Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-06-25

made it absolutely imperative for her
TO act without delay.
Il will go in for a few minutes,
she said, al the foot of the steps. ARE
you not coming, too"
He had stopped. Not just now,
Lyddy. | think I'll run up to Toms
fiat and smoke a pipe with him.
Thanks, old girl. for the happy day
we've had. You don't mind If ! leave
you here?"
Her heart gave a great throb OF
relief. 1t was best to have him out OF
the way for the time being.
"Well-so long" he said, difhdently.
so long, Lyddy."
80 long" she repeated, dropping
into his manner of speech without
thinking. There was a smother'ne
sensation in his breast.
He looked back as he strobe on in
the direction from which they had
come. She was at the top OF the steps,
her fingers on the electric button. He
wondered why her face was so white.
| He had always thought of it as being
full of color, rich, soft and warm.
Inside the door, Lydia experienced
a strange sinking of the heart. is
Mr.. Brood at" she began, ~nervously.
A voice at the top of the stairway in
terrupted the question she was putting
to the footman.
as it you, Lydia? Come up to my
room"
The girl looked up and saw Mrs.
Brood leaning over the banister rail.
She was holding her pink dressing
gown closely about her throat, as II
It had been hastily thrown about her
shoulders. One bare arm was visible
completely SO.
II came to see Mr.. Brood. Is he
"He is busy. Come up to my ROOM
repeated Yvonne, somewhat imperi-
ously.
AS Lydia mounted the stairs she
had a fair glimpse of the others face.
Always pallid-but of a healthy pal
lor-it was now almost CHASTITY. Per-
haps is was the light from the window
that caused it, Lydia was not sure,
but a queer, greenish hue o~verspread
the lovely, smiling face. The lips were
red, very red-redder than she had
ever seer them. The girl suddenly re-
called the face she had once seen OF
a. woman who was addicted to the
drug habit.
Mrs. Brood met her at the top of
the stairs. She was but half-dressed.
Her lovely neck and shoulders were
now almost bare. Her hands were
extended toward the visitor; the
filmy lace gown hung loose and disre'
garded about her slim figure.
Come in, dear. Shall we have tea
l have been so lonely. One cannot
read the books they print nowadays
Such stupid things, ai-e?"
She threw an arm about the tall
girl and Lydia was surprised to find
that it was warm and full Of a gentle
strength. She felt her flesh tingle
with the thrill of contact. Yes, II
must have been the light from the
window, for Yvonne's face was now
aglow with the iridescence that was
so peculiarly her own.
A door closed softly on the fool
above them. Mrs. Brood glanced ovel
her shoulder and upward. Her arm
frightened %perceptibly about Lydia's
waist.
1T was Ranjab," said the girl, anc
instantly was filled with amazement
She had not seen the Hindu, had moi
ever been thinking of him, and yet
she was impelled by some mysterious
intelligence to give utterance to &
statement in which there was convic
ton, not conjecture.
Did you see him." asked the other
looking at her sharply.
NO." admitted Lydia, still amazed
81 don't know why l said that"
Mrs. Brood closed her boudoir doc
behind them. For an instant she stoo'
staring at the knob as If expecting t
see it turn
Il know" she said, Il know. VIII.
{ you said 1t. Because 1t was Ranjab.
She shivered slightly. 81 am afrai
of that man, Lydia. He seems to b
, watching me all of the time, Day an
j. night his eyes seem to be upon me.
z why should he be watching you?
asked Lydia. bluntly.
Y Yvonne did not notice the question
Even when l am asleep in my BET
In the dead hour of night, he is lool
9 Ing at me. l can feel it, though asleel
Oh, 1t is not a dream. for my dream
are of something OF someone else
never Of him. And yet he Is Their
looking at me. lit Is uncanny."
AN obsession," remarked Lydi
r quietly. HE never struck me as e
pecially omnipresent."
s Didn't you feel him a momel
ago." demanded Yvonne. irritably.
II The other hesitated, rejecting.
n suppose 1t must have been somethir
y like that" They were still facing Il
& door, standing close together. "W1
do you feel that he is watching you
a. II don't know. l just feel it, that
10 all. Day and night. He can read n