South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-18
Lille ROARDERS
CHAPTER I.

somewhat although not enough.
after all. but that we may piece to-
gether "A connected story. Until the
great event, they were trivial. Ii was
the reflected light Of the tragedy
which gave them their importance.
Most OF the boarders remained in
doors, since il was too wet in the
early evening for faring out Of door
with comfort After dinner, Miss
Harding and Miss Jones. stenOgraph-
ers. who shared room and alcOve on
the second floor, entertained com
pany' in the parlOr on the ground
s0Or-tWO young Office mates who
figure but dimly in this tale. These
callers came at eight o'clock. a few
minutes later Prof. NOll Joined them.
Prof. NOll was a dat delusiOnist, the
assistant editor OF health food mag
azine. He lived on the third floor
across the hall from Capt. Hanska.
in a room furnished Gas the captain
himself remarked during one Of his
genial mOments) with all the horrors
Of home. For Prof. Noll had trav-
eled widely, gathering experience and
junk; and in every port Of the world
ne had bought freely Of gilt-and-trash
curiOs. He was as proud of that
bizarre apartment as though il had
been the Louvre. A charming old
man was Prof. Noll when he dis
mounted from his hobby - and Oc-
caSionally when ne rode ii. too a
thick tangle Of silver-silk hair and a
little pair Of China-blUe eyes accented
a personality all innocence, gaiety,
and old age prattle.
Miss Harding and Miss Jones had
not arrived at that point with their
young men where they wanted TO visit
alone. When Prof NOll entered and
suggested music, they welcomed him.
He sat down 10 the piano, therefore,
and they all sang the foolish ephem-
eral songs of the picture shows. Mrs.
Moore stood in the hall for a time,
listening. Miss Jones spied her and
invited her in. She was a landlady Of
the lugubrious type; she wept silent
~ over the sentimental passage with
rhymes on "pOsey" "cOsey" and
''prOpOsey"; and eventually she join
ed her voice with the singing. once
or twice she left momentarily to look
after towels, furnace heat and other
housewifely cares. one Of these tours
took her to the top of the house.
where Miss Estrilla, the lady sick
with weak eyes, lived in a half dark
ened rear room. She was q newcOm-
er. this Miss Estrilla. and not yet
well enough to take her meals in the
dining room. Miss Estrilla's brother,
a slim, mercurial little Latin with an
entertaining trick Of the tongue, was
reading 10 her by a shaded lamp, as
he often did OF evenings When Mrs.
Moore reJOined the others they were
singing full voice.
ON the stairs Mrs. Moore met Capt.
Hanska passing up from his late and
solitary dinner. He was a little IT.
regular about meals; and this evening
he had come in, demanding dinner.
after everything was cleared away.
Half the boarding house liked Capt.
Hanska. and half disliked him.
Rather (and more accurately ak
half-liked and half-hated him. 4
large man, of 45 or so. he looked at
FIRST sight rather bloated, and at sec
ond only gross and big through the
accumulation of middle aged muscle
and the thicker flow of middle aged
blood He was bull-necked broad
shouldered. wide of waist and heavy
OF leg. Everything about him de-
noted old strength gone stale. In
face ne showed the traces of what
must have been great youthful come
illness. Even now. he had an eye
which could be both keen and kind
when his mood was gentle. Those
moods of his puzzled everyone No
man could be more irritable at times
yet. none, as all the feminine part Of
the house testified. could be more
charming. more understanding OF
women. There was a curious quality
beneath all that. a quality which none
of Mrs. MoOre's bOarders had the
discernment TO formulate. Ii was as
though some inner driving energy
! sought an outlet, and found no way
T. through that accumulation of flesh
and blood and muscle.
Before he started up the stairs. he
paused an instant at the parlOr door
and looked upon the singers.
Come on in-the waters fine"
called Miss Harding jocnlarly.
Capt. Manska returned no answer.
Apparently one Of his sardonic gibes
was on his lips, but he let it die there.
And ne turned away.
HE can certainly he crouch
/ when he wants to-" said Miss Harding.
as though apOlOgiZing to the young
men.
Pierce" exclaimed Miss Jones.
And they resumed their singing AS
Capt Hanska passed Mrs. Moore on
the lower flight OF stairs, his head was
bent and he gave no sign of recogni-
tiOn.
Mrs. Moore did not !S>~e the par
Tor. she testified afterward, until Mr..
Lawrence Wade called. asking for
Capt. Hanska As ON previous Occa-
,sions. ne gave her his card. which
read: Mr.. Lawrence Wade. Curfew
CI1sb" He had called before. wheth-
or two or three times. Mrs. Moore's
fsnemory would never serve to tell.
but she recognized him perfectly -
she would have known him anywhere.
she said.
Gee. who's your swell friend-he
certainly could lead me up blushing
10 the altar" had been Miss Harding
tribute the first time she saw him.
For he was very cOmely-a COmeli-
ness that was a perfect blend of case
and character. And that night she
flashed a languishing roll of her big
ewes after the tall figure as is dis
appeared. THAT fellow would do for
"A clothing house ad-'our collars fit
round the neck't' she whispered 10
the company; whereupon everyone
giggied.
Mrs. Moore carried the card 10
Capt. Hanska's room on the third
floor.
What is it?" he growled. as she
Knocked
MIR Wade 10 see YOU" she replied.
She remembered afterward that he
paused for an instant before he ans
wered. also she heard a rustling as
though some one We're moving about
1--WE gone 10 bed" ne said after
che rarea ttNNhora h ha9 npu-u-