Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-05-18
CHAPTER XVI.
/ Face EI3Yni17n.


Dinner had waited that night while
everybody went to the coal cellar and
stared at the hole in the wall, and
watched while Max took a tracing of
it and of some footprints in the coal
dust on the other side.
/ did not go. l went into the library
with the guilty watch in a fold of
my gown, and found Mr. HARRISON
there, staring through the February
gloom at the blank wall of the next
house, and quite unconscious of the
reporter with drawing pad just be
low him in the area-way. l went over
and closed the shutters before his
very eyes, but even then he did not
move
viii you be good enough to turn
around?" l demanded at last
oh" he said, wheeling. Are you
here?"
There wasn't any reply to that. so
/ took the watch and placed it on the
library table between us. The effect
was all that | had hoped. He stared
at it for an instant, then at me, with
his hand outstretched for it, stopped.
Where did you find it?" he asked.
/ couldn't understand his expression.
He looked embarrassed, but not at all
afraid.
q think you know, Mr.. HARRISON"
retorted.
Il wish l did. You opened it?"
Yes"
We stood looking at each other
- III r. -.
that wavered.
About the picture-of you" he
said at last You see, down there
in South America, fellow hasn't
much to do evenings, and "a chum
of mine and I've were awfully down
on what we called the plutocrats, the
the leisure classes. And when that
picture of yours came in the paper,
we had-we had an argument. He
said" He stopped.
What did he say?"
Well, he said it was the picture of
an empty-faced society girl"
OH" l exclaimed.
Il maintained there were posi-
bilities in the face" He put both
hands on the table, and, bending for
ward looked down at me. We'll,
was fool. l admit. / said your eyes
were kind and candid, in spite of that
naughty mouth. You see said l was
fool
i think you are exceedingly rude, :"
I managed finally IF you want to
know where | found your watch. it
was down in the coal cellar And if
you admit you are an idiot, am not
IL know all about Bella's bracelet
and the board on the roof. and-oh. if
you would only leave-Anne's neck
lace-on the coal, or somewhere-and
get away"
My voice got beyond me then. and
dropped into a chair and covered my
face. l could feel him staring at the
back Of my head.
Well. I'll be" something or other.
he said finally, and then turned on his
heel and went out. By the time l got
my eyes dry Eyes, l was crying; al
ways do when I am angry 1 heard
Jim coming downstairs. and / tucked
the watch out of sight Would any
one have foreseen the trouble that
watch would make!
Jim was sulky He dropped into q
chair and stretched out his legs.
looking gloomily at nothing. Then
he got up and ambled into his den,
closing the door behind him without
having spoken a word It was more
than human nature could stand.
When l went into the den he was
stretched on the davenport with his
face buried in the cushion HIT looked
absolutely wilted, and every line of
him was dropping
Go on out, Kit" he said. in a
smothered voice. BE a good girl and
don't follow me around"
You are shameless," gasped.
Follow youl When you are hung
around my neck like alike "a"
Milestone was what I wanted to say,
but l couldn't think of It.
He turned over and looked up from
his cushions like an ill-treated and
suffering cheTub