Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-11-30

a glimpse OF her in her customary at.
forward, one hand holding back silken
draperies while the white lace curtains
above her head were blazing fercely.
He passed the servant at a bound,
gained the hall and turned into the
door that led into the front parlor of
the house. As he did SO he was con-
scious that a woman had come swiftly
down the stairs and was following
closely behind him.
The room was unoccupied save for
that strangely unconscious form in the
window. Lucien never forgot the quiet
elegance Of the room. with its rich
rugs and tapestried walls. it's air OF
homelike comfort.
1t took but an instant TO tear down
the lace draperies and to traInple
them under foot. Then he was free
to take the form Of the lady OF the
alabaster hand in his arms and carry
her to a place of safety.
Good heavens. madam he breath
ed In her ear as he attempted to draw
her away from the window. But she
was strangely rigid in his arms. and
he felt q little thrill OF horror in the
discovery that she was quite cold. In
deed, the little white hand that fell
coldly upon his was like the iciaess OF
alabaster or its sister-marble.
A low, delicious trill of laughter
broke his momentary hesitation. 1t
did not come from the lady In his
arms, but from the girl who had fol-
lowed him into the room.
He turned and looked at her. She
was small and slight, with a pale face
crowned with bronze brown hair, but
her face was lovely and her eyes the
softest brown. She wore the most
charming gown of brown velvet that
matched her eyes exactly. She was
dimpling with laughter when he turn
ed, and she tried to stiffen her fea-
lures into solemnity as their eyes met.
81 hope you will pardon mel am
so sorry" she faltered. You have
been so very kind and brave to put
out the fire, but II you had not said
madam II would not seem so funny.
Oh. DEAR Again she rippled into
laughter.
Lucien looked down at the form he
was holding so stifiy in his arms.
His yes widened with amaZement,
and a sheepish grin overspread his
face.
The lady Of the alabaster hand star
ed unwinkingly at him from beautiful
eyes fringed with long lashes. Her
beautifully arranged dark hair was
drawn away from a Ike brow-yes,
a waxen face Of pink and white per-
lection! The shimmering fabric Of
her handsome gown fell Imply away
from her. and the laces of her sleeve
exposed a waxen arm and the perfect
alabaster hand!
Gently Lucien Braddock stood the
wax figure upright. The lovely ala
baster white hands were held stifiy
before her. She was very beautiful.
but she was made Of wax!
~ am so sorry" repeated the girl as
Lucien faced about.
"Tm not he said after a quick
glance at her face. Its one on me
though. Er-I wonder II you would
mind telling me why she was standing
there In the Window"
II must explain" said the girl with
pretty dignity. you see. | live with
my cousin, Jeanne Goulard. She mar
ried NJ. Goulard Of Paris, and after he
died she found she was quite poor. So
she came back to New York with the
loveliest ideas about clothes and open.
ed dressmaking parlors In this house.
That is all. You have mistaken the
model in n Of the front windows
for a-a-person. We are very CRATE
full to you for your brave deed tonight,
sir. You may smile, but the waxen
model is very valuable and the gown
also"
Lucien laughed heartily at his own
discontinue, and the girl Joined him
with that low contralto laugh which
he had heard once before.
II wonder IL you would mind telling
me something" he ventured.
What Is it,"
DO you recollect standing in the
vestibule OF your house several weeks
ago and seeing a man taking off his
hat to your model?' asked Lucien.
"Yes, indeed! Pardon me. but 1t was
SO funny"
This time Lucien Joined her in the
laugh, and the sound Of their mirth
brought Nine. Goulard below stairs.
After the whole matter Lad been ex-
planned TO her Nine. Goulard intro
duced her pretty cousin as Miss Ethel
Wyndsel. and Lucien recollected a
classmate at college whose name had
been Nick Wyndsel. and Of course he
was Ethel's brother. Lucien was In.
vited to dine with them, and Nine.
Goulard insisted that his vis-a-vis
might be the lovely model with the
alabaster hand
Then Lucien told his story and re-
lated how he had looked from under
his umbrella that rainy night to dis.
lover the alabaster hand holding back
the curtain.
"Oh. that was Ethel's artistic pos.
ing" laughed Mime. Goulard. "She
admired the hands Of that model quite
as much as you did. sir. % IL