Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-08-18

the evening" she said. And you de-
serve them It's a fine big thing you
are attempting restoring Of this
old estate. And know you have even
bigger plans, too"
He nodded, suddenly serious and
thoughtful There's lot Id like to
do. It's not only the house and
grounds. There are other
things. For instance, back on the
mountain on my own land--is a set
Element they call Hell's-Half-Aore.
Probably it has we'll earned the
name. It's wretched collection Of
novels and surly men and drabs Of
women and unkempt children, the
poorest Of poor-whites. Not one OF
them can read or write, and they live
like animals. If I'm ever able, mean
to put a manufacturing school up
there And then"
He ended with a half laugh, sudden
ly conscious that he was talking in a
language she would scarcely under
stand-in fact, in tongue new to him.
self But there was no smile on her
lips and her extraordinary eyes--cool
gray, shot through with emerald
were looking into his with a frankness
and sympathy he would not have
guessed lay beneath her glacial pla-
cidity.
To Katharine, indeed, it made little
difference what philanthropic fads the
man she had chosen might affect as
regarded his tenantry. Ambitions like
these had a immortal flavor that did
not displease her. And the Fargo mil
lions would bear much harmless ham
mering. A change, subtle and incom-
municable passed over her.
Il shall think of you" she sighed,
'as working on in this splendid pro-
gram. For it is splendid. But New
York will miss you, John"
"Ah, no. I've no decisions on that
score / dare say I'm almost forgotten
there already. Here l have place
Her head, leaned back against the
cushion, turned toward him, the pale
orchids trembling on her bosom--she
was SO near that he could feel her
breath on his cheek A new waltz
had begun to sigh its dangerous meas
ures.
Placer" she queried do you think
you had no place there? Is it possible
that you do not understand that your
going has left-a void?"
He looked at her suddenly, and her
eyes fell. Before he answered, how.
ever, the big form OF Major Bristow
appeared, looking about aim.
1T has-left a void" she said her
eyes still downcast, her voice just low
enough, for me-"
The major pounced upon them at
this juncture, feelingly accusing John
of the nefarious design of robbing the
assemblage of its bright and partic-
ular star When Katharine put me-
hand in her cavaliers arm, her eyes
were dewy under their long shading
! lashes and her fine lips ever so little
tremulous 1t had been her best avail
able moment, and she had used it.
AS she moved away, her faint color
slightly heightened, she was glad Of
the interruption 1t was better as il
was. When John Valiant came to hel
again. ~ ~
But to him, as he stood watching
her move lightly from him, there was
vouchsafed illumination. 1t came tC
| him suddenly that that placidity and
hauteur which he had so admired In
the old days were no mask for fires
within. The exquisite husk was the
real Katharine. Hers was the lowell
ness Of some tall white lily cut In
marble, splendid but chill. And witt
| the thought, between him and heI
there swept through the shimnaerine
candle-lighted air breath of wet rose
fragrance like an impalpable cloud
| and set in the midst of it a misty star
tinted gown sprayed with liliesof the
valley, and above it a girls face clear
and vivid, her deep shadow-blue eyes
fixed on his.
The music of a two-step was Ian
gushing when, a little later, Valiant
| and Shirley strolled down between
the garden box-hedges, cypress-shapet
and lifting spire-like toward SKY
which bent, silent canopy Of mauve
| and purplish blue. Behind then
Damory court lay nest of wover
music and laughter. The long white
muslined porch shimmered goldenly
and beside it under the lanterns dal
lied f1irtatious couple or two, ghost
! like in the shadows.
Come" he said. Let me take yot
to see the sun-dial now
The tangle had been cut away anC
narrow gravel-path led through the
pruned creepers. She made an excla
nation of delight The onyx.piilal
stood in an oasis of white-moonfiow
ers, white dahlias mignonette and mar
cissus; bars of late lilies-of-the-val
ley beyond these, bordered with Arum
| lilies, white clematis, iris ard bridal
wreath. shading out into tender pale
hues that ringed the spotless purit!
like dawning passion.
White for happiness" he quoted
You said that when you brought ms
here--the day we planted the ram
blers. Do you remember what
said? That some day, perhaps. | shoulc
love this spot the best of all at Damon.
court" He was silent a moment, trac
ing with his finger the motto on til
dia's rim. When | was very little,
he went on-"hardly more than thre'
| years cid. / think-my father and
had play, in which we lived in
J great mansion like this. 1t was callet