Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-11-23
CHAPTER X.-continued.

Then isn't it for us tn show them
That We are more than usually civil
lied? I can't run away from him like
a frightened little native"
"Of course; but that is where /
come in; it's what I'm for-to get rio
of such things for you"
Clara had risen. and stood consid-
ering a moment with that same sweet,
impersonal eye which Flora found it
hardest to comprehend.
What mean" she explicitly
stated, 'is that if he should undertake
to carry out his preposterous sugges-
ton, and call this afternoon, / am
quite ready. If you wish, to take him
of your hands"
This last took Flora's breath away.
It had not occurred to her that Clara
had overheard. 1t shocked her, fright
ened her; and yet Clara's way of
stating the fact, as if it were the
most natural thing in the world, made
Flora feel that she herself was in the
wrong to feel this.
You're very kind" she managed to
get out; and that see med to leave her
committed to hand Kerr over, tied
hand and foot, when she wasH't sure
at all she wanted to-
Then shall tell Mrs. Herrick that
you will consider the house?" said
Clara, already in the act of departure
"She is to call to-day to go into it
with me more thoroughly. Thus far
we've only played about the edges"
Her eyes strayed toward the dress
ing table as she passed it. and as she
reached the door she glanced over the
chiffonier. 1t was on the tip of Flora S
tongue to ask If she had nlislaid some
thing, when Clara turned and smiled
her small, tight-curled smile, as if she
were offering it as symbol of mutual
understanding. Curiously enough, ii
checked Flora's query about the stray
ing glances, and made her wonder
that this was the first time in their
relation that she had thought Clara
sweet.
But there was another quality in
Clara she did not lose sight of, and
she waited for the closing of a door
further down the hall before she drew
the sapphire from under her pillow.
With the knocking at the door her
first act had been to thrust it there.
The feeling that it was going to be
hard to hide was still her strongest in
stinct about it; but the morning had
dissipated the element of the super.
natural and the horrid that it had
shown her the night before. 1t seemed
to have clearer and simpler beau
ty; and the hope revived in her that
its beauty, after all, was the only re-
markable thing about it.
Her conviction of the night before
had sunk to a shadowy hypothesis
She knew nothing-nothing that would
Justify her in taking any step; and
her only chance of knowing more lay
in what she would get out of Kerr :;
for that he knew more about her ring
than she. she was convinced She was
afraid of him, yet, in spite of her fear,
she had no intention of handing him
over to Clara. For on reflection she
knew that Ciara's offer must have a
deeper motive than mere kindness,
and she had a most unreasonable IL ell.
ing that it would not be safe.
Yet Clara would do a kindness IL it
did not inconvenience her, and surely
this morning she had been kind. Still
Flora felt she didn't want to reveal
anything until she was a little surer
of her own position. When she knew
better where she stood she would
know what she could confide TO Clara.
Meanwhile, If there was any one to
whom she could turn now it would
surely be Harry.
Yet, if she did, what lot of awk-
ward explanations! She could not re-
turn the sapphire without giving a
reason, and what thing to explain
that she had not only worn it, but. in
a freak, shown it to the one of all
people he most objected to.
Nevertheless the most sensible thing
clearly was to go through with it and
confess to Harry. Then she must
communicate with him at once. No
she would wait until after breakfast.
There was plenty of time Kerr would
not come until the afternoon. But
after breakfast, she wondered If it
wouldn't be as well to ring him up at
luncheon time? Then she would be
: re of finding him at the club.
Meanwhile she dared not let the
sapphire out Of her grasp; and yet
she could not wear it on her hand.
She had thought of the pear-shaped
pouch of gold which it was her Gus
tom to wear; but the slender length
of chain that linked it to her neck was
too frail for such a precious weight
At last she had fastened 1t around her
neck on the strongest chain she
owned, and thus she carried it all the
morning under her bodice with a
quieter mind han had been hers on
the first day she had worn it, when
there had been nothing to explain her
uneasiness.
She was alone at luncheon. and in
a dream. She glanced now and then
at the clock. She rose only ten min