The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1912-10-25
PECULIAR CONDUCT OF
P0LLY'S QUEER VISITOR
BY CLAUDINE SISSON.

All night long Polly Whitman na0
shivered under the sheets and at 4
| o'clock when the eastern sky was
faint yellow and the birds were sing
| ing in the tall locusts she turned her
face to the wall and slept for ten de-
| iicious minutes.
! The screeching of the pump chain
| at the back door brought her trem-
bling to the floor and she tiptoed to
| the window and looked out, her eyes
heavy with WEAKNESS.
| Before the pump stood a tall young
man clad in spotless white yachting
clothes. His fair hair was guiltless OF
covering. He was drinking water from
a bright tin dipper.
Polly watched him with bated
breath-as one watches an apparition,
| expecting it to vanish in thin air. But
he did not vanish.
Polly raised the window a few eau
tious inches and spoke grufiy.
do you want anything?" she in
| CURED inhospitably.
The stranger turned pair Of very
! blue eyes toward her. 1t was evident
that he could not see her, but he
stared at the shutter.
Yes" he replied deliberately, you
may bring me half cup of tea, half
a cup of coffee and few waffles.'
"Is that ALP" murmured Polly meek
! ly.
"And make haste. please" he added,
| waving a sun-burned hand toward her.
Polly locked the window and hasten
ed to the kitchen which was dark
! and deserted as any kitchen would
be at 4:30 on a June morning with
mistress and maids away from home.
Polly made a hot fire of pine kind
lings, set on the waffle iron to heat,
/ filled the tea kettle, and ran upstairs
to dress. Her only thought was to
| feed and get rid of the queerly be-
| hayed stranger on the front porch.
Presently she CROPPED her way
through the smoke filled kitchen with
| Il tray containing crisp waffles and
i butter, a cup of tea and cup of cot
| fee with the necessary sugar and
cream. Cautiously she opened the
( DICK uOOI dllu plGlCCu luC II dy Oh SAS
bench outside. Then she re-locked
| the door and fastened to the front
window.
Your breakfast is ready on the
back porch" announced Polly through
a crack of the window.
Thank you," he said alertly, and
| hurried down the steps.
| He stopped short at sight of the
breakfast tray and shook his head.
| Then he grasped the coffee cup and
| poured half it's contents upon the
! ground. He repeated the operation
! with the tea cup. Then he sat down
on the steps and proceeded to con-
| swallow of tea and then a swallow of
coffee. Suddenly he leaped to his
| feet, swept his cap off and addressed
the kitchen door:
Farewell. fair waff1er!" he ejaculat-
ed. and stalked away.
| , Polly Witham watched until his tall
| form had disappeared down wooded
road that led to the village. Then she
sat down nn the floor and alternately
| laughed and cried.
Later in the morning she drove her
| little car down to the postoffice. AS
she passed the livery stable she no
ticed that the newly washed carriages
were ranged along the curbstone.
On the front seat of a horseless
surrey sat her visitor of the morn
ing. a rose in his lapel. A laprobe
was carefully spread over his knees
and he was sitting very straight and
staring right over the heads of the
indignant liveryman and the village
constable.
| The constable rubbed his ear with
polished stick of authority. Come
down outer there, young felleE" he
rasped.
The stranger smiled patronizingly.
my good man, be good enough to
| bring me half cup of tea and half a
cup of coffee" he said
AS the words died on his hips; the
strangers face grew pale and gaunt,
His head dropped and he erumpled
dowI on the seat.
"Ahl" cried impulsive Polly. as the
little crowd of enlookers held back
! from assisting the stricken man.
Cant you see that he is i'll? Help
him into my car, constable-he's a
friend of ours" she lied.
In a few moments Polly was racing
toward home with the constable sup
porting the unconscious man in the
seat beside her.
Late that afternoon a little. party OF
yachtsmen called at the Witham
home and inquired for Polly's invalid
who had regained consciousness only
to sink into deep slumber. They ex:
planned to Polly that the stranger was
Paul Amory. owner of the yacht Sea