Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-10-16

to sweeping. and Dorcas counted abb
sently each quick scun of the broom.
Once the maid dropped it and the
stick fell on the floor with a startling
RAP. Occasionally her dragging foot
steps clattered across a bit of bare
floor or she paused to thump the pill
lows vigorously. Dorcas was reused
from her reverie by the imperative
call of the telephone. She listened
while Mrs. Billerwell answered it.
Then the doorbell rang and she heard
Merry's voice. She began to grope
about the dim room in search of
matches to light the gas. She was still
in darkness when he tapped at the
door.
Andrew seated himself in a shadowy
corner beside the window. A glimmer
of light from a street lamp fell upon
the girls face. In her eyes was an
appealing loneliness which he had
never seen before.
Miss Dorcas," he began with grave
~gentleness, what can l do for you?
You know me fairly well. There is
nothing heroic about me 1 doubt ii
l could fight a duel. 1t makes me
SILVER even to touch a pistol-but ]
am ready to stand up to be shot at IL
it will make things easier for you"
Il believe you would" said Dorcas
with an unsteady laugh.
81 swear 1 would" he assured her
with simple gravity. The girl felt
deeply moved.
There win not be any shooting, and
| don't know exactly what you can dc
for me. l don't even know what tc
ask you to do. / thought of turning
to Mr.. Oswald at first. l didn't. l felt
l could come to you more easily"
Thank you for saying that" An
eager happiness flushed into the mans
face which seemed to warm each fea
ture beneath the surface.
Dorcas stood before him trembling
and irresolute. 1T is SO hard-lovine
my brother as l do-to sit in judgment
on him or to discuss him, even witt
did once?" she asked quickly.
Merry nodded.
Since things went wrong between
you," Dorcas hesitated for a moment
since that time he has changed; yor
cannot realize how he has changed
Still, we were together and alone, ane
I kept thinking that the old happy
days would come back"
She stopped short and Merry'i
brows wrinkled into lines of perplex
ity. What has happened? What car
l do to help you?"
Yesterday" she began hurriedly
when I went home after the matinee
Jason stood waiting in the vestibult
for me. He did not say a word, Gu
1 knew that something had happened
l pushed him aside and ran upstairs
i I could think of nothing but tina
Enoch had been taken i'll. AS l passed
the hall rack I noticed the queer UNI
brella Miss Paget carries. 1t has
tigers head for a handle-you remem
how strange it should be there. Whel
l reached the library she sat besid'
the fire. reading a magazine"
Where was Enoch?"
"In his little study, with the doc
locked. He came out when she began
to talk to me-"
What did she want?"
Andrew" the tears sprang to tn
girls eyes,, that woman has come u
live in our home"
Neutrality-suspicious." Mel
rvs voice had an incredulous tone II
it. "Enoch has not-married Zill,
Paget?"
Il do not know. / cannot under
stand. I think that Enoch hates her.
Then why is she there?".
81 do not know"
"He didn't EXPLAIN"
mo. He looked like a thunder
cloud. She talked. She said she ha'
come to live in our house. Her clothe
were unpacked. She has taken tn
spare room. Her things. a lorgnette