Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1915-01-07
lie actually xaspea.
Good heavens.

He was at loss for words. IL 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 a 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-
rendered well that Leslie, In COM
menting on her absurdly early hours.
had once said that her early bird"
habit was hereditary: she got II from
Sebastian.
What put 1t into your head. Sara.
that Vivian was saying anything un-
pleasant about you last night?"
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 well. l will be sensible. II
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 biinked
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 as Mr. Sherlock
Holmes in some respects l really do
some splendid deducing. In the first
place, you were asked there and |
was not Why? Because | was to be
discussed. You see"
Marvellous" 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.
III come over this afternoon and
show you wherein you are wrong" he
began. but she interrupted him with a
laugh.
Il am starting for the city before
noon, by motor. to be gone at least =
fortnight"
What! This is the first I've heard
OF it,"
Again she laughed. To be perfect
ly frank with you. | hadn't heard of
it myself until just now. | think L
shall go down to the Homestead with
the CAROLS"
Hot -Springs?"
Virginia" she added explicitly.
Il say. Sara. what does all this
mean? You"
And II you should follow mo
there. Vivian's estimate OF US will not
he far n he
like to make it."
True TO her word, she was zone
when he drove over later on In the
day. Somehow. he experienced a
queer feeling OF relief Not that he
was oppressed by the rather vivacious
opinions OF Vivian and her Xix. but
because something told him that Sara
was wavering In her determination to
withhold the secret from him and ned
for perfectly obvious reasons
He had two commissions among the
rich summer colonists. One. full
length portrait of young Beardsley In
shooting toys. was nearly finished. Tho
other was to be a half-length OF Mrs
Ravenscroft. who wanted one Just like
! Hetty Castleton's. except for the eyes.
which she admitted would have to be
different Nothing was said of the
seventeen years difference in their
ages. Vivian had put OF posing until
Lent
The Wrandalls 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 Wa
half-finished
| You can finish 1t when I come back
In December. Mr. Booth" she said.
III have several new gowns to choose
| from, too"
Il shall be busy all winter, Mrs. Ra.
venscroft." he said coldiy.
How annoying" she said calmly
and that was the end OF II all. She
had made the unpleasant discovery
| that 1t wasn't going to be In the least
like Hetty Castletone. SO why bother
about It?
Booth waited until Sara came on,
70 superintend the closing OF her house
Tor the winter He called at South
look on the day or her arrival. He
was struck at once by the curfou,
change In her appearance and manner
mere was something bleak and deso
late In the wildly brilliant face: the
tired. wistful. harassed look of ON,
who has begun to quail and yet 0sht,
| on.
VIII you go out with me tomorrow
Brandon. for an all-day trip In thu
carr she asked, as they stood To
gether before the open fireplace or
this late November afternoon. He,
eyes were moody. her voice rathe,
lifeless