Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-09-29

no leisure 10 imagine, 10 pretend, TO
enjoy, only the breathless sense. that
she must get forward. The chatter
ing clock on her mantel warned her
of the passing time and set her hur-
rying into her walking gown, her hat,
her gloves, as if the object Of her err
rand would only wait for her a mo-
ment longer. When, for the second
time, she opened the house door, she
didn't hesitate. She descended into
the white fog that covered all the city.
Above her the stone facade of her
house doomed huge and pinkish in the
mist. Her spirits rose with the feel
ing that she was going adventuring
again, leaving that house where for
the last two days she had awaited
events with such vivid apprehensions.
She hurried fast down the damp, glis-
tening pavement, seeing long, dim
gray faces of houses glimmer by, see
ing figures come toward her through
the fog, grow vivid, pass, and hearing
at intervals the hoarse, lonely voice
of the fog-horn at "The Heads" reach
ing her from over many intervening
hills. She did not feel sure what she
should do at the end Of her journey or
what awaited her there. She knew
herself a most Impractical hunter,
she, who all her life had been the
most artful Of quarries.
She turned in at the low gate Of imi-
tation grill in front of an enormous
wooden mansion, with towers and Gu
polas painted all a chill slate gray,
with fuchsias, purple and red, clam
bering up the front. She rang, and
was admitted into a hall, ornate and
very high, with a wide staircase
sweeping down into the middle Of it,
The maid looked obviously at Flora
and thought Miss Butler was not at
home, but would see. Flora turned
into the room on her left and sat down
among the Louis Quinze sofas and
potted palms with a feeling that Miss
Butler was at home, and, for one rea
son or another, preferred not to be
seen. She waited apprehensivelyi
wondering whether Ella was not see
ing the world-in-general, or had really
specified against herself. Could it be
that Ella was one of those women
whom Harry had alluded to as run
ming after Kerr? In the short "a hours
every individual help she had counted
upon had seemed to draw away from
her-Kerr, whose understanding she
had been so sure of; Clara, whose pro
priety had never failed; Harry, whose
comfortable good nature she had 81
taken for granted! 1t seemed as i
the sapphire, whose presence she wal
never unconscious of, for all she wore
it out Of sight, had a power like tn,
evil eye over these people. But If i
could turn such as Ella against hel
why, the Brussels carpet beneath he
might well open and let her down t
deeper abysses than Judge Butler
~wine-cellar.
She started ~nervously at the step G
the maid returning. The messag
brought was unexpected. Miss Blu
Ter says will you please walk VI
stairs?"
Flora was amazed. That ~invitatio
would have been odd enough at an
t time, for she and Ella were hardly o
such intimate footing. But now sh
g was ushered up the majestic stat
and from the majestic upper ha
abruptly into a wild little cluttere
y sewing-room, and thence into a wilde
but more spacious bedroom, large Gu
d tains at the windows, large roses c
the carpet, and over all objects In IL
room a clutter Of miscellaneous a
a ticles, as If Elias band-boxes, burea,
l. and ~work-baskets habitually refuse
o to contain themselves.
d From the midst of this Ella co
e. fronted her, still in her "wrappe,
and with the large puff of her hair
S, little awry. Under it her face Wi
Ie curiously pink, a color deepening
h the tip of her nose and putting out u
a der her eyes.
We'll, Flora" she greeted h
guest. "You were just the person
IS wanted to see. Sit down. No, n
n there-that's my bird of paradi
he feather! oh, no, not there-that's t
B. breakfast. Well, I guess you'll ha
"a to sit on the bed"
u Flora swept aside the clothes tn
at streamed across 1t and throaed h
s. self on the edge Of the high, viii
n plateau of Elias four-poster. Ell
n for all her eager greeting, looked up
her friend doubtfully, and Flora rect
o. nized in herself a similar hesitate
ne as if each were trying to make o
n without asking, what thoughts the o
W. err harbored.
sh 81 was afraid I shouldn't see you
~ ALL" Flora began at last.
~ well, you wouldn't If 1t hadn't h;
81 pened to be you" said Ella parade
a cally. Look at me; did you ever s
~ such a sight?"s
"You don't look very WELL" Flc
e, cautiously admitted. "Why, Ella, y
have been crying!"
- eyes, rye been crying" said FL
~ hopping her nose, which still show
bo a tendency to distil a tear at its
sand it's perfectly awful to me
ie' think you've been living SO long in
same house with her"
y Flora murmured breathless
what in the world do you mean?"
n? IF you don't know, I certainly oui
N? to tell you. I mean ClaS2," said I
cd distinctly.
ire Flora, citing up on the edge Of
high bed with the tips Of her III
HljeHEs ON PRESS HONEST