Arizona republican., 1911-12-07

At dinner he learned from Mrs. Pit
 taway that the Terror had himself
 fetched the cigarette case from his
 bedroom. A flash of intuition con.
 nected the Terror with the watered
 boot; and he begged her. with some acerbity, never again to let anyone anyone, ,-enter his bedroom. As he rose from the table. the Terror. stand
 ing among the trees which made the muddy patch of the lane so dark. was drawing clothes-line tight. It ran through the hedge which hid him to the hedge on the other side of the lane. There it was fastened to stout stake. At its tightest it rose foot above the roadway just before the ! mud-patch began. It was at its tight l est.
 Heartened by his dinner. Captain Easter set out for CoIet House at a brisk pace. AS he moved through the keen October air his spirits rose-that night--that very night he would crown Mrs. DangerfeId's devotion with his avowal of an answering passion: he | pressed forward swiftly like a con querur and like cOnqueror he whis- tied. Then he suddenly pitched for ward and fell. not heavily. for the mud was too thick. but sprawiing. He rose. ooZy and dripping: took long breath :: and the welkin shuddered. The Ter Tor did not Shudder; he was going home like the wind
 Mrs. Dangerfield waited restlessly for her tardy guest. her beautiful sor- rowful face set in an anxious frown Her wOman's instinct told her that Captain Easter would propose that night; and she dreaded it.
 Captain Easter awoke in less than his usual cheerfulness. He thought for q while about the Terror with q gloomy unamiability. Then he rose and. in the middle of his toilet. missed his Shaving-brush. He hunted for it furi0uSly; he could have sworn that hc had taken it out of his portman- teau. He did swear: but not to any definite fact There was nothing for it: he must expose tender chin to the cruel razor of a village barber Then he disliled the look of his tweed suit: all traces of mud had not van iShed from it; in one short nigh: it had lost it's pristine freshness This and the ordeal before him made his breakfast gloomy: soon after 1t he en- tered the barber's shop with the air of one who has abandoned hope Later he came out of it with his rowing black eye full of tears: his scraDed chin wcs smarting horribly and unattractive in patches-red patches At the door the breathlesS maid of the inn met him with the news that she had just found his shaving brush and keys under his mattress. He looked round the vil- lagp of Little Deeping blankly: 1t sud denly seemed tO him q squalid place.
 Later. -in changed tweeds. but with unchanged chin. he took his way to Coipt HouSe. thinking with great un- kindness of his future SteDSOn. As he drew near if he saw that stepson lean ing over the gate. awaiting him with an air of ineffable serenity
 The Terror politely opened the gate for him. and with kind smile asked him if he bad slept well
 Look here. my lad said Captain Easter rather thickly. "I don't want any more of your tricks. You play an ether on me. and I'll give you ih" soundcst licking you ever had
 An expression of deep pain broke the serenity of the TerrOrs face: Now. whatever has put your back up:" he caid in q tone of amaZement Was il the apple-pie bed. or the clOthes-brush. or the keys or the shaving brush. or the wet boot: or the cluthes-lin across tho road? thought you loved a iol.e?"
 It was well that the Terror could spring with a cats swiftness; Captain Baster's boot missed him by q hairs breadth.
 The Terror ran around the house to the waiting Erebus: "WaXy:" he cried ioycusly. "IIe'S black in the face, Now. mind you stick to them like a eech. Don't give him a chance to get | word alone with Mum"
 "Oh. understand" said Erebus i'm patiently. But anyone could do this. It's you that's getting all the real fun. But I'm going to have my share so I tell you. The first chance I get. I'm going to stone hlm-so there,'
 Al right But it doesn't seem quite the kind of work for you. you know" said the Terror in q judicial tone.
 Rats" said Ercbus.
 Captain Easter started on his walk gloomily: he did not try to hide from himself that Mrs. Dangerfeld had lost some of her charm: she was the mother of the Terror. And Erebus was a nuisance: she would talk about wet boots: the subject seemed to fasci nate her. And when he recovered his spirits and rose 10 proposing point. she would not leave them. She was I'm pervious to hints. How could a man he his humorous self in these circum- stancesI He felt that his humor was growing strained losing its delightful lightness. Then the accident; IL was entirely Erebus's own fault, he .ould swear it. that he tripped over her foot and pitched into that internal gOrse- bush. Her howls of anguish were all humbug ahe had not hurt her ankle. he could swear it: there was not a tear The moment he offered. furi- ously. to carry her. she walked with out veStice of limp. Mrs. Danger field had no right to he vexed with him: if one brought up ones children like that-well.
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