Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1914-11-06
Nora's heart frightened. What she saw
was q beautiful uncut emerald.
CHAPTER XII.
A Comedy with Music.

consisted of q large drawing room and
two ample bedchambers, with window
balconies and a private veranda In
the rear, looking off toward the green
Of the pines and the metal-like luster
Of the copper beeches.
1t was raining, a fine, soft, blurring
Alpine rain, and a blue-gray monotone
prevailed upon the face of the waters
and defied all save the keenest scru-
tiny to discern where the mountain
tops ended and the sky began, 1t was
a day for indoors, for dreams, good
books, and good fellows.
Here they all we're. Mrs. Harrigan
was deep in the intricate of the
Amelia AIRS of Bologna, which, as the
one Of the windows sat Nora, winding
interminable yards of lace hemming
from of the willing if aching digits of
the Barone, who vas specializing as
to what his Neapolitan club friends
would say could they see, by some
trick of crystal gazing. his present oc-
cupation. Celeste was at the piano,
playing (pianissimo) snatches from
the operas, while Abbott looked on,
his elbows propped upon his knees,
his chin in his palms, and a quality OF
ecstatic content in his eyes.
Play the fourth %ballade." urged
Abbott.
AS Celeste began the andante, Nora
signified to the Barone to drop his
work. She let her own hands fall.
Harrigan gently closed his book, for
in that rough kindly soul of his lay a
mighty love Of music. He himself was
without expression OF any sort. and
somehow music seemed to stir the dim
and not quite understandable longing
for u~tterance. Mrs. Harrigan alone
went on with her work; she could
work and listen at the same time.
After the magnificent finale, nothing
in the room stirred but her needle.
"Bravo!" cried the Barone, breaking
the spell.
You never played hat better"
declared Nora.
That's somei" Harrigan beat his
hands together thunderously. Great
stuff; Ell, Barone?"
The Barone raised his hands as II
to express his utter inability to des-
cribe his sensations. His elation was
that ascribed to those fortunate NOR
tails whom the gods lifted to Olympus.
At his feet lay the lace hemming, hope
lessly snarled.
Father, father!" demonstrated Nora;
you will wake up all the old ladies
who are having their siesta-"
Bah! I'll bet a doughnut their ears
are glued to their doors. What hoi
Somebody's at the portcullis. Probably
the padre, come up for tea"
He was at the door instantly. He
flung 1t open heartily. 1t was char
acteristic of the man to open every
thing widely, his heart, his mind, his
hate or his affection.
Come in, come in! Just in time
for the matinee concert"
The padre was not alone. Court
landt followed him in.
We have been standing in the Dr.
ridor for ten minutes" affirmed the
padre, sending a winning smile around
the room. Mr.. Courtlandt was for
going down to the bureau and sending
up our cards. But I would not hear
of such Formally. l am a privileged
person"
Sure yes! Molly, ring for tea, and
tell EN- to make 1t hot. How about a
little peg, as the colonel says?
The two men declined.
How easily and nonchalantly the
man stood there by the door as Harri-
gan took his hat! Celeste was aquiver
with excitement. She was thoroughly
a woman; she wanted something to
happen, dramatically, Economically.
But her wan was a vain one. Nora
advantage of her in his knowledge Of
this. Celeste remained at the piano,
but Nora turned as il to move away.
mo, you must sing. That is what l
came up for" insisted the padre. II
there was any malice In the church
man, it was of a negative quality. But
it was In his Latin blood that drama
should appeal to him strongly, and
here was an Unusual phase In The
Great Play. He had urged Courtlandt,
much against the latter's will this day,
to come up with him, simply that he
might set a little e such as this
promised to be and study 1t from the
vantage Of the prompter. He knew
that the principal theme of all great
books, of all great dramas. was antag-
onism, antagonism between man and
woman, though by a thousand other
lanes has 1t been called. He had
often said, in a spirit OF raillery, that
this antagonism was principally due
to the fact that Eve had been con-
structed (and very welD out Of a rib
from Adam. Naturally she resented
this. that she had not been fashioned
independently, and would hold 1t
against man until the true secret OF
the parable was made clear to her.
Nora saw that opposition would
be useless. After all, it would be
better to sing. She would not be
compelled to look at this man she
80 despised. At the beginning she had
intended to sing badly; but as the
rnuofn nronaadod aha aon1 ne nho h.A