The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-03
.. ady Caddington's;
En1eraIds
BY CARY WonDERLEY
eerr.,enr. .s... ~ rn. rrAasos PUBLISHING CO.

gray sky the rain spun in straight,
silver threads over the stretch from
Heronfield to Little Luxham. Only
the rows of phlox and the beds of
peoples, pink and scarlet, gave touch
of life and color to the dripping. sod
den landscape
Tom will be cold and wet and hun
CRY when he comes in, she said to
herself
There was no denying the cheerful.
ness OF the low-ceilinged, oak-paneled
room. A fire was burning in an open
CRATE, while a splendid English tabby
stretched herself iazily before it, pur-.
ring loudly and in perfect rhythm to
the steaming tea-kettle hanging in the
crane. Rosie pulled Toms chair closer
to the fire and tucked Toms slippers
against the chimney brick. Then she
went to the window to watch
He rode over from Little Luxham
ON neighbours bicycle, which was I'M
usual. Drenched but smiling, his
brown hair shining and curly from the
moisture. he came rushing in The
house and took Rosie in his strong
arms. Then he kissed her lips.
You'll have to get out Of those wet
clothes right away. dear" she said,
in motherly tones. And whose BIZ
cycle we're you riding? Was that wise,
Tom?"
Leighton laughed He was a big
man. tall. muscular, good-looking, and
as Irish as the shamrock in his but
tonhole.
THE cycle belongs to the station.
masters son, and your old Tom is not
very wise perhaps, but he was in a
hurry to get home. Rosie. the Times
says that Lady Caddington is going
home to the States"
Rosie flashed him a quick. signifi-
cant look. and the tea she was pour
| ing ran over the side of the cup into
the saucer and onto the floor.
| My dear. my dear" he said gently.
! She set down the teacup and faced
| him, her eyes troubled, her voice not
| quite steady
"Again?" she almost whispered.
Leighton had her in his arms direct
| ly, and she lay there trembling like a
| leaf in storm. Rosie was tall ind
| slim and girlish despite her seven
| and-twenty years, with the frtnlieet
gray eyes and the brownest soft hair
! in all the world
had hoped it was-done with
forever she half sobbed. Tommy
as life grows dearer with you. boy, the
the other becomes more terrible a
bigger risk. I'm coward. know it.,
but here with our garden and our
chickens Your Wyandotte hen
wants to set. dear. and just come look
! at my phlox Even on this drear af-
| ternoon they are lovely-and honey,
! Tom. You don't mean it, you can't.
We are SO happy here,'
Leighton dropped down in the arm
chair and she perched herself lightly
on his knee, while the tabby, stretch
ing herself with majestic Incidence.
deigned to walk across the room and
sit down at Toms feet Nearby stood
the dainty tea-table with the Chelsea
china, tea, strawberries and cream.
and hot buttered scones 1t was all
very homelike and English. only Tom
and Rosie had made their home in
every quarter of the globe and they
were both of them born in America,
Rosie in Mulberry Street. Manhattan.
IT'S just this, grille he began, in
low voice that shook a little with
emotion. Lady Caddington has de
cided TO leave the Duke-Cad is al.
most the limit. you know. no blame to
her-and she is going home to Amer
; lea, with her two little girls and the
: Caddington emeralds."
"Ab-h," Rosie breathed hard, and
, Tom patted her hand reassuringly.
She was-who, before she married
the duke?' asked Rosie
Priscilla Parker of Connecticut. ur
where the wooden nutmegs grow
daughter of the calico king-you
know" he nodded
Il believe do" she returned; yes
1 | remember"
j. Well, there you are, see?" He
laughed with sheer enjoyment, a low
ringing, boyish laugh. and helped him
self to another cake The duchess
has got barrels of money-her father
2 has got more-and she must have Jew
, els enough to make a dozen Queens OF
: Sheba turn green With envy. She alsc
, has the Caddington emeralds, in trust
for her older daughter We could use
hose emeralds much better than little
lady Alexandra can thirteen years
from now. Why. it's sheer madnes,
TO hide those pretty toys away in 9
safe-deposit vault until the child be
comes OF age. You see the duches!
will never wear them herself. becaus.
eAc bdtco INC uIhe 81, DuL 60G " Ill save
them for his daughter-to whom thel
/ rightly belong. 1t seems to me, Rosie
4 that il you and crossed on the same
i steamer with Lady Caddington, WI
might get chance at those emeralds.'
Rosie shivered
a 'I'm-afraid on those steamers
= Tom" she said You haven't forgot
:, ten Beerhof-"
y Nonsense, That's TOO much gar
q den and chickens talking now" h
cried. not unkindly you wouldn't b.
. afraid in the very mouth of a cannon
: Buck up, Rosie"
But we've only been here tw,
months, and we said we were goin,
!! to stay a year she reminded him
u People will talk If We go away soon
!. I've told everybody I've met tina
= we were in love with the place, So
rs you see?"
Yes. see. always see both ways
told the station-master when W
came here. and he's told everybod
from Little Luxham TO Donmarket b
lie this time, that we were theatrical nee
pie. Well, well say that we wer
called UP to London TO rehearse