Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-08-29
MRS. WAYNE.
"The Age Of chivalry' and ~The
Age Of Fable" Hand
in Hand.
BY JEAN DlckEasoN.

tary brought Anne Blair to fill new
engagement in Gregory Wayne's big
house, she smiled delightedly at the
task allotted to her.
Mr.. Wayne's lawyer. Amos Smyth,
had hired Anne through the recon
mendatlon OF mutual friend. and now
he stood in the great Wayne library
looking down his long nose at little
dark-eyed Anne
We'll. Miss Blair. he said kindly,
you'll find a lot to do here, and Il
you need an assistant IN the work, i
leave it to you to select one. What
ever you do will be satisfactory 10 me.
Mr.. Wayne Is bringing home a lot of
new books-you understand he is
collector? He has sent me list com
piled from his catalogue. and the books
mentioned in this list are to be re-
moved from the shelves and placed IN
the small study upstairs You are to
recatalogue the shelves in this room
and rearrange the books according 70
the plan he has sent for the purpose.
Mr.. Smyth laid a bundle of papers
through his silvery hair
Quite job. eh?. he smiled down
at her.
Il love work like that. said Anne
enthusiastically. Just think of spend
ing days and days with these booksi
It's a PRIVILEGE"
Then you1l be quite contented here
alone. have instructed Mrs Babb,
the bookkeeper. to prepare luncheon
for you every day aud cup of tea If
you care for it In the afternoon.
Sarah. one OF the housemaids. will
carry books to and fro for you--she is
stout and strong. Any other help you
may need is at your disposal"
Thank you. Mr.. Smyth, l shall get
along splendidly When did you say
Mr.. Wayne would be here?"
IN about six weeks time he is
stopping in Paris at present I"
Il shall be finished long before his
return" said Anne, pulling OFF her
gloves. I'm going to start right in"
Good" commended the lawyer. and
after SHAKING hands with Anne he
went away.
One rainy afternoon three weeks
later Anne was perched on the top of
tall step-ladder in the Wayne III
brary. her sunny head bent over
great crimson leather bound volume in
her lap. 1t was copy of Bulfinch's
age of Fable" and in the charm of
its vellum pages Anne quite forgot
that she was alone in the big house.
Mrs. Babb and. Sarah had gone to a
funeral and the other servants would
not return until their master made his
appearance Outside on the avenue
there was the smooth rumble OF
wheels on the wet asphalt and the oc-
casional clip-clop OF horses hoofs Elk
cept for these sounds there was dead
silence in the great stone mansion
Below her the long room lay in rich
light and shadow. A small fire flick
cred on the marble hearth. AT the top
of the ladder Anne's blue gown made
a bright splash OF color, and the Grim
son bow at her throat and the vol
ume In her lap with its gold-edged
pages, made II gay up there near the
ceiling.
As the afternoon passed the light
waned and Anne had stretched out
her hand to the electric chandelier
close by when she was conscious of a
sound in the room
Her heart beat little faster as she
looked down at the room which should
have been empty. or course it might
be Mrs. Babb or Sarah, but these two
servants would have knocked for ad-
mittance. A vague OF terror took pos
session OF her and held her speechless
for few moments
Peering down, she made out a mans
dark shape standing near the fire. His
back was toward her.
Anne could make out that the In
truder wore a dark macintosh and a
small darp cap
There was only one explanation OF
HIS appearance. Some thief, learning
Of Mr. Wayne's early return home. had
resolved 10 help himself to some OF
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. treasures
Why such valuable collier ion OF
books. pictures and porceIains should
be left unprotected. might be answered
By the fact that Gregory Wayne was
entirely impractical and had unbound
ed faith In his feIlowmen.
The room darkened until the only
visible light was that made by the
fire against which the mans stiil form
was silhouetted dImly.
Anne's cramped limbs grew numb
and cold and she wished heartily that
she had not agreed to stay alone. As
Mr.. Wayne's employe it was her duty
to protect his interests. and she looked
about her for some weapon OK defense
If she should be driven to extremity.
There was nothing save the heavy vol
umes of Bulfnch--one In her lap and
the othe. IN the shelves with smaller
books.
She would be in dire straits before
she could gain courage to hurl those
treasured volumes at a marauder.