Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-04-06
CHAPTER x. (Continued.)

Il saw you kiss her in the dining
room. remember that" Aunt Selma
went on, giving the screw another
turn.
1t was Bella's turn to be excited.
She gave me an awful stare. then she
fixed her eyes on Jim.
Besides" Aunt Selma went on,
you told me today that you loved
her. Don't deny it, James"
Bella couldn't keep quiet another in
slant She came over and stood at
the foot of the bed.
Please don't excite yourself, dear
Miss Caruthers, she said, in a voice
like ice Every one knows that he
loves her; he simply overflows with
it. lit is quite a by-word among
their friends. They have been sitting
together in a corner all evening"
Yes, that was what she said; when
l had not spoken to Jimmy the whole
time in the den. Bella was catfish,
and she was jealous, too. l turned on
my heel and went to the door; then
turned to her, with my hand on the
knob
You have been misinformed," l
said coldly. You can not possibly
know, having spent three hours in a
corner yourseif-with Mr. HARRISON"
] abhor jealousy in a woman.
At midnight the house was fairly
quiet except for Jim, who kept walk
ing around the halls because he
couldn't sleep. 1 got up at last and
ordered him to bed, and he had the
audacity to have a grievance with mO.
Look at my situation nowl" he
said, sitting pensiyely on a steam re-
diator. Aunt Selma is crazy. only
kissed your hand, anyhow, and I don't
know why you sat in the den all even
ing; you might have known that Bella
would notice it. Why couldn't you
leave me alone to my misery?"
Very well" l said, much offended
After this / shall sit with Flanagan
In the kitchen. He is the only gentle,
man in the house
l left him babbling apologies and
went to bed. but l had an uncomfort
able feeling that Bella had been a wit.
ness to our conversation, for the door
into Aunt Selina's room closed softly
as l passed.
l knew beforehand that was not
going to sleep. The instant I turned
out the light the nightmare events OF
the evening ranged themselves in a
procession, or a series of tableaux, one
after the other: Flanagan on the
roof. with the bracelet on his palm
looking accusingly at me; Mr. Harbi.
son and the scene on the roof, with
my f1ippancy; and the result of that
flippancy-the man on the stairs, the
arms that held me, the terrible kisses
that had scorched my lips-it was aw-
full! And then the absurd situation
across Aunt Selina's bed, and Bella s
facei Oh, it was all so ridiculous-my
having thought that the HARRISON man
was a gentleman, and finding him a
cad, and worse. 1t was excruciatingly
funny. l quite got a headache from
laughing; indeed | laughed until
found | was crying, and then | knew
was going to have an attack Of
strangulated emotion, called hysteria.
SO I got up and turned on all the
lights, and bathed my face with CO
logne. and felt better
Bat l did not go to sleep When
the hall clock chimed two. I discover
ed I was hungry. l had had nothing
since luncheon, and even the thirst
following the South American goulash
was gone. There was probably some
thing to eat in the pantry, and if there
was not, was quite equal to going
90 the basement.
| ate bread and butter and drank
milk, and was fast becoming a ra-
tional person again; I had pulled out
one of the drawers part way, and
with tray across the corner I had
improvised a comfortable seat. And
then | noticed that the drawer was
full of soiled napkins, and remember
ed the bracelet. l hardly know why ]
decided to go through the drawer
again after Flanagan had already done
1t. but | did. l finished my milk and
then, getting down on my knees,
proceeded Systematically to empty the
drawer. l took out perhaps a dozen
napkins and as many doilies without
finding anything. Then l took out 8
large tray cloth, and there was some
thing on it that made me look farther
One corner of 1t had been scorched
the clear and well-defined imprint of 8