Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-12-28

sweet, DIS young, perhaps, as nefSell.
She wondered who it was. She put the
miniature back in place with caressing
hand. She felt that she would like to
KNOW tins woman with the tender eyes.
She wished her here now, that she
might tell her all her anxiety.
Her eye wandered to the pile of let
ters, some of them official looking
envelopes with high, angular writ
ing. They We're all addressed
to Mr.. Cyril Gordon. Tina was
strange! Who was Mr.. cyril Gordon?
What had they-what had she-to do
with him" Was he a friend whom
George-Whom they-were visiting for
a few days" 1t was all bewildering.
Then the telephone rang.
Her heart beat wildly n she ooked
toward 1T as if il had been a human
voice speaking and she had no power
to answer. What should she do now?
Should h answer? Or should she wait
for the man TO come? Could the man
hear the telephone bell or was she per-
haps expected to answer? And yet if
Mr.. Cyril Gordon-well, somebody
ought TO nswer. The phone rang in
slStent!N once more. and still a third
time. What if ho should be calling her!
Perhaps he was in distress. This
She took down the receiver and called:
Hello" and her voice sounded far
away to herself.
rs this Mr.. Gordon's apartment"
Yes" she answered. for her eyes
were resting on the pile of letters close
at hand.
Is Mr.. Gordon there"
No, he is not she answered, grow
ing more confident now and almost
wishing she had moi presumed to an
swer a strangers phone.
Why. l just 'phoned to the office and
they told me he had returned" said a
voice that had an imperious note in it.
Are O sure he isn't there?"
quite sure,' she replied.
Who is this, please?"
Il beg your pardon" said Celia try
ing to make time and knowing not how
TO reply. She was not any longer Miss
Hathaway. Who was she? Mrs. Hayne?
She shrank from the name. 1t was
filled with horror for her. 'Who is this,
| said" snapped the other voice now.
is this the chambermaid? Because il
1t is I'd like you to look aroun and
inquire and be quite sure that Mr.. Cor
don isn't there. 1 wish to speak with
him about something very important"
Celia smiled.
No, this is not the chambermaid,"
she said, sweetly, and l am quite sure
Mr.. Gordon is not here"
How long before he will be there?"
Il don't know really, for | have but
just come myself"
Who is this to whom / am talking?"
"Why-just a friend" she answered,
wondering if that were the best thing
to say.
"Oh!" there was a long contemplative
pause at the other end.
Well, could O give Mr.. Gordon a
message when he comes -"
Why certainly, I think SO. Who is
this?"
Miss Bentley. Julia Bentley. He'll
knoW,' replied the imperious one eager
~ now. "And tell him please that he
is expected here to dinner tonight. We
need him to complete the number. and
he simply mustn't fail me. Ill excuse
him for going off in such a rush il he
comes early n tells me all about it..
NOW you won't forget, will you? You
got the name. Bentley, did YOU?
b. p, N, t, L., e, Y, you know. And
you'll tell him the minute he comes
in?"
Yes"
"Thank you! What did you say your
name was?
But Celia had hung up. Somehow
the message annoyed her. she could
not tell why. She wished she had not
answered the phone. Whoever Mr..
Cyril Gordon was what should she do
II he should suddenly appear? And as
for the imperious lady and her mes
sage she hoped she would never have
TO deliver it. On second thought why
not write it and leave it on his desk
with the pile of letters? She would
do 1t. 1t would serve to pass away a
few of these dreadful minutes that
Jagged SC distressfully.
She sat down and wrote: Miss Ben
ley wishes Mr.. Gordon to dine with her
this evening. She will pardon his run
ming away the other day if he will come
early She laid it beside the high
angular writing on the III per.
TUNED letters and went back to this
leather chair, too restless to rest yet
too weary to stand up.
She went presently to the back win
doWs to look out, and then to the Side
ones. Across the housetops she could
latch a glimpse of domes and buildings
There was the Congressional library
which usually delighted her with its
exquisite tones of gold and brown and
white. But she had no eyes for it now
Beyond were more buildings, all set IL
the lovely foliage which was much far.
ther developed than it had beer in New
York state. From another window sh.
could get a glimpse of the Potomac
shining in the morning sun.
She wandered to the front window:
n looked out. There were people
passing and repassing. 1t was a busy
street. but she could not make GU;
whether it was one she knew or not
IlleTe were TWO men walking back anC
forth on the opposite side. They dit
not &C further han the corner Of tn,
street either way. They looked
across at the windows sometimes.
and pointed up, when they met
and once one Of them took some,
thing out of his pocked and flashed
it under his coat at his side, as l.
to have it ready for use. 1t reminded
her OF the thing her husband had he'll.
in his hand in the bedroom and sh.
~shuddered. She watched them. fasci
mated, not able to draw herself AVA
from the window.
Now and then she would go to tn,
rear window, to see if there was am
I sign of the automobile returning, an,
then hurry back to the front, to Sc,
If the men We're still there. Once sh.
returned to the chair, and, lying back
shut her eyes. and let the memor.
OF yesterday sweep over her in all it;
sweet details, up to the time when the.
had got into the way train and sh,
had seemed to feel her ~disloyalty t,
her father. But now her heart was al
on the other side. and she began t.
feel that there had been some dread.
full mistake, somewhere, and he was
surely all right. He could not, could
| NOT have urjfter fhrra <orc;h1o laxk...