The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-05-28

almost as splendid as your father. iio'
too, has been angry with me. He' too'
has made me shudder. But ne, too'
has forgiven me, as you shall TINS III
slant. Say it. Freddie. You 40 W.
give me? | was mean, nasty ue''
viie-oh, everything that's horfia' -
take it all back. Now, be nice 10 lne'
She laid her hand on his ARM d..
appealing little caress that conqueieN
him in a flash. He clasped her hlise''
in his and mumbled incOherenlly Dc '
he leaned forward, drawn reslstless'
nearer by strange magic that was
hers.
"You-you are wonderful" he mur,
INJURED. Il knew that you'd resre'
what you said. You couldn't nave
meant it."
She smiled, patted his hand geh'!'
and allowed her swimming eyes ~
rest on his for an instant to comple'0
the conquest Then she motionea hlil'
away. Brood's voice was heard IN 'ne
doorway. She had, however planteu
an insidious thing in Frederic's mlnu'
and it would grow.
Her husband re-entered the room'
his arm linked in Lydia's. Frederic
was lighting a cigarette at the taDie.
you did not mean all that you salo
a moment ago, Yvonne,' said broou
levelly. Lydia misinterpreted your
jest. You meant nothing unklnd,
am sure He was looking straight
into her rebeliious eyes; the last
CLEAN of defiance died out of them
as he spoke.
81 am sorry, Lydia, darling sac
said, and reached out her hand to the
girl, who approached reluctantly, un'
certainly. 81 confess that was jeai-
Gus. Why shouldn't be jealous!
You are so beautiful, so splendid
She drew the girl down beside her
Forgive me, dear" And Lydia. whose
honest heart had been so full OF re-
sentiment the moment. before. could
not withstand the humble appeal IN
the voice of the penitent. She smiled
first at Yvonne then at Brood, and
never quite understood the impulse
that ordered her to kiss the warm, red
lips that so recently had offended.
James, DEAR" fell softly, alluringly
from Yvonne's now tremulous lips.
He sprang to her side. She kissed
him passionately. Nov, we are all
ourselves once more" she gasped a
moment later, her eyes still fixed In.
Quiringly on those Of the man beside
her.. Let US be gay! Let us forget!
Come, Frederic! Sit here at my feet.
Lydia is not going home yet. Ranjab,
the cigarettes!"
Frederic, white-faced and 'scowling,
remained at the window, glaring out
into the rain.swept night. A steady
sheet of raindrops thrashed against
the window panes.
Hear the wind!" cried Yvonne,
after a single sharp glance at his tall.
motioniess figure. Zone can almost
imagine that ghosts from every grav%
yard in the world are whistling past
our windows. Should we not rejoice?
We have them safely locked outside
ale! There are no ghosts In here
to make US shiver-and-shake."
The sentence that began so glibly
trailed off in slow crescendo, ending
abruptly. Ranjab was holding the
lighted taper for her cigarette. As
she spoke her eyes were lifted to his
dark, saturnine face. She was saying
there were no ghosts, when his eyes
suddenly fastened on hers. In spite
of herself her voice rose in response
to the curious dread that chilled her
heart as she looked into the shining
mirrors above her. She shivered as II
in the presence Of death! For an in.
calculably brief period their gaze re-
NAMED fixed and steady, each reading
a mystery. Then the Hindu lowered
his heavy lashes and moved away.
The little by-scene did not go unno.
ticed by the others, although it's mean.
ing was lost.
There's nothing to be afraid of,
Yvonne," said Brood, pressing the
hand, which trembled in his. "Your
imagination carries you a long way.
Are you really afraid of ghosts?"
She answered in a deep. solemn
voice that carried conviction. II be-
lieve in ghosts. l believe the dead
come back to US, not to fit about, as
we are told by superstition. but to
lodge-actually to dwell-inside these
warm, living bodies Of ours. They
come and 60 at will. Sometimes we
feel that they are there, but-ah, who
knows? Their souls may conquer ours
and 60 on inhabiting-"
"Never!" he exclaimed quickly, but
his eyes were full Of the wonder that
he felt.
"Frederic!" she called imperatively.
Come away from that window"
The young man joined the group.
The sullen look in his face had given
way to one Of acute inquiry. The new
note in her voice produced a strange
effect upon him. It seemed like call
for help, cry out of the darkness.