Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1913-12-24

IAN anu nat. duu vent out InLO Tue
; street: merely to step up to the corner
and around it: a few PAGES further
to where the two big horse chestnut
trees were casting their gaunt winter
shadows across the moonlit sidewalk;
up the stoop of Mrs. Van Zandt's half
Of the house; the key he had never
ceased to carry In his pocket. out. and
fitted to the latch; the door pushed
softly back and closed; the master
within the precinct Of the mistress.
! He stood still; his glance going first
to the arcbway and it's curtains behind
which he supposed the brick wall to
rave been built all those years ago
Then to the staircase; the clock ticking
on; the niche with the statue OF Ceres
in 1t. III landing where she had stood.
She had been there. Not a dozen
hours since. Betty. his wife. had come
down where he was now going up. for
Peter went up to the second floor.
where the 1ood of radiance from the
open doors Of Mrs, Van Zandt's room
| greeted him.
He halted in the wide hall and lean
ed at her threshold. He did not enter
! His eyes took in all the old. familiar.
sweet things h had used-the chair
that was her %favorite, the vases from
Marking that were her pleasure, the
/ si'ver candlcsticks on her dressing ia
BILE, the trinkets. the hand mirrors. the
pictures. the Christmas wreaths. the
mahogany bedstead. with its tall carv-
ed heudboard close to the door. its
down quilt a little disturbed. a pillow
to Il side. something just projecting
from under the pillow.
A card! Could Betty have left there
| another message? His hand shook as
| he reached In and drew the scrap from
| under the pillow. for Peter Van Zandt
| did not cross the sill of that room.
1t was a little carte de visite. as the
photographs Of that day were called.
and it was. yes. it was Betty. Chang
ed? Not so much. Older? Not an
hour. But most serene. her smiles just
at the corners Of her mouth. Yes. Bet
ty. and vet, no: not quite entirely.
Perhaps it was the style of dress. Sew
enteen years make differences in a wo-
mans gown. This Betty wore a short
skirt with some arrangement looping
it on the hips called. he believed. pan
niers, and a sack of fur with hanging
sleeves, a cap of fur on top Of her
curly head.
Peter turned it over. To be sure.
if he needed confirmation there it IA
in Betty's own handwriting. Betty
Van Zandt. Limoges. Oct. 16. 49,"
Taken only about two month ago. He
slipped it into his pocket. turned
around. went down and went out, eau
tiously as a thief in the night. around
into his own portion Of the old house.
When Betty reached Limoges no one
was at the station to meet her. because
no one at the chateau knew that she
was to arrive. When she got to the
chateau. driving up in a sleigh in great
jingling Of bells and calls of the driv-
er who rode the smallest of his lean
beasts. the One vas at the step to
welcome her with such a wealth of
warmth as made her coming back a
joy. By and by. when these two were
alone together in the long salon for
the colonel had much business down
in the city at the consulate, Of course.
BETTY was tod a story. .
BY the One? OF course. A story as
sweet. as tender. as full Of happiness.
hope. as had been the story Peter Van
Zandt had told her more than w
teen years before.
And Betty listened?
Yes; she listened. and the comfort
and pleasure of that which the One
told her was inexpressibly grateful:
not as had been the comfort of Peters
story. but as the later shadow of that
first Eden.
Yes: Betty listened and was content.
While Betty. in Limoges. was listen
ing to all the One had to tell her day
in and day out. night in and night out.
Peter Van Zandt was In India.
Two days only. after his odd.
stealthy visit to A..s. al Zandt's
side of the double house, the master
had left. There seemed a fatal kind
q unrest ON him. He could not stop
in any land long. 1t was India. then
China. Russia, down into France. All.
yes, into France. In Paris he me
some people he knew-a few men
One Of them said, You remember
A~shleigh?"
YES; ! do remember Ashleigh, the
first secretary Of the English embassy
years ago.
Exactly. ran against him here
the other day. He asked for you"
did be! A comfortable British
husband by this time. | suppose?"
mot in the least. En- route to Limo
ges. l think yes. Limoges. to marry
he said. the most beautiful woman In
the world
"Who?' Peters heart %throbbed.
"Could one ask. My dear boy. When
a chap tal,;s like that. you know:
This man laughed; they shook hands
and parted.
Peter v,elgt into a cafe and surrepti-
, tiously tu4k out the carte de visite Of
Betty and looked at it. But Betty
W.