Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-03-14
CHAPTER ".
The Door wa. cIesss.

CHAPTER ".
The Door Was Closed.
Il was infuriating to see how much
Najoyment every one but Jim and my.
self got out Of the situation. They
ih0wIsd with mirth over the feeblest
foxes, and when Max told q story
without any point whatever they all
had hyster1a- Immediately after din
|aor Aunt Selma had begun on tho
family connection again, and after two
bad brsaks on my part. Jim offered
10 show her the house. The Mercer
girls trsiled along. unwilling to lose
any Of the possibilities. They said
aftsfwsrd that It was terrible: She
went into all the closets. and ran her
hand over the tops Of doors and kept
igotting Srimmer aad grimmsr. In
the studio they came across . life
'stsdy Jim was doing and she shut
her eyes and made the girls 90 out
while hs covered 1t with Q drapery.
I1ollis! Who did the Bacchante dance
tat three benefits last winter and was
learning new one called ''Evs!"
When tAsy heard Aunt Selma On
the second door, Anne. Dial ana Max
ansaksd mp 70 the studio for cigarettes.
wnsen IoIt M. Harbison to me-. Wa
in the den, sitting IN Q low chair By
the wood drs when he came In He
hssitated in the doorway.
would you prefer being alone, q
may conc fa?' hs asked. Don't
mind being frank. know you are
tired"
Il have . hsadache, and I am suIk-
ing" said unpleasantly. but 1t
least I am not actively venomous.
Come In"
90 he came and cat down across
the hearth frem me-, and neither Of ~
said anything. The freight hickered
over the room. bringing out the faded
hues Of the Old japanese prints on the
walls. cleaning In the mother of-pearl
eyes Of the dragon On the screen, sst-
ting grotssqus god on cabinet to
nodding. And it threw into relief the
strong. clear profile Of the man across
from me, - he stared 1t the IRE.
Il am afraid am not very interest,"
ing" said ct last, when he showed
no sign Of breaking the silence. "The
the illness Of the butler and-Miss
Caruthers' arrival, have been upset
ting"
He suddenly reused With Q start
from . brown Fever1s.
Il beg Jour pardon" he said. q
oh, Of course not! Wa wondering
II III you were offended ut what I
.sail earlier IN the evening; the
Brushwood Boy, you know. and an
that"
"ORsndsd! I repeated, pualsd.
You see. I have been living out Of
the world % long. and never seeing
any women but Indian sQuawD-oo
there were No Spanish girlsl--that
Tn afraid say what comes into ny
mind without c1rcamlocutioa. And
thsn-l AA not know you wsro maj.
1ied."
mo. oh, no. I said hase1y. but,
q course. the noro woman - mar.
11ed-l mean. you cannot Say too
many nice things % married women.
6hey-need them. yoa know"
had doundered miserahay. Win his
yves On ne, and half expected him
10 b shocked, o. TO say that married
women should b satisfied With The
nice things their husbands say to
them. But he merely remarked
apropos a aothmg. q following nne
Of thought he had not voiced. that Il
was ute but t1us thae good many
mou owed their Success IN life to
their wives.
.And Q good many owe their wives
10 their succees In hfs." rstoete6
cyniealy. At which 10 stared q me
agolA.
II was then tAas he rsal eonplsxiN
o4 the situation began to develop.
Come one had rang the bell and been
admitted to the library and . maid
came to the door Of the den. When
she saw 10 she stopped uncertainty.
Even then It struck ne that she look
I'd odd, and she Vas not In uniform.
However, was not informed q that
tine about bachelor establishments,
anA he Arst thing she said. when she
he'd asked to speak 70 me- In the hall.
knocked her and her clothes clear out
q my head. Evidently she knew.
MISS NcNair." she said In low
tone. ''thers 10 lady In the drawing
room. Q yelled person, and she 10 ask
ing for Mr. Wilson"
Gan you not md him? I asked.
sHo u In the house. probably In the
Studio."
The girl hesltated.
.Rxcaso me, miss, but Miss CaTutA-
oeD-
Then I saw the situation.
Never mind" said. "Closo tho
Aoor int the drawing room, and
win ten Mr.. Wllsoa."
But - the girl turned toward the
doorway. the person In question ap-
poared IN Il, and raised her vstl. I
was perfectly DaEalyssd. Il va Bella!
Bella In Q fur coat and va, with
the most tragic eyes ever saw anA
entirely white except for . dab of
r0ugo n The middle Of each cheek
We stared 1t each other without
speech. The maid turned and went
down the hall. and with that Bella
came over 70 ne and clutohed NE b