The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-24
The House
of the
Whispering
Pines
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Copyright 1910. by Anna Katharine
Rohlfs
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
MUST I TELL THESE THINesT

choked him. and he let his head fall.
but presently threw il up again. That
bastard. whom may God confound.
passed letter across Adelaide into
CarmeI's hand" he painted out Il
saw him. but 1 didn't take it in. /
wasn't thinking | was
who broke the glasses" urged his
relentless inquisitor. ''one at your
plate. one at Carmels and one at the
head of the board where sat your sis
ter Adelaide:"
Must tell these things? Have 1t,
then. Heaven knows | think of 1t
enough not to be afraid to speak it
out in words. Adelaide never had
much patience with me. She was
girl who only saw one way. while
wanted pleasure. a free time and
good drink whenever the fancy took
me. You know what l am. DR.. Perry.
and every body in town knows. but the
impulse which has always ruled me
was not a downright evil one. or If it
was 1 called Ii natural independence
and let it go at that. But Adelaide
suffered. | didn't understand it. and
didn't care fig for it. but she did
suffer God forgive me-"
He stopped and mopped his fore
head That afternoon" he presently
resumed. ''she was keyed up more
than usual. She loved Ranelagh, and
he had played or was playing her
false. She saw him look at Carmel.
and she saw Carmel look at him.
Then her eyes fell on me. was an
gry-angry at them all-and I wanted
a drink. 1t was not her habit to have
wine on the table. but sometimes
when Ranelagh was there she did.
She was q slave to Ranelagh. Ring
the bell.' ordered. and have in the
champagne. | want to drink to your
marriage and the happy days in pros
pect for US ALL 1t was brutal. and /
knew it. but / was reckless and wild
for the wine. So, guess. was Rane-
lagh. for be smiled at her. and she
rang for the champagne. When the
glasses had been set beside each plate
she turned toward Carmel. We will
all drink she said. to my coming
marriage This made Carmel turn
pale. for Adelaide had never been
known to drink drop Of liquor in
her life. I felt little queer myself.
and not one Of us spoke till the glasses
! were filed and the maid had left the
dining room and shut the door.
Then Adelaide rose. We will drink
standing said she. and never had !
seen her look as she did then. She
drank We wouldn't call 1t drinking.
for she just touched the wine with
| her lips. but to her II was debauch
Then she stood waiting. with the
strangest gleam in her eyes. while
Ranelagh drained bis glass and
drained mine Ranelagh thought she
wanted some sentiment and started to
say something appropriate. but bis
eve fell on Carmel. who had tried to
drink and couldn't. and he bunglet
over his words and at last came to a
pause under the steady stare of Ade
ladies eyes.
"'Never mind. Elwood.' she said
i know what you would like to say
But that's not what l am thinking OF
now. am thinking Of my brother
the boy who will soon be left to finG
his way through life without even the
unwelcome restraint of my presence
want him to remember this day.
want him to remember me as I stan(
here before him with this glass In my
hand You see wine in 1t. Arthur; bu
see poison. Carmel. you have griev
ed as well as I over what has passet
for pleasure In this house. Do as
do, and may Arthur see and remem
ber.'
Her fingers opened: the glass fe
from her hand and lay in broken frae
ments beside her plate. Carmel 70
lowed suit. and before I knew II. N
own fingers had opened and my ow
glass lay in pieces on the tableclot
beneath me. Only Ranelagb's hand r'
manned steady. She held her breath
watching that hand. and | can hea
the gasp yet with which she saw hiI
set his glass down quietly on th
board That's the story of those thre
broken glasses"
The district attorney sought out an
lifted a paper from the others lying o
the desk before him. Ii was the FIR:
movement he had made since Cumbe
land began his tale.
I'm sorry" said he. with a rapi
examination of the paper In his han
"but shall have to detain you a fe
minutes longer. What happened aft
the dinner? Where did you go fro
the tableT'
II went to my room to smoke
was upset and thirsty as a fish"
Have you liquor in your roomr"
Sometimes"
p Did you have any that nightr'
Not drop. | didn't dare. wan
ed that champagne bottle. but Adelai,
Il had been too quick for me- Ii w
thrown out-wasted-I do believe, wa:
ed"
so you did not drink? You on
smoked in your roomT
Smoked one cigar. That was a
Then | went down town"
May I ask by which door you lie
I the house}''
} THE side door-the one l alwa
take"
5 What overcoat did you wear:"
: 81 don't remember. The first one
came to. l suppose"
"But you can surely tell what hat
They expected a violent reply. a
they got II.
s mo. I can't What has my hat G
g to do with The guilt OF Elwood Rar
g. lagh?"
Nothing wa hope was the imps
turba hIs. .4r-v-.,r "Gnt md IL ns
essary to establish absolutely ju