Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-11-10

down ut tho card he had given her
aud rend the name tliereuu
Perhaps yuu wruld Ike 10 look st
aome ~ my furniture. Mr LakinR.
but II IL not fuf sale. she said. iiushing
indeed ! would" he cried heartily.
The ncxt thing to seeing the circus IL
looking over the fence. you know"
Allhea didn't know. for she had
ncvcr been to n circus performance.
but she held he door wide open. and
John Iaklng entered, not knowing
that his coming broke the outer film
Of reserve which had infolded the
sweet woman for many years.
The man turned nnd looked wonder
ipgly at the mirror lined walls. when
hs saw the multiplied reflections Of
his own form beside that of his host
ess he smiled with perfect understand
ing Of their purpose.
ut doesn't seem quite 80 lonely. you
know" Althca found herself explain
ing. with slight nod toward the
thronging reflections.
Thun followed several delightful
hours during which MIR. Iaking purred
over 1IepplewhItc and sheraton and
pure colonial highboys and cowboys,
folding card tables and work stands.
sofas four posters, mirrors, pewter and
lastly, a goodly hoard of china. lie
withdrew his gaze reluctantly from a
precious bit OF copper lustcr to find
Althca lowering near with tray
containing bottle and glass and a plate
Of fruit cake.
You must feel the need Of refresh
mcnt" she said tlmidly
He smiled gratefully and thanked
her. hiding his surprise at the label
on the bottle He poured a glass for
her and filed his own. and then, stand
ing In the dining room with the mirror
lined drawing room stretching beyond
with It's throng Of women and gray
clothed men gathered rs If waiting
FOR his action, he lifted his glass and
bowed toward Miss Althea
To all of us" he said with grave
courtesy. and as Miss Althea drank
the toast there came into her breast Il
strange little thrill-a quivering ex-
pectancy that she had not known in
years.
When John LakinG had gone, leav-
ing her quite alone. Althca sank into
one of the great blue brocaded chairs
in the drawing room and thought over
the events of the morning. Hours
passed as she sat and dreamed until
the lengthcning shadows warned her
that she had not lunchcd nor had she
prepared 10 dine.
Vexed ut this departure from her
usual routine of dccorum. Althca shook
off the glamour of the unusual day
much as she might have discarded n
gay opera cloak that chance had flung
about her worknday shoulders and
prepared her evening meal.
From that day Althea'S life under
went Il change. Things happened with
astonishing frequency, and it was sur
prising how quickly Althea Wayne
adapted herself to new conditions. The
day following John Lakings visit he
sent Althea a huge box of candy, n
gay, foolish box tied up with pale blue
ribbons and filed to the brim with
delicious confectiOns such as she had
never seen, Another day there came
flowcrs-all the blossoms that she low
ed. and yet she had never told him of
her favoritcs. Then there was a book
on old furniture that he brought him
self and another one on old china, and
they spent hours reading them and
tracing the genealogy OF Althea's treas
ures
90 Vnn Il h-tl ia NJ oh
cur, painting breathlessly AT the gate
till Althea vcnturCd forth fer her first
ride in its luxurious depths. The rec
tor and his wife went along too and
they rode down TO SQuuw Point, where
IakiaE's beautiful colonial house front.
ed the sea. into this bachelor abode
Althea went with delightful sense Of
expectancy. II was all like the owner
clean cut and polished and comfort
able and homellie and appealing
Back In the Wayne house Althea
felt the deSoatcnesS of her former life
and turned the old place inside out to
obtain new effects. She found herself
puZzling over the intricacies Of mod
ern fashions, and she maryeled ut the
growing beauty and elegance Of the
creatures that filed her rooms. They
We're no longer pale and llfelcss au-
tomatons They bloomed as Althea
did. as the roses did. In the sun OF
awakening love
At last Laking wrote his first love
letter to Althea, telling her that he
could not live without her and that he
would come to her that night for his
answer.
In the soft light of the candles she
stood alone. Tier color was blue. and
the pale folds Of her gown swept 10
the rich Turkey carpa'. she was all
alone Mt last.
Laklng paused in the doorway and
looked at the bare walls where the
mirrors had hung.
Where are the pale ladiesW he
asked with m attempt Mt lightness in
his tone
Gone" said Althea, little regret
fully. They We're ghosts, and l was
the leading spirit of them all"
And -you-Althca? z" he asked. COM
ing toward her with outstretched
hands.
why. I'm alive now" faltered