Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-12-07

, was not addressed to Harry, but to
her, and in a handwriting she had
never seen before!
Again the peal Of the electric bell.
Shima appeared with a third envel-
ope. This time it was her own note
returned to her. With the feeling she
was bewitched she took up the mys-
FERROUS letter from the floor and o ,e-
ed it. She read the strange hanf fr
ing:
May I see you, anywhere. at an. pe.
tonight? ROBERT IKE. x.
1t was as if Kerr himself had en-
tered the room, masked and mufied
beyong recognition. and then, face TO
face with her, let fall his disguise.
She gazed at the words, at the sigma
ture, thrilled and frightened. She
looked at Harry's note. hesitated;
caught glimpse of the two messen-
gers waiting stolidly in the hall.
Waiting for answersl Answers to
such communications. She made
dash for the table where were pens
and ink and on one sheet scrawled:
Certainly Bling him." appending
her initials; on the other the word
Impossible" and her full name Then
she hurried the letters into Shima's
hands, lest her courage should fail
her-lest she should regret her choice.
Anywhere, at any time, tonight
she repeated softly Why, the man
must be mad! Yet she permitted her
self moment of imagining what
might have been if her answers had
been reversed.
But no, she dared not meet Kerr's
impetuous attacks yet First she
must get at Harry. And how was
that to be managed if he insisted on
surrounding himself with "a jolly lit,
tie Darty?'
She found a moment that evening
in which to ask him to walk out to
the Preside with her the next II arn-
ing. But he was going to Bur
lingame on the early train. He was
woefully sorry. 1t was ages since he
had had moment with her alone, but
at least he would see her that. even
ing. She had not forgotten? They
the reception afterward? Her sus-
picion that he was deliberately dodg-
ing wavered before his boyish, cheer
full, unconscious face. And yet, fol-
lowing ON the heels of his tendency
to question and coerce her, this reti.
cence was amazing. The next day
would be lost with Harry beyond
.
the mercy of chance. and she was at
the mercy of Kerr
Yet when his card was brought up
to her the next morning she looked at
the printed name as wistfully as if 1t
had been his face. 1t cost an effort
to send down the cold fiction that she
was not at home, and she could not
deny herself the consolation of lean
ing on the baluster of the second
landing. and listening for ibis step in
the hall below. But there was no move
ment. Could it be possible he was
waiting for her to come in? Hushl
that was the drawing-roon door. But
instead of Kerr, Shima emerged. He
was heading for the stair with his lit.
tie silver tray and upeh tia note.
Oh. impudence! How dared he give
her the lie. by thc hand of her own
butler! She stood her ground, and
Shima delivered the missive as If it
were most usual to find ones mistress
beflounced in peignoir and petticoats,
hanging breathless over the baluster.
Take that back" she said coldly,
and tell him that / am out; and.
Shima, she addressed the mans In
telligence-"make him understand it,"
She watched the note departing.
How she longed to call Shima back
and open it, There was a pause
then Kerr emerged from the drawing.
room. AS he crossed the hall he
glanced up at the stair and as much
as was visible of the landing He had
not taken Shima's word for it, after
ALI
The vestihule door closed noiseless-
ly after him, the outer door shut with
heavy sound. Yet before that sound
had ceased to vibrate, she heard 1t
shut again. Was he coming back?
There was a presence in the vestibule