Bisbee daily review., 1911-05-05


 pleasant thing I remember about my year of married life is that I did not meet Aunt Selina"
 ITz1g again. but stiIl there was no answer. And then it occurred to me that the stiffness below stairs was al most oppressive Bella was noticing things, too. for she began to fasten her veil again with a malicious little smile.
 "one of the things I remember my late husband saying" she observed. was that he could manage this house. and had done it for years, with flaw less service. Stand on the bell. Kit"
 did. We stood there, with the table, just as it had been left, be- tween us and waited for a response. Bella was growing impatient. She raised her eyebrows (she is very handsoTe. Bella is) and flung out her chin aa if she had begun to enjoy the horrible situation.
 l thought I heard rattle Of silver from the pantry just then. and l hur- ried to the door in a rage But che pantry was empty of servants and full Of dishes, and all the lights were out but one, which vas burning dimly. l could have sworn that I saw one of the servants duck into the stairway 10 the basement. buc when I got there the stairs were empty. and something was burning in the kitchen below.
 Bella had followed me and was peer ing over my shoulder cautiously.
 There isn't Q servant in the house" she said triumphantly. And when we went down to the kitchen. she seemed 10 be right It was fin disgracefuI or der, and one of the bottles of wine that had been banished from the din ing room sat half empty on the floor
 Drunk" Bella said with conviction. But l didn't think so. There had not been time enough, for one thing. S-l ld- denly I remembered the ambulance that had been the cause of Bella's ap- pearance-for no one could believe her silly story about Takahiro. simply left her there, staring helpless ly al the confusion. and ran upstairs again; through the dining room, past Jimmy and Aunt Selina, past LeFa Mercer and Max, who were flirting on the stairs, up, up to the servants bed rooms, and there my suspicious were verified. There was every evidence of B hasty flight; in three bedrooms five trunks stood locked and ominous, and the closets yawned with open door. empty. Bella had been right; there was not a servant in the house.
 As emerged from the untidy empti- ness of the servants wing, I met Mir. Harbison coming out of the studio.
 T wish you would let me do some of this running about for you. Mrs Wilson," he said gravely. You are not well, and I can't think Of anything worse for a headache. Has the but ler's illness clogged the household ma chinery?"
 Worse" I replied, trying not to breathe in gasps. T wouldn't be run ming around-like this-but there is not servant in the house, They have gone, the entire lot"
 That's odd" he said slowly. Gone. Are you sure?"
 In reply pointed to the servants wing. Trunks packed" I said trag- ically. rooms empty. kitchen and pan tries full of dishes. Did you ever hear of anything like it?"
 Never" he asserted. Tt makes me suspect" Wbat he suspected he did not say; instead he turned on his heel, without a word of explanation, and ran down the stairs. I stood star ing after him, wondering if every one in the place had gone crazy. Then l heard Betty Mercer scream and the rest talking loud and laughing. and Mir. Harbison came up the stairs again ! two at time.
 How long has that Jap been ailing. 1 Mrs. Wilson?" be asked.
 1T don't know replied helpless ly. What is the trouble. anyhow"
 T think he probably has something contagious" he said. and it has scared the servants away. As Mir. Brown said, he looked spotty. I sug. gested to your husband that 1t might i be as well to get the house emptied- . in case we are correct"
 Dus yes bJ all ulcduSs 6diQ l eagerly. l couldn't get away 100 soon. ] 'Tll go and get my" Then I stopped. ! Why, the man wouldn't expect ne to | leave; I would have to play out the l wretched farce to the endi
 'T'll go down and see them on, I | Finished lauely, and we went together , down the stairs
 Just for the moment l forgot Bella !. found Aunt Selma ! DonI ted and cloaked, taking a stirruD i. cup of Pomona for her nerves, and the ! rest throwing on their wraps in a hur- | v. Downstairs Max was teIephoning | Tor his car. which wasn't due for aa l hour, and Jim was walking up and flown, swearing under his breath. [ With the rsospect of getting rid of them all. alc r7ing home comfort I ably to try to fo he whole wretch ad affair. cheeTel I'D quite a lot. even played up ny past of hostess. and Dallas told me, asiac that was a prick
 Just then Jim threw open the front ioor.
 There was a man on the top step. with his mouth full of tacks, aud he !