The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-10-27
COAST Of

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-
terious letter from the floor and open
ed it. She read the strange handwrit-
ing:
May see you. anywhere. at any time,
tonight? ROBERT KERR.
1t was as if Kerr himself had en-
tered the room, masked and muffled
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 a glimpse of the two messen-
gers waiting stolidly in the hall.
Waiting for answers! Answers to
such communications! She made a
dash for the table where were pens
and ink and on one sheet scrawled:
Certainly. Bring 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 party?"
She found moment that evening
in which to ask him to walk out to
the Presidio with her the next morn
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
were going to that dinner-and then
| 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
reach-12 hours while Kerr was at
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 il
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 his step in
the hall below. But there was no move
ment. Could it be possible he was
waiting for her to come In? Hush!
that was the drawing-room door. But
instead of Kerr, Shima emerged. He
was heading for the stair with his lit
tie silver tray and upon it-a note
Oh, impudence! How dared he give
her the lie. by the hand of her own
butler! She stood her ground, and
Shima delivered the missive as If ii
were most usual to find ones mistress
bef1ounced in peignoir and petticoats
hanging breathless over the baluster
Take that back" she said coldly
J "and tell him that l 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
all!
The vestihule door closed noiseless
ly after him, the outer door shut with
a heavy sound. Yet before that sound
had ceased to vibrate, she heard il
shut again. Was he coming back?
There was presence in the vestibule