The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-10-01

Hindu had called to her in the sui,
mysterious voice of the East, and al
though no sound had been uttered,
she heard as plainly as if he actually
had shouted to her across the inter
vening space.
His father had said, more than
once, that the Hindu and the Egyp-
tan possessed the power to be in two
distinct places at the same time |
James Brood, a sensible man, was
firm believer in magic, and this much
Frederic knew of Ranjab-if James
Brood needed him, no matter what the
hour or the conditions, the man ap-
peared before him as il out Of nowhere
and in response to no audible sum-
mons. He was like the slave of the
lamp.
Was there, then, between these two
the beautiful Yvonne and the silent
Hindu-a voiceless pact that def1ed the
will or understanding Of either?
He had not failed to note a tend
ency on her part to avoid the Hindu
as much as possible She even con-
fessed to an uncanny dread Of the man,
but could not explain the feeling
Once she requested her husband to
dismiss the faithful fellow. When he
demanded the reason, however. she
could only reply that she did not like
the man and would feel happier II ne
were sent away. Brood refused, and
from that hour her fear Of the Hindu
increased.
Now she was speaking in a nervous,
hurried manner to Lydia, her back
toward the window. In the middle
of a sentence she abruptly got up from
the chair and moved swiftly to the op-
posite side of the room, where she
sat down again, as far as possible
from the window. Frederic found him.
self watching her face with curious
interest. All the time she was speak
ing her eyes were fixed on the win
dow. 1t was as if she expected some
thing to appear there. There was no
mistaking the expression. After study
ing her face In silence for a few min
utes Frederic himself experienced an
irresistible impulse to turn toward the
window. He half expected to see the
Hindus face there, looking in upon
them; perfectly absurd notion when
he remembered that they were at least
one hundred feet above the ground.
: Presently she arose to go. No, she
could not wait for Mrs. Desmond's
return.
1T is charming here, Lydia" she
said, surveying the little sitting-roon
with eyes that sought the window
!. again and again in furtive darts
Frederic must bring me here often
, We shall have cozy times here, We
i. three. 1t is so convenient, too, fol
you, my dear. You have only to wall
g around the corner, and there you are
1 at your place of business, as thu
men would say"
. Lydia was to continue as Broodi
!, amanuensis. He would not listen tt
any other arrangement)
ooh, do hope you will come, Mrs
= Brood" cried the girl, earnestly. IN,
piano will be here tomorrow, and yo'
shall hear Frederic play. He Is reail,
:, wonderful"
u "You play?" asked Mrs. Brood, re
. garding him rather fixedly.
i Lydia answered for him. HE disaI
pears for hours at a time, and come
home humming fragments from-ot
l. but am not supposed to tell! Fol
t. give me, Frederic. Dear me! VIVA
g have / done?" She was plainly di!
Il tressed.
l. mo harm in telling Yvonne," sal
1t he, but uneasily. "You see, it's thi
q way-father doesn't like the idea c
my going in for music He is reall
W very much opposed to 1t. So I've bee
n sort of stealing march on him. CT
ing up to chums apartment an
banging away to my hearts conten
: It's rather fun, too, doing 1t on tn
= sly. OF course, if father heard of
he'd-hed-well, he'd be nasty abol
b it, that's ALL"
+ "He will not let you have plan
II in the house?"
III 81 should say mott"
II She gave them queer little smil
II 1--WE shall see," she said, and th'
II was all.
N What do you play-what do yc
II Ike best, Frederick" inquired Yvonn
III ooh, those wonderful little Hung
Y rian things most of all, the plaintiN
3 little"
n He stopped as she began to hu
NJ lightly the strains Of one Of ziehreI
II jaunty waltzes.
y "By jove, how did you guess? VIII
it's my favorite. / love it, Yvonne
8 AS they descended in the elevate
y Frederic, unable to contain himse
= burst out rapturously:
: "By jove, Yvonne, it will be fu
: coming over here every day or so t
q little music, won't 1t? l can't t
81 YOU how happy l shall be-"