Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-10-05

or two the matter seemed to clarity
itself to him. why, no." he said; st
wanted something else more than that.
I wanted you'
"And here I amr' she laughed, COM
pletely understanding Z think we're
like those two in The CIoister and
the Hearth" I'm just the rough Bur-
gundian crossbow man, Denys. who
followed that gentle Gerard and told
everybody that the devil was dead"
He isn't, though said Bibbs. as
hoarse little bell in the next room be
gan series of Snappings which
proved to be ten, upon count He
gets into the clock whenever I'm with
you" And, signing deeply, he rose
to go.
You're always very prompt about
leaving me-"
There's one little time in the twenty
four hours when I'm not happy. It's
now, when I have to say good night
But now's the bad time-and [ must
go through it, and so-good night"
And he added with a pungent vehe-
mence Of which he was little aware
81 hate itr'
DO your she said, rising to go to
the door with him. But he stood mo-
tiOnless, gazing at her wonderingly.
MARY! Your eyes are So" He
stopped.
"Yes?" But she looked quickly away.
81 don't know" he said. Il thought
just then
What did you think?'
II don't know-it seemed to me that
there was something I ought to under
Standard didn't"
She laughed and met his wondering
gaze again frankly. My eyes are
pleased" she said. I'm glad that you
miss me little after you CO."
But tomorrow's coming faster than
other days, if you'll let it," he said.
She inclined her head. Eyes. I'll
let it'!'
Going to church," said Bibbs. ''It is
going to church when l go with your
She went to the front door with him;
she always went that far. They had
formed a little code of Ieave-taking,
by habit, neither of them ever speak
ing of it; but it was always the same
She always stood in the doorway until
he reached the sidewalk, and there he
always turned and looked back, and
she waved her hand to him. Then he
went on, halfway to the new house.
and looked back again, and Mary was
not in the doorway, but the door was
open and the light shOne 1t was as
if she meant to tell him that she would
never shut him out; he could always
see that friendly light of the open
dO0rWay-as if it were open for him to
come back, if he would He could see
1t until wing Of the new house came
between, when he went up the path
The open doorway seemed to him the
beautiful symbol of her friendship-of
her thought of him; a symbol of her
self and Of her inefable kindness.
And she kept the door open-eyen
tonight, though the sleet and fine snow
swept in upon her bare throat and
arms, and her brown hair was strewn
with tiny white stars. His heart
leaped as he turned and saw that she
was there, waving her hand to him, as
If he did not know that tie storm
touched her, When he had gone on,
Mary did as she always did-she went
into an unlit room across the hall from
that in which they had spent the eve
ming, and, looking from the window,
watched him until he was out Of sight.
The storm made that difficult tonight,
but she caught a glimpse Of him under
the street lamp that stood between the
two houses, and saw that he turned to
look back again. Then, and not before,
she looked at the upper windows of
ROsc0e'S house across the street. They
were dark. Mary waited, but after a
little while she closed the front door
and returned to her window. A
moment later two of the upper win
dows of Roscoe's house flashed into
light and a hand lowered the shade Of
one of them. Mary felt the cold then
it was the third night she had seen
those windows lighted and that shade
lowered, just after Bibbs had gone.
Bibbs stopped at his last look back
at the open door, and, with a thin
mantle Of white already upon his
shoulders, made his way, gasping in
the wind to the lee of the sheltering
wing Of the new house.
A stricken George, muttering hoarse-
ly, admitted him, and Bibbs became
aware of a paroxysm within the house.
Terrible sounds came from the Il
brary: Sheridan cursing as never be
fore; his wife sobbing, her voice rising
to an agOniZed squeal of protest upon
each Of a series of muf1ed detonations
the outrageous humping Of band
aged nand upon wood; then Quincy
sharply imperious. Keep your hand
in that sling! Keep your hand in
that sling, say!'
Look" George gasped, delighted to
play herald for so important tragedy;
and he renewed upon his face the
CHASTITY expression with which he had
first beheId the ruins his calamitous
gesture laid before the eyes Of Btbbs.
Look at a lamidal statuer'
Gazing down the hall, Bibbs saw
1oI-o