The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1913-01-02
PECULIAR CONDUCT OF
P0LLY'S QUEER VISITOR
BY cLAuDiNE sIssoN.

o'clock when the eastern Sky was
faint yellow and the birds were sin,
ing in the tall locusts she turned he
face to the wall and slept for ten d,
licious minutes.
The s%creeching of the pump chat
at the back door brought her tren
bling to the floor and she tiptoed t.
the window and looked cut, her eye
heavy with WEAKNESS.
Before the pump stood a tall youni
man clad in spotless white yachting
clothes. His fair hair was guiltless o
covering. He was drinking water from
a bright tin dipper.
Polly watched him with bated
breath-as one watches an apparitiOn
expecting it to vanish in thin air. But
he did not vanish.
Polly raised the window a few eau
tious inches and spoke grufly.
DO you want anything she in
quired ~inhospitably.
The stranger turned a pair of very
blue eyes toward her. 1t was evident
that he could not see her, but he
stared at the shutter.
Yes he replied deliberately. you
may bring me half a cup of tea, half
a cup of coffee and a few waf1es.'
rs that all?" murmured Polly meek
ly.
And make haste, please he added,
waving a sun-burned hand toward her.
Polly locked the window and hasten
ed to the kitchen which was a dark
and deserted as any kitchen would
be at 4:30 on a June morning with
mistress and maids way from home.
Polly made a hot fire of pine kind
lings, set on the waffle iron to heat,
filed the tea kettle, and ran upstairs
to dress. Her only thought was to
feed and get rid of the q~ueerly be-
haved stranger on the front porch.
Presently she CROPPED her way
through the smoke filled kitchen with
a tray containing crisp waflles and
butter, a cup of tea and a cup Of cot
fee with the necessary sugar and
cream. Cautiously she opened the
back door and placed the tray on the
bench outside. Then she relocked
the door and FASTENED to the front
window.
Your breakfast is ready on the
back porch" announced Polly through
4 crack of the window.
Thank you" he said alertly, and
down the steps.
He stopped short at sight of the
breakfast tray ard shook his head
Then he grasped the coffee cup and
poured half its contents upon The
He repeated the operation
With the tea cup. Then he sat down
IN the steps and proceeded to con
iume the waales, drinking first a
wallow of tea and then a swallow of
Suddenly he leaped to his
Get. swept his cap off and addressed
kitchen door:
Farewell. fair waflerl" he ejaculat.
d. and stalked away.
Polly Witham watched until his tall
orm had disappeared down a wooded
hat led to the village. Then she
at down on the floor and alternately
and cried.
Later in the morning she drove her
tile car down to the p~ostofIice. AS
he passed the livery stable she no.
ced that the newly washed carriages I
ere ranged along the curbstone.
On the front sea- of a horseless |
TREY sat her visitor of the morn [
g. a rose in his lapel. A laprobe
as carefully spread over his knees r
Id he was sitting very straight and S
airing right over the heads of the '
dignant liveryman and the village Il
Unstable. a
The constable rubbed his ear with c
polished stick of authority. Come c
iwn outer there, young %feller," he G
sped. d
The stranger smiled patronizingly. l
1y good man, be good enough to Il
ing me half a cup OF tea and half a o
p of coffee" he said. II
AS the words died on his lips, the II
'anger's face grew pale and gaunt. s.
5 head dropped and he crumpled u
on the seat. u
All" cried impulsive Polly. as the "a
Tie crowd of onlookers held back 70
IN assisting the stricken man. ne
ant you see that he is i'll? Help
n into my car constituencies a 70
end of ours she lied. nc
n a few moments Polly was racing p.i
yard home with the constable sup 81
ting the unconscious man in the al
It beside her.
late that afternoon a little party of ~
called at the Witham ~
and inquired for Pclly's invalid .
o had ~regained consciousness only DC
sink into a deep slumber- They ex- '
ined to Polly that the stranger was ~
Amory, owner of the yacht Sea- "
It anchored in the bay below. Mr.. -,
DRY had been suffering from sun ~,
IKE and had eluded his watchers pa
left the vessel in the night. p'
'wo weeks later, long after Mr.. and 60
Witham had returned home, "'
i Amory, quite recovered from his :.
ess, took his departure. ~
Miss Polly" said Amory, since :.
been convalescent, I've been re-
nbering some funny things that
pencd-before you befriended me ~