The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-07-23
Copyright 1906 By the Bobbs- Merrill Co.

the glass making her toilet Tor sup
| per, a knock at the door ushered in
| Cora, already curled, powdered and
| beribboned for that occasion, a small
kerosene lamp in her hand In the
| bare room, Its gloom only partly
dispelled by the light from a similar
| lamp on the bureau and the red
CLEAN from the stove, Miss Cannon
was revealed in the becoming half
dusk made by these imperfectly-
| blending Examinations, a pink silk
dressing-gown loosely enfolding her,
lightly brushed-in suggestion Of fair
hair behind her ears and on her
shoulders. Her comb was in her hand
and Cora realized with an uplifting
thrill that she had timed her visit
correctly and was about to learn the
mysteries Of Miss Cannon's couture.
II brung you another lamp" she
said affably, setting her offering down
on the bureau. "One amt enough
light to dress decently by. have
three" and she sank down on the side
Of the bed with the air Of having
established an intimacy, woman to
woman, by this act Of generous con-
sideration.
| Them gentlemen" she continued,
'are along on this hall with you and
your pa. The old ones Judge Wash
burne. Of Colusa, a pioneer that used
to know Mr.. Perley's mother way
back in Sacramento in the f1fties, and
knew your pa real well when he was
poor. It's sort Of encouraging to
think your pa was ever poor"
Rose laughed and turned sidewise,
looking at the speaker under the arch
Of her uplifted arm. There were
hairpins in her mouth and an up
whirled end Of blond hair protruded
in a cleaning scattering Of yellow
over her forehead. She mumbled a
comment on her fathers early power
ty, her lips showing red against the
hair-pins nipped between her teeth.
"And the other one," went on Cora,
her eyes riveted on the hair-dressing,
her subconscious mind making notes
Of the disposition Of every coil, "his
names ]. D. Buford. And I'd like
you to guess what he IL! An actor,
a stage player. He's been playing all
up the state from Los Angeles and
was going down to Sacramento to
keep an engagement there. 1t just
tickles me to death to have an actor
in the house. amt never seen ono
close to before"
II The last hair-pin was adjusted and
Miss Cannon studied the effect with
a hand-glass.
AN actor" she commented, rum
ming a smoothing palm up the back of
her head, that's just what he looked
like, now I think Of 1t. Perhaps he'll
act for us. l. think it's going to be
lots Of fun being showed up at Ante
lope."
The sound Of a voice crying Cora"
here rose from the hallway and that
young woman, with a languid DELHI
Grafton Of movement. as Of one who
obeys vulgar summons at her own
elegant leisure, rose and departed,
apologizing for having to go so soon.
A few minutes later, the hour Of sup
per being at hand, Rose followed her.
She was descending the stairs when
commotion from below, a sound of
voices, loud, argumentative, rising and
| koAhhS III SASltCu SuOi Autt pCu hSL
steps. The lower hall, lit with lamps
and the glow Of its stove, heated to a
translucent red, was full of men. A
current Of cold could be felt In the
hot atmosphere and fresh snow was
melting on the floor. Standing by the
stove was q man who had evidently
Just entered. Ridges OF white lay
caught in the folds Of his garments;
silver hoar was on his beard. He
held his hands out to the heat and
as Rose reached the foot Of the stairs
she heard him say:
We'll. tell you that any man that
started to walk up here from Rocky
Bar this afternoon must have been
plumb crazy. Why, John L. Sullivan
couldn't do It in such a storm"
To which the well-bred voice Of
Willoughby answered:
"But according to the message he
started at two and the snow was hard
ly falling then. He must have got a
good way. past the Silver Crescent
when the storm caught him."
A hubbub Of voices broke out here
and, seeing her father on the edge
Of the crowd, Rose went to him and
plucked his sleeve, murmuring:
What's happened? What's goinl
on?"
He took his cigar out Of his mouth
and turned toward her, speaking low
and keeping his eyes on the men by
the stove.
THE telegraph operator has just
had message sent from Rocky Bar
that a man started from there this
afternoon to walk up here. They
don't think he could make 1t and are
afraid he's lost somewhere. Perley
and some Of the boys are going GU,
) to look for him"
What a dreadful thing! In such a
storm! Do you think they'll evel
find him."
He shrugged, and replaced his cigar
In his mouth
"Oh, l guess so. II he was strone
enough to get on near here they ought
to. But it's just what the operator
I says. The Teller must have beer
plumb crazy to attempt such a thing
Looks as If he were a stranger in the
country"
TITS a sort of quiet, respectable
way Of committing suicide" said tht
voice Of the actor behind them.
Rose looked over her shoulder anC
saw his thin, large-featured face, NJ
longer nipped and Redeemed with cold
| huf uyraarho6 an