Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-12-20

Sld0OH VI AAA-4C ldu ulU1 dNlOoS
the whole. The little restaurant
seemed left behind in the onward
march of the city. and it's faded, kindly
face was but shadow of what had
been of the vigor and flourish of bour-
geois Spain 80 years before. There
was no one eating at the little tables,
no one sitting behind the high cash
desk in the anteroom. Not a stir of
human life in all the place.
Hello" said Kerr among the tables
looking around him, we've caught
them asleep" He raped on the wall
with his cane. Flora peered at him
between the curtains, all her fascinat-
ed apprehension of what was to fol-
low plain upon her face. Shall it be
giant or dwarf?" he asked her.
There's nothing l won't do for you,
you know"
The door opened and a little girl
with long black braid and purple
apron came in.
"a dwarf" cried Flora She
laughed with a quick relaxing of her
strained nerves. 1t might almost have
been the truth from that old little
swarthy face and sedate demeanor that
hardly noticed them The child walked
grayely up to the desk and mounting
to the high stool struck a faint-voiced
bell.
There" said Kerr, lends formality.
Now let the real magic begin!"
"Not black magic" Flora took up
his fancy.
He had drawn out chair for her.
THAT depends on you. I'm not the
magic maker. l have no talisman."
She felt the conscious jewel burn in
her possession She looked up be-
seechingly at him, but he only
laughed, and, with a swing, lifted the
chair a little off the ground as he sat
her up to the table, as if to show how
easily he could put forth strength
There was nothing defiant in him. He
was taking her with him-taking her
upon the wings of his high spirits
but mischievously, obstinately, he
would not show her where the flight
was leading, nor let her listen to any
thing but the rustling of those wings
He was determined to make holiday
whatever was to follow. For the
glimpse of blue through the dim win
dow might be the Bay of Naples; and
| ahi Chianti. Perhaps the sort one
gets down Monte Video way, where
France fades into Italy-perhaps, at
least if her fancy could get the bet
ter of the reality.
"She wouldn't care if you jumped
up and threw me out of the window,
| he affirmed That's why this hole is
so harmless. Oh, isn't that harmless
| What's more harmless than to let one
alone? There's only one dangerous
thing here" he grinned and let her
take her choice of which.
She came straight at it.
"You know l can't let you alone"
He laughed. well, isn't that why
we're here at last-that you may die
| tate your terms?"
Il have. Didn't you get my letter.
ooh, indeed l did. Haven't l obeyed
it? Haven't l kept away from your
| house? Have / tried to approach
your"
Haven't you, thought" she threw
| at him accusingly.
"Ah," he deprecated, you came tc
me. l was down in the garden"
She looked at him through his
.persifage wistfully, searchingly. but
there were other things in that let
| ter"
There were?" He regarded hel
with grave surprise. Oh, how she
mistrusted his gravity! why, to be
sure there were things-thmgs that
| you didn't mean-one thing above al
/ others you couldn't mean, that you
want me to drop ont when the game
is half done, to stink away and leave
it all like this-abandon you and my
Idol to each other! My dear, foi
what do you take me?"
She burst out But cant you see
the danger?"
He met it quietly.
Certainly. / have beer seeing
nothing else but the daD5er-to you
Do you think I've been idle all these
days? Every line l have followed
has ended in that. It's brought me
finally to this" The gesture of his
/ hand included their predicament and
the dingy little room. You'll really
have to help me. after all"
"Oh. haven't / tried to? That is
why l wrote. Don't you see your OWL
danger at alp
mo. but I'd like to-" He leaned to
ward her, brows lifted to a quizzical
peak.
"Oh, can't tell you" she despaired
But somehow l shall have to make
! you CO.
THAT will be easy he said. Lean
ing back. nursing his chin in his hand
he watched her with a gloomy sort OF
brooding. "You know what it is In
without it," His words came sadly
but doggedly, with a grim finality, as
/ if he gave himself up to the course he
was following as something he knew
was inevitable. The faintness OF de
spair came over her. Only the mar
row table was between them, yet al
at once, with the mention of the ring
he seemed a long way Off
do you care for it so very much?
she asked him, trembling but valiant
Il care so very much" he repeated
slowly. and after moment Of won
der; Why, don't you?"
"Oh, not for that" she cried sharp
ly. Not for the sapphire!"
He stared. She had startled hin
clean cat OF his brooding. I'm heavens
name, for what. them
oh, she could never tell him it was
| for him. In her distress and EN-
barrassment she looked all ways.
His quick white finger touched hel
on the wrist "For NTessy?'
The abrupt stern note of his CUES
ton startled her. She held herselt
] stiff and still for a moment, then.