Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-05-06
CHAPTER M.-(continued1

When he turned into Van Ness ave-
nue. the Ryan house was one block
beyond him, a coDglomerate white
mass, like a crumbling wedding cake
slowly settling on a green lawn. He
surveyed it as he approached, noting
Its uglfness with a musing satisfac-
ton. It's size and the bright summary
perfection of surrounding grass and
flower beds lent it impressiveness. and
redeemed it from the position of a
colossal blight on the prospect to
which architect and builder had done
their best to relegate it. Prosperity,
complacent. overwhelming prosperi-
ty, was suggested not only by it's bulk
but by the state of studied finish and
neatness that marked mansion and
grounds. There did not seem to be a
willing flower bed or withered leaf left
on single stalk in the garden Dor
ders. Every window-pane cleaned
like a mirror innocent of dust or
diminishing spot. The marble steps up
which Cannon mounted were as snow
lily unsullied as though no foot had
passed over them since their last alb
luton.
The door was opened by a China
man, who, taking the visitors card,
left him standing in the hall, and, deaf
to his queries as to where he should
go, serenely mounted the stairs. Can
non hesitated a moment, then hearing
a sound of voices to his right, entered
the anteroom that gave on that suite
of apartments into which Dominick
had walked on the night of the ball
They were softly lit by the afternoon
sun altering through thin draperies,
and extended in pale, gilt-touched
vista to the shining emptiness of the
ballroom. The old man was advanc-
ing toward the voices when he sud
denly saw whence they proceeded, and
stopped. In the room just beyond him
Cornelia Ryan and young man weFr
sitting on a small. empire sofa, their
figures thrown out in high relief
against the background of silk-cove- ed
wall. Cornelia's red head was in
close proximity to that of her ON
panion, which the intruder saw 10 be
clothed with a thatch of sleek black
hair, and which he recognized IS ap-
pertaining to a young man VIII, sc ia
Their had once been shift boss On the
Rey del Monte, and who bore ne pat
rOnymic Of Duffy.
Cornelia and Jack Duffy 4ad the
appearance of being completely en-
CROSSED in each others society In
his moment of unobservet survey,
Cannon had time TO note che young
woman's air of bashful, pleased en-
barrassment and the geEIIeman's ex-
preston of that tense unsmiling
sarnestness which atteuds the deliv-
cry of sentimental passages. Cornelia
was looking down, AMI her flaming
hair and the rosy to,ss Of her face,
shading from the fp.ntest of pearly
pinks to deepening degrees of coral,
we're luminously VIVID against the fiat
surface of cream-clored wall behind
her, and beside Iae black poll and
thin. dark cheek of her companion
That something Very tender was afoot
was quickly seen by tie visitor, who
over the fur rugs. and gaining the en-.
trance to the hall with sensation of
Aurried alarm.
An open door just opposite offered
a refuge and passing through Ii with
a forward questing glance alert for
other OCCUPANTS who might resent in
trusion, the old man entered a small
reception-room lit by the glow of a
hard coal fire. The room was different
in furnishings and style from those he
had left. 1t had the austere bleak
ness of aspect resultant from a combi-
nation of bare white walls and large
pieces of furniture of black wood
upon which gold lines were traced in
ornamental squares, An old-fash-
toned carpet was on the floor, and sew
er0l tufted arm-chairs, begirt with
dangling fringes, were drawn up so
ciabiy before the fire. This burned
cheerily, q red focus of heat barred
by the stripes Of crate, and sur
mounted by q chastely severe white
marble mantelpieCe. lie had been in
the room often before and knew it for
Mrs Ryans own particular sanctum
When a celebrated decorator had been
lower floor of the house. she had in
sisted on retaining in this apartment
pieces of furniture and the works of
art which she approved, and which the
decorator wished 10 Danish 10 the gar
ret Mrs. Ryan had her way as she al
ways did. and the first dne "soote" of
furniture which she and Con had
bought in the days Of their early af-
auence, and various oil paintings also
collected in the same ers OF their evo-
luton. went 20 the decking of the
room she used for her own and often
est sat in
Cannon approached the fire. and
stood there looking up at the iife-size
portrait in oils of the late Cornelius