The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-06-04

II will 90 in for few minutes,
she said, at 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 pipe with him.
Thanks, old girl, for the happy day
we've had You don't mind if leave
you here"
Her heart gave great throb of
relief. 1t was best to have him out OF
the way for the time being.
"Well-so long" he said, difiidently
80 long, Lyddy."
so long" she repeated, dropping
into his manner of speech without
thinking. There was a smothering
sensation in his breast.
He looked back as he strobe off 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
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.
rs 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 il
it had been hastily thrown about her
shoulders. One bare arm was visible-
completely so.
Il came to see Mr.. Brood. Is he
He is busy. Come up to my room,
repeated Yvonne. somewhat imperl
ously.
As Lydia mounted the stairs she
had fair glimpse Of the others face
Always pallid-but Of 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 oversprea'
the lovely, smiling face. The lips wer'
red, very red-redder than she hat
ever seen them. The girl suddenly re
called the face she had once seen
a woman who was addicted to tn
drug habit
Mrs. Brood met her at the top @
the stairs. She was but half-dresSeC
Her lovely neck and shoulders wer
now almost bare. Her hands wer
extended toward the visitor, tn
filmy lace gown hung loose and disr'
; garded about her slim figure.
Come in, dear. Shall we have tea
| have been SO lonely. One cannt
read the books they print nowaday
Such stupid things, ai-e?"
She threw an arm about the ia
, girl and Lydia was surprised to TN
Y that it was warm and full of gent
. strength. She felt her flesh ting
. with the thrill of contact. Yes,
must have been the light from Il
/: window, for Yvonnes face was nc
aglow with the iridescence that W
}. so peculiarly her own.
a A door closed softly on the flo
d above them. Mrs. Brood glanced ov
her shoulder and upward. Her ar
l. frightened perceptibly about Lydia
|. waist.
r 1T was Ranjab,' said the girl. al
instantly was filled with amazeme1
:. She had not seen the Hindu, had n
# even been thinking of him, and y
o she was impelled by some mysterio
n intelligence to give utterance to
:. statement in which there was COW
T ton, not conjecture.
4 Did you see him." asked the otht
y looking at her sharply.
\. NO." admitted Lydia, still amaze
81 don't know why said that"
d Mrs. Brood closed her boudoir do
10 behind them. For an instant she sto
I staring at the knob as If expecting
It see it turn
10 81 know" she said. II know W
If YOU said it. Because 1t was Ranjal
4. She shivered slightly. Il am afra
of that man, Lydia. He seems to
N watching me all of the time. Day a
Il. night his eyes seem to be upon MI
70 why should he be watching you
I'd asked Lydia, bluntly.
" Yvonne did not notice the questi'
Even when am asleep in my b.
r. in the dead hour Of night, he Is lo'
ne ing at me. can feel it, though aisle
" Oh, it is not dream. for my drea
". are of something or someone elst
never of him. And yet he is the
il. looking at me. lit is uncanny."
TT, AN obsession," remarked LyG
,ir quietly. He never struck me as
n. pecially omnipresent."
as Didn't you feel him NOM
,e. ago." demanded Yvonne, irritably.
of The other hesitated, rejecting
an suppose 1t must have been sOmeth
ty like that" They were still facing
ne door, standing close together. w
do YOU feel that he is watching yo'
la 81 don't know. just feel it, thu
he all. Day and night. He can read
to thoughts, Lydia. as he would real
&C. hook. Isn't-isn't 1t disgusting?"