Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-02-01

II DIS CLEVER UlI Vi press WOIh, 70 I6-
vive a dying sensation. No one was
deceived: Anne's pearls and the at
tempt at escape, coming just after,
pointed only to one thing. l looked
around the table, dazed. Flanagan,
almost the only unknown quantity,
might have tried to escape the night
before, but he would not have been
in dress clothes. Besides, he must
be eliminated as far as the pearls
were concerned, having been locked
in the furnace room the night they
were stolen. There was no one among
the girls to suspect. The Mercer girls
had stunning pearls, and could secure
all they wanted legitimately; and
Bella disliked them. Oh, there was no
question about it, decided: Dallas
and Anne had taken a wolf to their
bosom-or is it a viper?-and the
HARRISON man was the creature AL
though I must say that, looking over
the table, at Jimmy's breadth and not
very imposing personality, at Max's
dark eyes, at Dallas, blond, growing
bald and ford, and then at the Harbi-
son boy, tall, muscular, clear-eyed and
sunburned, one would have taken Max
at first choice as the villain, with Dial
next, Jim third, and the HARRISON boy
not in the running.
1t was just after dinner that the
surprise was sprung on me. Mr.. Har-
bison came around to me gravely,
and asked me if felt able to go up on
the roof. On the roof, after last
night! l had to gather myself togeth-
err: luckily, the others were pushing
back their chairs, showing Flanagan
the liqueur glasses to take up, and
lighting cigars.
Il do not care to co." I said icily.
"The others are coming" he per-
sisted "and II could give you an
arm up the stairs"
Il believe you are good at that" I
said, looking at him steadily. MAX,
will you help me to the roof"
Mr.. HARRISON really turned rather
white. Then he bowed tremendously
and left me.
Max got me wrap, and every one
except Mr.. HARRISON and Bella, who
was taking a mass of indigestibles to
Aunt Selma, went to the roof.
Where is Tom?" Anne asked, as
we reached the foot of the stairs.
Gone ahead to fix things" was the.
answer. But he was not there. At
the top of the last flight / stopped,
dumb with amazement; the roof had
been transformed, enchanted. 1t was
a fairy-land of lights and foliage and
colors. l had to stop and rub my
eyes. From the bleakness of a tin
roof in February to the brightness
and greenery of a July roof garden!
"You were the immediate inspira-
ton, " Dallas said. HARRISON thought
your headache might come from lack
OF exercise and fresh air, and he has
worked us like nailers all day. I've
a blister on my right palm, and Har-
bison got shocked while he was wiring
the place, and nearly fell over the
parapet. We bought out two full
sized florists by telephone"
1t was the most amazing transfer
nation. At each corner a pole had
been erected, and wire crossed the
roof diagonally, hung with red and
amber bulbs. Around the chimneys
had been massed evergreen trees in
tubs, hiding their brick-and-mortar
ugliness, and among the trees tiny
lights were strung. Along the parapet
were rows Of geofnetrical lockwood
plants in bright red crooks, and the
flaps of a crimson and white tent had
within, and rugs, wicker chairs, and
cushions
Max raised a glass Of benedictine
and posed for a moment, melodra-
matically.
ITO the Wilson roof garden!" he
said. ITO Kit, who inspired; to the
creators, who perspired; and to Taxa
hiro-may he not have expired"
Every one was very gay; l think
the knowledge that tomorrow Aunt
Selma might be with them urged them
to make the most of this last night Of
freedom. l tried to be jolly, and sue
ceeded in being feverish. Mr. Harbi-
son did not come up to enjoy what he
had wrought. Jim brought up his
guitar and sang love songs in beau
tiful tenor, looking at Bella all the
time. And Bella sat in a steamer
chair, with a rug over her and
spangled veil on her head, looking at
the boats on the river-about as soft
and as chastened as an acetylene
head light.
And after Max had told the most
improbable tale, which Leila advised
him to sprinkle salt on, and Dallas
had done clog dance, Bella said it
was time for her complexion sleep
and went downstairs, and broke up
the party.
"If she only gave half as much care
to her immortal SOUL" Anne said when
she had gone, ''as she does to her
skin, she would let that nice Harbi-
son boy alone. She must have been
brutal to him tonight, for he went to
L. r