The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-24

From the Bond doorway Horny
Remsen looked out upon the morning
world and found it good-though for
the Dist of December it wasn't at all
In character. The earth still wore
withered yellow and frosty silver,
patched with dulled red where belated
leaves chung in hedges Tended by ever
greens; but the air was spiced wine.
stirred by the northwest winds clean
steel, and the sky was deep on deep of
bewildering blue.
AS Sue Bond came out and down the
steps, close to her husbands arm.
Horny noted, approximately, that her
eyes were one with the celestial hue
and told her so in his own whimsical
Iy deferential manner She courtesied
prettily-
Fair hearing. kinsman; but it's a
speech" sighed prodigiously-
that fain would hear from another
than yourself-alas. Whereupon
Horny scowled in chivalrous indigna-
ton.
"Pen-you ossification!-ou with a
speech to the lady's eyes or Ill do you
damaged" Penfeld Bond smiled de-
risively.
aBe respectful" he advised, you
scant-year-wedded upstart. or I'll call
your wife out and tell her what you're
up to. Her eyes are black-and you're
not supposed to be noticing that blue
eyes are worn any longer. See?"
Coarse" murmured Horny, very
coarse. Just to show you how much
better l manage He turned back
and called peremptorily: "Olivia-I
say, Olivfa!"
"Co-oming," the answer drifted
from above, and Mrs. Horton Remsen
was heard, presently, to run across the
hall on her way to them. When she
appeared, the Importance of Horry's
achievement was made manifesto
seemed an incredible thing that she
should run at the behest of any man.
As Olivia Mayne she had been called
'1the Magnificent: as Olivia Remsen
enhanced by happiness, dignified by
her new estate-she more than ever
merited the title. Her dark braids
were a coronal, her tailored white sim
pliclty a Diana's modern garb; she
stood but little below her husband s
height-lithe, fine-shouldered, well
poised. very beautiful. Penny and Sue
gave her the tribute Of long look: Ii
wasn't possible to become used" to
Olivia; and Horrys head lifted the
least bit in sheer pride Nevertheless,
he spoke casually.
Procrastination, my dear, Is to be
deplored Where's the case?-ah. yes
Now, will you be good enough to tell us
what you think is the color of our
cousin Sues eyes,"
Olivia own eyes widened. The alb
surdities of the three found her always
bit repared-though sweetly will
ing
Sues eyes?" she repeated AS she
looked down on Sues upturned face
the tenderness that lay close under tn,
outer queenliness welled into her voice
Sues eyes are the color-the blues
blue7-she looked up, instinctively-
they're just the blue of this sky," sh,
said delightedly; and the thre,
laughed.
You've shown yourself a successful
tyrant," said Penny Bond to Horny
'<but you're both wrong. The entireI,
beautiful eyes OF my wife are tw,
shades darker and f1fty-seven shade
warmer than the overhead l hav
spoken" He said 1t lightly, getting
cigar from his case as he spoke, but i
the glance he gave his wife Horr
Remsen caught quick ardor and II
tensity that confused him with tn
sense of having Numbered on too II
innate thing.
Later, ss PENS big car purred owe
fts meal of miles to the station, he r.
called that look. however, and WAS gla
he had seen It 1t meant tina
In the way that mattered most. thing
were right with Penny and Sue. Horr
veered away from the thought as 500
as he found 1t formed-it seemed
-, tn $ofr ,rifl, D.
smoking in old-time, silent friendlines
beside him Probably Pen wa
right as trivet anyway, and the mast
uneasiness he had been feeling ha
been q maggot in his own brain. H
had been fancying that things wer
not right. Pen had-well. bu
most of the time Pen had been who'll
himself, and Horny had found it goo
to be with him-more glad, every day
that he and Olivia had abandoned tn
longstay-abroad idea on which the
had started in the spring. A though
of Thanksgiving had brought ther
hurrying overseas: their home hol
days, they had suddenly found, mus
be spent at home. True, the though
of their several establishments, hop
lessly given over to decorators horde
did not allure; but just then had com
cable from Pen and Sue that settle
the matter of place to stay.
1t seemed that Pens affairs. in tt
business sense, must be fourishin
Remsen Bond-the miracle that ha
been vouchsafed the pair seven month
back-was as healthy, handsome ar
altogether amiable a young despot
common sense could ask. Verify, Pc
field Bond should be happy man Y
Fumbling absently under two Goa
for his cigar-case, Horny pulled o
with it the small case Olivia had Civ
him that morning on the steps.
dropped, the catch struck PENS KIN,
the cover snapped up, and string
pearls slid through their interferi
clutches to the floor of the car
Horny snapped an exclamation |
complimentary to himself as he coil
the strand back on its velvet nest.
Fastening broken-taking it to
fxed, he explained; and | would
have lost it fora whole lot more tn
it's worth. IT'S the fiysst hi
don't you see?-that | gave II
RemSeDo 10 cpoi1ad a,,ox,