The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-07-02

unusually to fascinate, making dell,
cate play with her speaking eyes; and
promising mo all the possibilities OF
scrhchire rest, If cared to stay with
them over the week.
A lean, lank-lookng butler served
the colonel and myself with coffee
when she had gone; and after that
my host took me to the drawing
room, where l found her engaged in
the pursuit of trying over "coster"
song. The colonel suggested business
at once, saying:
I'll leave you with Margaret while
] go up to Hermann and learn If he's
well enough to receive us; l dare say
you can amuse yourselves. shan't
be gone five minutes"
When he was gone she went on
playing for some minutes, turning
away at last impatiently from the
piano, and facing round with q seri-
Gus. almost alarmed look. What she
meant to say or do cannot tell, for
at that moment the colonel came back
and told us that his partner was In
the dressing-room upstairs, and would
be glad to see me at once.
Margaret may come too?" he asked
me. "She would like to see the great
stone"
"Of course" replied; ut will be a
pleasure to show 1t to her"
| cannot tell you why 1t was, but
as we rose together to leave the room
i seemed in moment to realize that
the affair had come to crisis. In that
instant, Notwithstanding guarantees.
references, Margaret Kleins fascina.
lions and the hundred arguments I
had often used to convince myself of
the folly OF suspicion there came to
me as distinct and clear a warning as
though some human voice had given
speech to II The very silence of the
others-for they said no word and q
curious hesitation seemed to come
upon them-impressed the conviction
OF the monition. Once in the hall. my
uneasiness became stronger. for there
at table was the footman ] had
recognized, and as he glanced at me
when , passed him his face was knit
up as the face Of a man thinking: and
he let glass fall at the very moment
we reached the stairs. What he wished
to convey do not know; but although
7 felt there was danger in leaving the
ground floor, another force dragged
me on behind the colonel, and kept me
advancing unhesitatingly until / had
reached the end of the long picture
gallery with him. and he had knocked
upon a door in the eastern wing of the
rambling mansion. What this force
was I do not pretend TO explain. Il
may have been merely the influence
OF the woman; It may have been my
inherent obstinacy and belief in my
self; or simple lack OF conviction
which forbade any public expression
Of the fears I had fomented. 7 know
only that we waited for some seconds
in the passage until n hospital nurse
opened the door, and that I found
myself at last IN n very pretty bou-
doir, whore pale and sicklyIooI,ing
man was lying upon q couch, but
propped up 10 greet us
That you would understand what
happened I'm the next few minutes Il
is necessary for me to say "a word
upon the construction of the boudoir.
II was a room hung I'm pink silk and
white. and IL had two doors I'm a..
giving off TO other rooms. whose size
J could not see since thcy were in
darkness For light. we he'd lamp
with q white shade upon Gao iuvalid's
table, and t"O others upon the man
telsheit; while we wore seated I'm
fashion that allayed any fenrs ] might
nave had Of personal and sudden ut.
tack The colonel loungcd in an
American rockIngchair, he being near.
est 70 the head of the couch: his
daughter leaned back against "a blal.
work cabinet, she being a little way
i.c.1 the sick mans feet; / had n H.
brarychalr. and was alone I'm an att.
tude which wo'f allow me TO spring