The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-06-28

could not have occurred, but thai ne
hac imagined 1t all whilst leaning
against h garden ratings trying to
strain his ears so that they should
hear h soft faint echo of that pure
c%ontralto voice.
Perhaps the wish had been father
to the thought; whilst gazing up al
those brilliantly illumined windows. he
might in his heart of hearts have
wished the non-existence of Philip
not his death, but the humiliation of
the past few months, the non-adyent
or the intruder; and thus wishing he
may have imagined the whole thing
the murder in the cab, the police Of
ncer on the door step of the old home
in Grosvenor square.
A n of supreme well being encom-
passed him now. Lou sat opposite to
him. He could not distinguish her face
In the gloom, only the outline of her
head with the soft brown hair perfect
ly dressed by the hand of an accom-
plished maid; Lou, the personification
or modernity, of ordinary commonplace
life, but exquisite-just the woman
whom he loved with every fibre Of
his heart, every tendril of his being
and every sense within him. A soft
perfume of sweet peas chung to her
gown and was waited to his nostrils.
He closed his Eyes n drew in a long
breath of supreme delight. Now and
then as the cab CAV a jerk his knee
came in contact with hers, and down
on the ground quite close to his own
there rested a small neatly shod foot.
the sole of which he would have given
his hearts blood to kiss.
oh, yes: he was quite, quite happy;
this was reality; his exquisite Louisa,
the outline of her perfect head. the
touch of her knee, the scent of sweet
peas which intoxicated him and
whipped his senses to madness and to
dreams. 1t vas reality and the other
was only the wild phantasmagoria of
a wild imagination-the insane thought
born of insane desire. In the darkness
which enveloped him and Lou, he
could, you see, give free rein to him
self. The world vas not gaping; con-
ventionality held no swa within these
four narrow walls; the puppet could
loosen the string which had forced it
to dance, it could lie placid for awhile,
dead to the world, but enjoying its
w existence and it's own vitality.
And Lou, watching him in that same
darkness which concealed him entire
ly, save to her eyes of watchfulness.
believed hat he had heard nothing
as yet. She vaguely combatted the de-
sire to tell him everything then and
there. SO that he should hea the worst
and the best from her lips rather thar
through Indifferent channels later on.
But with that subtle perception Pc
culiar to her-the modern,
place woman of the world-she OWNED
that he was living for the momen in
a world of his own, from which it was
sacrilege to try and drag him away.
Just then the a drew up outside
the Langham hotel. The everyday
world had returned with its f1aring
,-h%, a. L~b IA
noise and hustle n chased away the
illusions of the past few moments.
Luke jumped out, ready to help Lou
down-a happy second that, for her
hand must needs rest in his.
The glare of the electric lamp above
fell full on his face, which was serene.
placid. the usual mask of supreme
Indifference: only Louisa read beyond
the mask. and as her hand rested in his
for just a thought longer han onven
tionality allowed, she realized that he
knew everything: the murder. the hor-
ror, and the suspicion which had
touched him already with the tip of it's
sable wing.
Her eyes, and the pressure of her
hand bade him good night" and she
passed on into the lighted hall of the
hotel. He followed Colonel Harris into
the lobby.
You have heard?" he asked quickly
and in a whisper, lest o should
hear.
Yes replied the other.
And Louisa? Does she know"
place." vas Colonel Harris muttered
comment.
But you've heard no "details? ?"
NC. Have you?"
Very little. Only what the police
officer chose to tell me-"
Then" queried the older man, Its
an absolute fact?" So.
Absolute, unfortunately"
HIM. AS to that-have YOU seen
your uncle?"
mo. 1 went round as soon as /
knew, but the police had forestalled me
and broken the news to him."
But why didn't o see him."
He sent word that he would rather
1 come back in the morning. Philips
influence still prevalent. you see."
well, it's a COMPOUNDED business
calculated Colonel. Harris with hearty
conviction, but Tn not going 70 Ia
ment over it. After alPs said and done
it's a very simple way O of an impos-
sible situation"
"A very horrible way"
BAH"
And the good natured old man
shrugged his shoulders with a gesture
Of supreme indifference.
Well" said Luke quietly, tits late
now, sir. You'll want to go to bed"
Well retorted the other with quite
a touch of joviality, its an ill wind
you know"
Good night. sir"
Good night. my boy. How viii you
get back?"
"Oh. a taxi is the quickest. Edie
might rave heard something, and be
anxious. l must hurry home now"
Louisa was standing in the hall at
the top of the steps. Luke raised his
hal to her and having shaken hands
with Colonel Harris quietly turned to
go. and was oon lost in the gloom be-
You'd. '9sS
No one who had been standing in the
lobby of the hotel would have guessed
that these three people who had talked
and bowed and shaken hands SO quietly
were facing one Of life's most appalling,
most overwhelming tragedies.
The worlds puppets had been strung
up again, because Indifferent eyes were
there to watch and cape, and in the
presence of these modern Bulls of Ba-
shan the puppets danced to the preya-
lent tune
CHAPTER XVII.
AND WHAT OF THE SECRET?
When Luke arrived at his uncle's
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