Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-03-24
CHAPTER XIX.

The Deer Trace family and the two
guests from Woodlawn were in the mu-
sic-room when Tom was admitted, with
Ardea at. the piano playing war songs
for the pleasuring of her grandfather
and the ex-artilleryman. Under cover
Of the music, Tom slipped into the cir
Gle Of listeners and went to sit beside
his mother. There was courteous
hand wave of welcome from Major
Dabney, but Miss Euphrasia seemed
not to see him. He saw and under
stood, and was obstinately impervious
to the chilling east wind in that quar-
ter.
Ardea fingered lovingly on the clos
ing harmonies of nocturne, and
when the final chord was struck her
hands fingered on the keys until the
sweet voices of the strings had sung
themselves afar into the higher sound
heaven. Then she turned quickly and
surprised her anesthetized audience.
You poor things!" she laughed. I'm
another five minutes the last one of
you have succumbed. Why didn't some
body stop me?"
The iron master said something
about the heavy work of the day, and
helped his wife to her feet. The Major
came awake with a start and bestirred
himself Hospitality, and Miss Euphrasia
rose to speed the parting guests-or,
rather, the two of them who had been
invited. In the drift down the wide
han Ardea fell behind with Tom. whom
Cousin Euphrasia continued to ignore.
IT came to tell you," he said, In a
low tone, snatching his opportunity. Il
can't sleep until l have fought 1t out
with YOU"
"You don't deserve a hearing, even
from your best friend" was her dis
couraging reply; but when they were
at the door she gave him a formal re-
prieve. IT shall walk for a few min
utes on the portico to rest my nerves."
she said. "If you want to come ba *
He thanked her gravely, and went
obediently when his mother called to
him from the steps. But on the Wood
lawn yeranda he excused himself, and
when the door closed behind. the two
in-going, he swiftly recrossed the lawns
to pay the penalty.
The front door of the manor house
was shut and the broad, pillared porti-
90 was untenanted. He sat down in
one of the rustic chairs. The door
opened and closed and Ardea stood be-
fore him She had thrown a wrap
over her shoulders, and the light from
the MUSHROOM windows illuminated
her There was cool scorn In the sla
blue eyes, but in Toms thought she
had never appeared more unutterably
beautiful and desirable-and unattain-
able.
II have come" she said, in a tone
that cut him to the heart for its very
Indifference. What have you to saw
for yourself?"
I'm afraid l haven't left myself
much to say" he began, penitently. az
was born foolish. and it seems that
haven't outgrown it But, really. If you
could know"
"Unhappily. I do know" she inter-
rupted IF l did not, might listen To
YOU with better patience"
TT did look pretty bad" he confess
ed "And that's what I wanted to say;
was, you know"
II am bound to believe what see
with my own eyes," she rejoined "Pe--
haps you can make it appear that see.
ing is not believing"
''Of course 1 can't II you take tha
attitude" he complained. And then h
said irritably: You talk about friend
shipl You don't know the meaning o
the world"
IF didn't. I should hardly be her,
at this moment" she suggested. "Yo,
don't seem to apprehend to what de
grading depths you have sunk"
His sins in the business feld ros
before him accusingly and prompte,
Ais rAnlT