The Southern herald., 1910-11-18

to get II. before anything had hap
pened and the lure Of life had been so
exquisite.
And yet she didn't wish herself
back. but only forward. Nov she had
no leisure to imagine, to 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 loomed huge and pinkish IN the
mist Her spirits rose with the feel
ing that she was going adyenturing
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 unpracticed hunter.
she, who all her life had been the
most artful of quarries.
She turned in at the low gate Of lmi-
tation grill in front of an enormous
wooden mansion, with towers and Gu
polas painted all a chill slate gray,
with tuchsias, purple and red, clam
bering up the front. She rang, and
was admitted into 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 feeling that Miss
Butler was at home, and, for one rea-
son or another, preferred not to be
seen. She waited apprehensively,
wondering whether Ella was not see
Ing the world-in-general, or had really
specified against herself. Could 1t 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 SO
taken for granted! 1t seemed as II
the sapphire, whose presence she was
never unconscious of, for all she wore
1t out of sight, had power like the
evil eye over these people. But If II
could turn such as Ella against her
why, the Brussels carpet beneath hel
might we'll open and let her down t
deeper abysses than Judge Buller't
wine-cellar.
She started nervously at the step o.
the maid returning. The message
brought was unexpected. miss Bul
Ter says will you please walk up
stairs?"
Flora was amazed. That Invitation
would have been odd enough at an,
time, for she and Ella were hardly OF
such intimate footing. But now sh
was ushered up the majestic stair
and from the majestic upper hal
abruptly into a wild little cluttere,
sewing-room, and thence into wilde
but more spacious bedroom, large cul
tains at the windows, large roses o.
the carpet, and over all objects in tn
room clutter of miscellaneous al
ticles, as If Elias band-boxes, bureau
and work-baskets habitually refuse
W COuldlu lueIHS6lVebe
From the midst of this Ella COZ
fronted her, still in her wrapper
and with the large puff of her hair
; little awry. Under 1t her face wa
curiously pink, a color deepening t
the tip of her nose and putting out III
der her eyes.
; We'll, Flora" she greeted he
guest. "You were just the person
wanted to see. Sit down. No, nc
there-thats my bird of paradis
feather! Oh, no, not there-that's th
breakfast. Well, guess you'll hav
to sit on the bed"
Flora swept asida the clothes ths
streamed across 1t fhd throned he
T. self on the edge of the high, whit
plateau Of Elias four-poster. ELL
|. for all her eager greeting, looked upo
her friend doubtfully, and Flora reco
: nized in herself a similar hesitation
as if each we're trying to make ou
: without asking, what thoughts the otl
: er harbored.
Il was afraid shouldn't ace you ,
ALL" Flora began at last.
"Well, you wouldn't If 1t hadn't ha
. pened to be you," said Ella paradox
: cally. Look at me; did you ever st
. such a sight?"
"You don't look very well," Flol
. cautiously admitted. why, Ella, yc
have been crying!"