little further and
| take cross-town car.
A group of men was leaving the
| club. Two fingered on the steps, the
other coming quickly out At sight of
him, she averted her face, and, hurry
| ing, turned the corner and walked
! down block. Her heart was beating
rapidly. What If he had seen her!
| She looked about--there was no cab
in sight-the best thing to do was to
| slip into one of the crowded shops,
full of women, and wait until the dan
| ger had passed. Once inside the
| door of the nearest, she felt herself,
with relief, only one of horde of
pricers, lockers and buyers. She felt
as if she had lost her identity. She
went to the nearest counter and asked
| for wells. Partly concealed behind
the bulk of the woman next her, she
kept her eye on the door. She saw
Kerr come in. How absurd to think
that she could escape him! She turned