The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1911-12-21

sure that N my hosts had arnca the
rirhi one ~ ne ] would know Der 81
emrW Whether ~ NO ! sgFuek the SIR
ihey hal DECIDED uI.an. ! certainly rs
fiepa ais uho-e general makeup pleas
"a me tcfg muh she was q Mlss
Hester Adams Oae - The guests.
Jolu Crpwcll vas attentive 10 her, 70
that ! did nH 81 oaoe Eei much or
pouunilt - drx 0se lny~eif o. her
AID terr uAs a point 10 this little
game Wbcrcln /. 4 nian hnd au adrsu
take l,d sefl oui the Eirl who
had leen ,h1sen f0f ue while she
mus, renala passive ou the ether
baud she aiTli rrmain hidden within
herself q o7's ~ observation, watch
ing the rnemt movements
wnbln Il ! found myself rival
+ lax Juhb nmwell and several other
men fof tie favor - Hester Adams
She MSS ~ "a, neans the most proml
ncnl young lads w The Iary hut any
one With diseerument could detect IN
her certain worth whifh, after all.
other ihing. helng equal. determines
Z the real standing ~ both meH aud wo-
men Cr0wel seemed 10 have the In
side track the rest Of ~ standing
I nl,oni even although ! can remember,
looking ia, to that far period. that |
was not left without an occasional
mor~ei % comfort
But 0he afternoon terrible gulf
came up between Hester Adams and
myself. We men we're all roomed on
the uir,l noor while the women were
ON the stSond Going up to dress for
dinner. / was Obliged TO pass Crowell's
room Hi door stood ajar, and, look.
Ing IN. / saw lady standing before
the drcSss She took NJ lewcled
scarfpln ,ad examined II. Her back
was toward nue.. but | saw her face
reflected In the mirror over the dresser.
She was Hester Adams Sticking
the hin IN her corsage where Il would
he hidden she was turning when |,
not wishing her 10 see me,'weni on TO
my room.
or ALL ihe positions in which have
ever found myself this was surely the
most singular. the most unpleasant |
had seen guest, one In whom was
beginning to be interested, In the
mems quarters steal jewelry, Wheth-
er she knew Il or not could not tell,
but the man from whom she was pill
fering was Crowell, who was devoted
10 her
An hour later we assembled at din
ner Naturally ! looked nj Miss Ad
ans. ! failed 10 catch her eye, but ]
saw IN II Il troubled expression. Dur
ing the dinner she seemed 20 be think.
ing OF something else than what was
said TO her Fearing TO show a diner
enee IN my treatment Of her. ] did not
address her while we were dining nor
during the evening,
Ny secret weighed upon me What
surprised me was certain disappoint
ment | felt IN Hester Adams. II con.
vinced me that the little god had
wounded me, though had not known
It. br0oded over the theft | had
seen Was II an effect u kleptoma'
MIA? Surely the girl had no occasion
10 steal had noticed a frightened
took on her face which indicated that
She was cognizant OF what she was
doing. wondered II she knew that
she was IN Crowells room. I saw her
going into her own room the next
morning and noticed that II was di-
rectly under the one IN which she had
committed the theft. | had seen Crow.
oh wear the scarfpln and watched to
see II II had been returned TO him, J
fancying the thief might have do
80 under quaIms OF conscience. But
Crowell did not appear with II IN bis
neckwear thought to ask him II he
had missed It, but nothing could have
induced me TO give the slightest Init
nation of what | had seen.
Naturally this disagreeable feature
" my visit marred my enjoyment and,
as for the game had looked forward
to playing with some interest, forgot
II entirely. One evening the hostess
said TO me.
You have disappointed me in moi
having shown a preference FOR any Of
the girls OF the party. To make the
matter more interesting am going 10
tell you that ] noticed in her decid'
I'd preference for you as soon as YOU
arrived"
"A preference for me-" exclaimed,
surprised.
YES for your
What indication did she give OF
the factT'
Don't you wish you knew" and,
tapping me playfully with her fan,
she ran away 10 other guests.
During tse rest Of our stay al the
Duncans country place Hester Ad
ms seemed always TO have something
On her mind For time she was
sought by her admirers rs before, but |
like seeks like, and the young men,
dnding her preoccupied and unenter'
taining. gradually drew away to more |
animated companions |, too with the |
secret on my mind, was moody and |
III disposed 10 join In the gay sports |
,ur host provided for us. Aud short |
ly before the expiration Of the term |
for which had been invited made
IN excuse to leave, Charlie drove me |
10 the station and while we were wait
Ing for the train said TO me:
Eileen il greatly disappointed AZ |
the failure OF her effort 10 make a /
match for you"
I'm sorry not 10 oblige her, but you |
know those things can't be forced I
Possibly had known the girl your
wife picked ont for me | might have
done better.
She's a splendid woman"
II say, Charlie, since we've not mat
cd and It's all over, suppose you tell
me who she Il"
Eileen would divorce me II did"
sOn my honor. she shall never know
from me
There was whistle, and the train
rolled np. Just as was about TO get
aboard Charlie whispered in my ear
Hester Adams"