The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-06-07

~ ~ IA SJoN
Colonel Harris, and / am afraid that
he, Swore.
Il haven't been to Grosvenor square
FOR over six weeks. l am only allowed
to see him when Philip is out, or by
special permission from Philip. / won't
go under such conditions"
How that house must have altered"
You wouldn't kno it, sir: All the
OLD servants have gone, one after the
other; they had rows with Philip and
left at a months notice. / suppos he
has an idea how to set about getting
new ones-I know / shouldn't, There's
only a ma II his wife, a sort of
charwoman who cleans and cooks. and
the d is supposed to look after I'm
Gle Rad; but he doesn't do it, for he
is nalf seas over most of the time"
Good Cod murmured Colonel Har-
ris.
They have shut up all the rooms,
except the library where Uncle Rad
and Philip have their meals when they
are at home. But they lunch and dine
at their club mostly"
What club do they go to-" l called
IN at the last night. think
ing to find Radcliffe there, but the
hall porter told me that he never went
there now"
mo. He and Philip have joined some
new club in Shaftesbury ~avenue-Thc
Veterans I think it Is called"
Some low, mixed up kind of place!
Old Radcliffe must be out of his
SeIlSes,"
He likes it, so he tells me, because
people don't come and bother him
there
II should think not indeed. l wouldn't
set foot in such IL place"
HE goes there most evenings. and
so does Philip-and it's so bad for
Uncle Rad to be out late these foggy
You ought to make an effort and
stop it. Luke"
Il have made many efforts, sir. But,
as a matter of fact. / had made up
my mind to make a final one tonight
Uncle Rad ought to go abroad. and [
thought ] would try to impress this on
Philip. He can't be a bad man."
"Oh! can't he?' was Colonel Harris
muttered comment.
A any rate. If | have no influence.
he has, and he must exert it and get
Uncle Rad down to Algeciras or any
where he likes so long as 1t is well
SOUTH
Luke paused awhile, his face flushed
with this expression of determination
which must have caused his pride
many a bitter pang. Then he esumed
more quietly:
IT'S rather humiliating, isn't it. to
go to that man as Il suppliant?"
Don't GO as a suppliant, my boy.
You must insist on your uncle being
properly looked after"
Colonel Harris thought all that sort
of thing so easy. One always does
before n has had a genuine tussle
with the unpleasant realities of life: to
the good country squire with an as
sured position. an assured income. as
sured influence, it seemed very easy
indeed to insist. He himself never had
to insist: things occurred round him
and at his word, as it We're, OF them
selves.
But Louisa, knowing how matters
stood. made no suggestion. She knew
that luke would do> his best, but that
that best was of little avail now: as
Philip de Mountford arranged so it
would all come about.
Friends and well wishers could but
pray that the intruder was not a bad
man. and that he had his uncle's health
at heart.
She gave the signal to go, saying
simply.
we mustn't be late for dinner,
father, must we?"
And she rose to go held back BY the
hand, by Luke's fervent insistence.
He could not accustom himself to
part from her, as he often had to do.
1t seemed absurd, but undeniable. He
was supremely happy in her
"AhNA No Att VI ~ to v lN
could; but the wrench was always aw-
full and Louisa-subtly comprehensive
was conscious of the terrible pain
which she gave him at every parting.
n felt the ~repercussion Of it in all
her nerves. although her sound com
mon sense condemned the sensation as
unreal.
Tonight the feeling was even strong
er than 1t had ever been before. 1t
first suggestion that 1t was time to go
an elusive current passed from him to
her. He had been holding her hand
and his had been cool and only slight
ly. on the culver from time to time
when her own fingers pressed more
markedly against his. But now, all AT
once it seemed as if a sudden current
of lava had penetrated his veins; his
hand almost Scorched her own. and
though visibly it did not move, yet she
felt the pulses throbbing and TREMBLING
beneath the flesh. The look of misery
in his face made her own heart ache
though she tried to smile with easy
gaiety.
Tomorrow we go to the Temple
show together: don't forget. Luke"
Her words seemed to recall him from
another world, and he quickly enough
pulled himself together and helped he1
on with her cloak. Colonel Harris
with h gentle tactfulness peculiar to
kind hearts had loudly announced that
he would be waiting in the hall.
Anything the matter, Luke she
asked as coy as her father had gone
from the room
He contrived to smile and to look
unconcerned.
"Not particularly" he replied.
You seem different tonight, some
how.
How diffrent?"
II can't explain. But you are not
yourself"
Myself more than ever. Ny adora-
ton for you is more uncontrclled-that
is ALL"
She wrapped herself up in her furs
for 1t was silence that rave the best
response. And then he said quite calm
lly:
Will you go first. I'll switch off the
light"
Father will be waiting down stairs
she rejoined.
Then she went past him and out
through the door, and he had to &c
back to the manteipiece where one OF
the electric switches was. He turned
off the light: the room remained in
darkness save where the dying embers
of the fire threw a red glow on the sofa