Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-02-09
CHAPTER v.
Anticlimax,

.# CHAPTER v.
Anticlimax.
The surprise was complete; but it,
the more affected.
Lanyard stared with the eyes of stu
pefaction, his jaw slack. To his fancy
this thing passed the compass Of
simple incredulity-it wasn't merely
improbable, it was preposterous; il
was anticlimax exaggerated to the pro
portion of the grctesque.
II. He had come prepared to surprise
and bullyrag the most astute police
detective of whom he had any knowl.
edge; he found himself surprised and
discountenanced by this!
Confusion no less intense Informed
the girls expression; her eyes were
fixed to his with a look of blank in.
quiry; her face, whose coloring had
won his admiration two hours si1Ge,
was now colorless; her lips were just
ajar; the fingers Of one hand touched
her cheek, indenting it.
The other hard caught up before
her the long skirts of pretty robe
de chambre, beneath whose edge was
visible a hands breadth of simmer
ing white silk. with the toe of a silken
mule to match the dressing gown.
Thus she stood, poised for flight, at
tired only in negligee over what, one
couldn't help suspecting, was her
nightdress--her hair was down, she
I was unquestionably all ready for her
bed. ~
s But Bourke's long and patient train
Il ing had been wasted if this man
1 proved one to remain long at loss.
Rallying his wits quickly, he made q
brave show of accepting this amazing
accident as a commonplace.
Il beg your pardon, Miss Bannon-"
he began with a formal bow.
She interrupted with gasp of won
derizg recognition. "Mr. Lanyard"
He inclined his head a second time:
Sorry to disturb you"
'sBut I don't understand"
Unfortunately" he proceeded
l l
went out and had to come back for il"
"But-but-''
!, "Yes?"
Suddenly her gaze for the first time
broke from his and swept the room
with a glance of wild dismay.
"This ROOM" she breathed-"I don't
know it"
1T is mine.'
Yours! But"
THAT is how I happened to-inter-
rupt you"
The girl shrank back pace-two
paces-uttering in low-toned mono
syllable of understanding, an ooh"
abruptly gasped. simultaneously her
face and throat famed scarlet with the
color that flooded them.
"Your room, Mr.. Lanyard"
Her tone was so convincing in it's
meditation of shame and horror that
his heart misgave him. Not that alone,
but the girl was very good to look
upon.
"I'm sure" he began soothingly, ut
doesn't matter. You mistook one door
for the"
"But you don't understand She
shuddered. This dreadful habit! And
I was hoping had outgrown it! How
can I explain?"
Believe me, Miss Bannon, you need
explain nothing"
"But must. wish to. couldn't
bear to have you think But surely
you can make allowances for sleep
walking!"
To this appeal he could at first re-
turn nothing more intelligent than a
dazed repetition of the term.
So that was how Why hadn't he
thought of it before? Ever since he
had turned on the lights he had been
subjectively busy trying to invest her
presence there with some plausible
excuse. But somnambulism had never
once entered his mind. And in his
stupidity, at pains though he had been
to render his words inoffensiye in
themselves, he had been guilty of con-
structive incivility.
In his turn Lanyard co1ored warmly.
Il beg your PARDON" he muttered.
The girl paid no attention; she was
thinking only Of herself and the
anomalous position into which her in
trinity had tricked her. When she
did speak her words ran swiftly:
You see I was so frightened! I
found myself suddenly standing up in
darkness, just as if had jumped out
of bed in my sleep at some alarm;
and then heard somebody enter the
room and shut the door stealthily. Oh,
please understand mel"
But do, Miss Bannon-quite."
II am so ashamed
"Please don't consider it that way"
But now that you know-you don't
think
MY dear Miss Rannonl"