Middletown transcript., 1916-03-25
CHAPTER VlI-contlnued.

CHAPTER VIl-contlnued.
"That's right" said Aix. as she fol
lowed his lead to IL cab. She got In
and then shook hands with Ilpi escort
He looked at the dollar bill her grasp
left behind
''That wasn't called for. Miss. 1t
from n fall"
"You didn't save me-" said Ailx with
a bewildering smile. FL saved my
self"
She left him scratching his head
over This fresh enigma
Alix WAS tired AMI hungry when
she got back home but excitement kept
her up. She felt than size stood on thu
threshold Of new effort and new life.
After NIL. she thought. il WAS she that
had made her dear old Gerry into a
time-Sprvpr. She could have matle him
into anything else if she had tried
She lnnged to tell him so. Perhaps he
would catch her and crush her In ls
al hlN stT ANU AltlNl NtIuC. sNll6 +duSlF1N
at herself for wanting him to. She
rang for the butler. where's yOuI
master. .IOhn?"
II don't know. ma'am. Mr.. Gerry
hasn't come back since he went out
this morning." To John. MIR. Lansing
was a person who had been dead for
some time. His present OverlOrdS were
Mr.. and Mrs. Gerry and Mrs. Lansing
when she was in town.
"Telephonp to the club and If he Is
there tell him want to see him.
said Alix and turned to her welcome
tea. The sandwiches seemed UNUSUAL
ly small to her ravenOuS appetite
Gerry was not at the club. AliX
dressed reSplendpmtly for dinner.
Never had she dressed for any other
man with the care that she dressed
for Gerry that night. But Gerry did
not come. At half-past nine AIix or
dered the table cleared. "I'll not line
tonight" she said to John. When
your master comes. show him In here"
She sat on in the library listening
for Gerry's step in the hall.
From time to time John came into
the room to repleniSh the fire. On one
Of these occasions Alix told him he
might 90 to bed but an hour later he
returned and stood in the door. AIix
looked very small. curled up in great
leathern chair by the fire.
ITS after one O'clock ma'am" said
John. MIR. Gerry won't be coming
in tonight" Altx made no answer
John held his ground. Its time for
you to 90 to bed. ma'am. Shall
call the maid?"
1t was a long time since John had
taken any apparent interest In his mis-
tress AliX had avoided him. She
had felt titrHt titr ottiI servant HIT disapI-
proved OF her. More than once she
had thought of discharging him buI
he had never given her grounds that
would justify her before Gerry. Now
he was ordering her to bed and in
stead OF being angry she WAS SOOthed
She wondered how she could ever have
thought OF dischargng him He scanned
strong and reStful more like part of
the old house than a servant. AIiX
got up. NO. don't call the maid. /
won't need her" she said. Then she
added, Goodnight. John" as she
passed out.
John held wide the door and bowed
with Difference that was touch more
sincere than usual. He answered
Goodnight" as if lie meant it.
Alix was exhausted but it was long
before she fell asleep. She cried soft
~. She wanted to he comfOrted She
had dressed so heautifully-SlIe had
been so beautiful-aud Gerry had not
come home As she cried. her dlSap
pOintment grew into Il great trouble.
She awOke early from fevprish
sleep. Immediately Il sense of weight |
RsSailed her She rang AMI learned |
that Gerry had not yet come home
Then his words of Yesterday suddenly |
came to her. IF dropped out of the |
world today" Alix stared wide. |
eyed at the ceiling Why had she re-
memhered those words: She lay for
long time thinking. Her breakfast |
was brought to her but she lid nuI
touch It, 1t was almost uoou in the
cloudy Sunday morning when SHE
reused herself from apathy. Size
sprang from the bed. She summoned
Judge HPaley with note and Mrs. |
with telegram. Tile teIp
gram was carefully wnr,led. PLEASE
come and stay for a while. Gerry is
away"
The judge found Aiix radiatlng the
freshness Of beautiful WOMAN care
fui of her person. hut il was the fresh
ness Of pale flower. AllX was gray"
and her gravity had sweetness that
made the jndye'S heart hound Ilr
'elt an awakening in her that he had
ong watched for. She told him all
he story of the day before in steady
that omitted nothing Hnd
gave the facts only their own weight.
When she finished the judge patied
Ter hand 'Y0u would make a Splen
lid witness. my dear" lie said. NOW
what you want is for me to find Gerry
Ind bring him back. isn't it: Are you
'ure Gerry knew nothing Of yUur-er
10 the statiOuY'