Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-02-02
CHAPTER ~. (continusd.)

It's immoral, protested. It's
immoral to steal your"
My own butler!" she broke in i'm
patiently. You're not usually so
scrupulous, Kit. Hurry! I hear that
hateful Anne Brown"
So we slid back along the hall, and
I rang for Takahiro. But no one came.
I think l ought to tell you, Bella"
] said as we waited, and Bella was
staring around the room-'I think you
ought to know that Miss Caruthers is
here. Bella shrugged her shoulders.
'Wcll, thank goodness" she said,
Il don't have to see her. The only
pleasant thing I remember about my
year of married life is that I did not
meet Aunt Selma"
I rang again, but still there was no
answer. And then it occurred to me
that the stiffness below stairs was al
most oppressive. Bella was noticing
things, too, for she began to fasten
her veil again with a malicious little
smile.
One of the things I remember my
late husband saying" she observed,
was that he could manage this house,
and had done it for years, with flaw
less service Stand on the bell, Kit"
| did. We stood there, with the
table, just as it had been left, be-
tween US and waited for response.
Bella was growing impatient. She
raised her eyebrows Cshe is very
handsome. Bella isl and flung out her
chin as if she had begun to enjoy the
horrible situation.
I thought l heard a rattle of silver
from the pantry just then, and l hur-
.rted to the door in a rage. But the
pantry was empty of servants and
full of dishes. and all the lights were
out but one. which was burning dimly.
| could have sworn that / saw one of
the servants duck into the stairway to
the basement, but when ] got there
the stairs were empty, and something
was burning in the kitchen below.
Bella had followed me and was peer
ing over my shoulder curiously.
There isn't a servant in the house."
she said triumphantIy. And when we
went down to the kitchen. she seemed
to be right. 1t was in disgraceful or
der, and one of the bottles of wine
that had been banished from the din
ing room sat half empty on the floor.
Drunk" Bella said with conviction.
But l didn't think so. There had not
been time enough, for one thing. Sud
denly | remembered the ambulance
that had been the cause of Bella's ap-
her silly story about Takahiro. |
simply left her there, staring helpless
ly at the confusion, and ran upstairs
again: through the dining room, past
Jimmy and Aunt Selma, past Leila
Mercer and Max, who were flirting on
the stairs, up, up to the servants bed
E0Oms, and there my suspicious were
verified. There was every evidence of
hasty flight; in three bedrooms five
trunks stood locked and omtnous. and
the closets yawned with open door.
empty. Bella had been right: there
was not a servant in the house.
As / emerged from the rntidy empti-
ness Of the servants wing, I met Mr..
HARRISON coming out of the studio.
Of this running about for you, Mrs.
Wilson" he said gravely. You are
not well, and I can't think of anything
worse for a headache Has the but
Ier's illness clogged the household ma
chinery?"
Worse" l replied, trying not to
breathe in gasps. I wouldn't be run
ming around-Iike this-but there is
not a servant in the house! They
have gone, the entire lot"
That's odd" he said slowly. Gone!
Are you sure?"
IN reply I pointed to the servants
wing. Trunks packed" I said trag-
ieally, rooms empty, kitchen and pan
tries full Of dishes. Did you ever
hear Of anything like it?"
Never" he asserted. 1T makes me
suspect" What he suspected he did
not say; instead he turned on his
heel, without word of explanation,
and ran down the stairs I stood star
Ing after him, wondering if every one
in the place had gone crazy. Then
/ heard Betty Mercer scream and the
rest talking loud and laughing. and
Mr.. HARRISON came up the stairs again
two at a time.
How long has that Jap been ailing,
Mrs Wilson," he asked.
Il don't know replied helpless
" What is the trouble, anyhow"
Il think he probably has something
contagious" he said, and it has
scared the servants away. AS Mr..
Brown said, he looked spotty. I sug-
gested to your husband that it might
be as well TO get the house emptied-
in case We are correct.
.'Oh, yes, by all means" l said
eagerly. I couldn't get away too soon.
I'll go and get my" Then l stopped.