Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-24

AhONp, fhtg
though the kitchen clock stlll licked on
Stertorously, though the fire in the range
had been banked rather than drawn,
though one had hut to touch the boiler
to learn 1t still held water piping hot.
1t required, however, only a moments
sober thought, once satisfied she was
| alone, to suggest as ono reasonable sou-
ton to the puzzle that the owners had
He'd town for tho weekend, leaving the
establishment in care of untrustworthy
servants, who had promptly elected to
seek their own pleasure elsewhere.
Content with this theory, Sally chose
one of the windows of the servants
dinlnE-room from which to spy out
stealthily, between the shade and the sill,
over flooded area and street; first re-
marking a sensible modification OF the
gloom in spite of an undated downpour.
then that the house was near the Park
Avenue corner, finally policeman shell
tered in the bridesmaids entrance of the
dwelling across the way.
At this last disquietng discovery Sally
retreated eXpeditiously from the wndow.
for the first time realizing that her pres
ence in that house, however adventurous
and innocent, wouldn't be easy to explain
to one of n pollcemanS nCredulOus
idosyncrasy the legal definition of bur
glar, strictly applied, fitted Sarah Man
Vers with diSConCerting neatness.
But nobody knew; it was only half-paat
six by the clock in the kitchen: II was
reasonably improbable that the fathess
servants would come back much before
midnight; and she need only wait for the
storm to pass to return across the roofs,
or. for that matter, to leave circumspect-
ly by the front door. For It would Ger"
tainly be dark by the time the storm ut
tered its last surly growl and trailed It's
hedraggled skirts off across Long Island.
For an instant finely thrilled with a de-
licious sense of the wild adventure of be-
Ing alone in strange house, free to
range and pry a will she found the
full ptquancy a bit difficult 10 relish with
sodden clothing clinging clammily to her
body and limbs
None the less Il was quite without def
mite design that Sally retraced her way
TO that suite of rooms In the second story
which seemed to be the quarters of tho
mistress of the establishment; and 1t was
no more than common-sense preCautIon
tprompted, it's true, by sheer, idle curl
osity) which moved her to darken win
dows already shuttered by drawing tncir
draperies of heavy, rosc-Colored silk be-
fore switching on the lights
1t may have been merely the reflection
of rose-tinted walls that lent the face of
the girl unwonted color, hut the glow that
Informed her eyes as she looked about
much as by excitement.
Nothing, indeed. lacked to excite envy
in that hungry heart OF hers. The bed
chamber and its boudor and bath were
not only exqusitely appointed, but stood
prepared for use at a moments notice;
the he'd itself was beautifully dressed:
the dressing-tahle was decked with all
manner Of scent-bottles, mirrors. and
trays. together with every conceivable
all ttyGfb
silver-inlay monogram-apparenty AM
S; the rugs were silken. princely, price,
less; elusive wraiths of seductive per-
fumes haunted the air like memories of
lost caresses.
And when the girl pursued her investi-
cations TO the point of opening closed
doors she found Clothes-pTesses contain
ing a wardrobe TO cope with every
imaginable emergency-froc of silk, OF
lace, of satin, OF llnen gowns for dinner
the theatre the street, the opera; buu,
doir-robes and negligees without end
wraps innumerable, hats, shoes. slippers
mules-and store of lingerie to ravish
any woman's heart
And against all this sybaritic store the
intruder had to set the figure mirrored
by a great cheval-glass-the counterfeit
of jaded shop-girl in shabby, shapeless,
sodden garments, her damp, dark hair
framing stringy a pinched and haggard
face with wistful, careworn eyes,
Her heart ached with reawakened
sense of the cruel unfairness of life. Her
flesh crept with the touch of her rain
soaked clothing, And in her thoughts |
temptation stirred like a whispering ser
psnt.
Beyond dispute It was wrong what she
contemplated, utterly wrong, and wild TO
madness; but the glrl was ripe for such
temptation and frall with a weakness
consequent upon long years of deprva-
ton Full half of her hearts desire was
here free to her Covetous fingers a
queens trousseau of beautiful belong |
ings.
IT'S only for an hour. No one need |
ever know I'll leave everything just as |
1 found II. And I'm so uneomfoFtable" |
She hesitated a moment longer, but |
only a moments of a sudden smoldering |
embers OF jealousy and desire broke into |
devastating flame, consuming doubts and |
scruples In a trce Swift action ensued;
this was no more an affair OF conscience, /
but of persuasion and resistless impulse. /
She flew about like one possessed-as. in /
deed she was, no less.
Her first move vas 10 turn on hot water /
in the shining porcelain tub. Then, in |
stinctlvely closing and locking the hall !
door she allDped from her despissd gar