The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-19
His
Double House
by Virginia Blair
tOopyright, isii. by Asso.'s,..

she said. daringly. ' ieu'
stephen smiled at her How u.n,
nmes have you said that To me Mr.
I shall say IT until Won v,vo :,
an answer" give m'
tnat Is over for me-" bitterly
MIS- brinkley turned and facet
Dean?" eo''en mar,
i. Nobody had spoken to stepban .,
NAY Dean since, ten years ago. she
had Tilted him. o' 'H'
HIS head went up. but he sm,,ad
saoiy' as Mrs. Brinkley laid he,
Wrinkled hand over his big brown
said softly. pp'' 'He
oh' l am happy, and I'm getting
TO be very good housekeenar
he carried the situation off so
hently that she had nothing else to
say out when she reached the door
sne turned and asked sharply. 'If
mary should come back. what then ="
stephen stared at her. He had
never thought of that. He had
planned his future with reference
only to his bachelor needs.
He walked to the gate with Mrs
Brinkley, and when he came back the
loneliness Of his big double house
struck him with a chill. Stephens
mother had been with him until her
death, and she and her son had lived
III the newer part. The older wing.
furnished quantity in the style OF
early Victorian days, was open only
once a year when Mrs. Brinklev
supervised the cleaning and airing.
1t was Mrs. Brinkley's neighborli.
ness which had made 1t possible for
stephen to live alone. He loved her
not only for herself, but because she
had always been friend of Mary
Dean.
Yet she had never dared speak to
him as she had spoken today. He
went about his tasks furiously, try.
ing to put out Of his head the thought
of his humiliation and consequent suf-
fering
Outside, It was a night of wind
and Of storm. Within, a fire burned
on the hearth, and a cat purred In
the warmth and glow. Stephen made
a cup of coffee for himself and gave
the cat some meat and dish OF milk.
In younger manhood Stephen had not
cared for cats, but now there was
something Of comfort in the presence
OF this gentle, white creature.
He sat long over the fire that night
dreaming. The door was shut be-
tween his portion of the house and
the empty rooms. Suddenly he sat
up startled. 1t seemed to him that
somewhere, family, he heard the
rustic Of woman's dress.
He rubbed his hands across his
eyes. He must have fallen asleep,
and the swish of the rain on the win
dows had caused the illusion.
He rose, lighted lamp and went
to bed. He left the cat on a cushion
on the hearth. He thought he heard
the click Of latch. 1T is the wind"
he said to himself, and fell asleep.
In the morning when he went
down the cat was still on the cushion
on the hearth rug. but there was
something else on the rug-a little
fine square q white linen.
Stephen picked up the handker-
chief and stared at it; then he looked
at the cat. If only she could speak
what would she tell?
It was while he was still standing
there that Mrs. Brinkley came run
ming over. Were you in the other
part of your house last night?" she
breathlessly.
mo" Instinctively Stephen hid
the little handkerchief in his big
hands.
There was a faint fickeYing
light" Mrs. Brinkley said. ''in one of
the upper rooms"
"You must have been dreaming"
81 couldn't have been" Mrs. Brink
ley insisted, "for / called Mr.. Brinkley
up to look at IT,"
Dear Mrs. Brinkley," Stephen
asked, who would come into that |
Inheated place on such a night?"
WELL" Mrs. Brinkley said. de-
;idedly, IF / believed in ghost
Ihould say that 1t was a ghost, and, |
anyhow. It gave me an awful fright"
Stephen switched her from the sub
ect by inquiring tactfulIy about a
certain chocolate cake which she had
promised to bake for him. and pres
.ntly she few homeward to beat up
md bake.
When she had gone Stephen stood
still in the middle Of the floor
We've got to look into this, pussy |
tat" he said, to the little cat.
He went to a drawer and took out
l big key and inserted it softly in
he lock OF the dividing door. A
blast of chill, damp air struck him.
He shivered and went on. 1t was a
zhostly place, with the gray winter
light sitting through closed blinds /
In the parlor there was no sign of
any living presence. so Stephen as
cended the carpeted stairway and
came to the landing without having
made a sound. And it was there he
stoned, listening. Somewhere on
that upper floor someone was cough
ing, He made his way to the end
roof. As he approached the open
door he saw a little figure swathed
IN blankets sitting in big chair by
the window. -
He spoke softly: Mary"
She gave a little cry and stood up.
The heavy covering fell at her feet
and showed hire in street suit ana