Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-05

rejoinder.
Her father appeared on the lawn
below and called up to them.
you are wanted at the telephone,
Brandon. rye Just been talking to
Sara"
did she call you up. fatherr asked
Vivian, leaning over the rail.
"Yes. About nothing in particular,
however"
She turned upon Booth with a mock
ing smile. He felt the color rush to
his face, and was angry with himself.
He went to the telephone. Almost
her first words were these:
What has Vivian been telling you
about me, Brandon?"
He actually gasped. Good heavens.
Sara!"
He heard her low laugh. 80 she
has been saying things. has she?" she
asked. II thought 30. I've had 1t
In my bones tonight"
He was 1T a loss for words. It was
positively uncanny. AS he stood there,
trying to think Of a trivial remark, her
laugh came to him again over the wire,
followed BY . drawing good night,
and then the soughing of the wind
over the open" wire.
The next day he called her up on
the telephone quite early. He knew
her habits. She would be abroad in
her gardens by eight o'clock. He re-
membered well that Leslie, in COM
menting on her absurdly early hours.
had once said that her "early bird"
habit was hereditary: che got 1t from
Sebastian.
What put 1t into your head. Sara,
that Vivian was saying anything un.
pleasant about you last nightf
Magic" she replied succinctly.
"Rubbish!"
II have a magic tapestry that trans
ports me. hither and thither, and by
night l always carry Aladdin's lamp.
So. you see. see and hear everything"
BE sensible"
Very veil. will be sensible. n
you intend to be Influenced by what
Vivian or her mother said to you last
night. think you'd be wise to avoid
me from this time on"
Prepared though he was, he blinked
his eyes and said something she didn't
quite catch.
She went on: Moreover, in addition
to my attachments in the black art,
am quite as clever rs Mr.. Sherlock
Holmes in some respects. l really do
,or,o oolo,djl do<luojv~ Yp tho fret
place, you we're asked there and
was not. Why? Because was to be
discussed. You 500"
"Marvelous!" he interrupted loudly.
"You were to be told that l have
cruel designs upon you"
Go on. please"
"And all that sort Of thing" she
said sweepingly, and he could almost
see the inclusive gesture with her free
hand. He laughed but still marveled
at the shrewdness of her perceptions.
I'LL come over this afternoon and
show you wherein you are wrong" he
began, but she interrupted him with q
laugh.
Il am starting for the city before
noon. by motor. to be gone at least a
fortnight
what! THIS u the frst I've heard
Of it."
Again she laughed. ITO be perfect.
ly frank with you, hadn't heard Of
it myself until just now. think ]
shall 60 down to tho Homestead with
the CAROLS"
Hot SpTias5?"
Virginia" she added explicitly.
Il say. Sara. what does all this
mean? You"
"And II you should follow me
there, Vivian's estimate Of us will not
be 20 far out Of the way a. we'd
like to make II"
True to her word, she was gone
when he drove over later on in the
day. Somehow, he experienced
queer feeling Of relief. Not that he
was oppressed BY the rather vivacious
opinions Of Vivian and her ilk, but
because something told him that Sara
was wavering in her determination to
withhold the secret from him and ned
Tor perfectly obvious reasons.
He had two commissions among the
rich summer colonists. One, q full
length portrait Of young Beardsley in
shooting toys. was nearly finished. The
other was to be . halflength Of Mrs
Ravenscroft. who wanted one Just like
Hetty Castleton's, except for the eyes.
which she admitted would have 70 be
different. Nothing was said Of the
seventeen ysaD' difference In their
ages. Viviaa. had put OF posing until
Lent.
The Wraadalls departed for Scot
land, and other friends of his began
to desert the country for the city. The
fortnight passed and another week
besides. Mrs. Ravenscroft decided to
go to Europe when the picture was
half.nnished.
You can finish It when l como back
In December, Mr.. Booth" she said,
"IN have several new gowns to choose
from. too"
~ shall be busy all winter, Mn. Ra-
venscroft," he said coldly.
How annoying" she said calmly,
and that was the end Of 1t all. ehe
had made the unpleasant discovery
that It wasn't going to b in the least
like Hetty Castletons. 90 Why bother
about It?
Booth waited until Sara came ont
to suDertntenl Tie blessing Of her Aeuoe