The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-11-14
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..UNEXPECTED GUEST.
A BY ISABEL FROST. -
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MIS-. Latlmer pr1Qed nerSel1 on the
complete system to which she had re-
duced hospitality. Her weekend par
ties were select little affairs, where you
might be sure of never meeting anyone
outside your own charmed circle.
There was never anything to jar ones
sense Of the fitness Of things. One
week she would have celebrities, the
next week a society crowd, and the
next she would pay back little social
| obligations Of her own with a careful
! selection of persons whom she did not
honor with her personal friendship. 1t
was on this last list that she had
| placed Shane O'Moore's name. After
receiving cards to his private view Of
pictures, she had deemed it graceful
| thing to write him little note, invit-
| ing him, If he had the time to spare
from his arduous artistic labOrs, out
| for q weekend at OakeSmere.
Imagine her utter amazement, then,
when he arrived absolutely without
warning in the midst of house party
composed only of the ultra select. He
bounded up the steps and made for the
| spot where Mrs. Latimer stood spell
bound at his temerity.
81 knew you wouldn't mind my COM
! Ing out today instead of next week."
Shane said in his buoyant, artless way.
'It's so perfectly splendid Of you to
think of me. I love your place out
here"
Bareheaded, he turned to survey the
landscape, and the nearest object his
| glance fell upon was Geraldine Rogers.
Shane stood perfectly rigid, the light
Of appreciation dawning in his blue
| eyes, and Geraldine smiled at him. It
was very seldom she met any man who
looked interesting at Oakesmere. Later
| on that evening Mrs. Latimer found
| time to stop in at Geraldine's room.
"You don't know, my dear, what q
| relief 1t Is to me to have you take that
| impossible boy off my hands. always
have horror Of people that you never
! can tell what they're going to say next.
One has to think so to keep up with
them, and If you only say really or
doubtless you don't know what you've
| committed yourself to. It's sweet of
| you to be bothered with him."
"Oh. but I'm not bothered at ALL"
Geraldine replied promptly. "He's the
only interesting man I've met here. I
| have an Idea he is a man first Of all,
| end like him."
O'MOore was the hit Of that particu-
lar house party. He was prodigal with
| his talent In entertaining.
It was toward the end Of his stay.
Geraldine and he had just finished
| swift bout on the tennis court and
were coming up the hedge-bordered
| walks that led to the terraces. The
hedge was too thick to see anyone on
| the other size, but voices penetrated,
and suddenly they heard Ralph Merkle
| saying in his easy dBawl to Mrs. Lati-
| mer:
| "It's a good thing that Gerry won't
know anything about it until she gets
| back to town. 1t would cut her up
fearfully. Although she'll hardly for
| give US for not telling her."
ooh, I wouldn't breathe a word Of
| it for the world" Mrs. Latimer said,
though, frankly, I've been expecting
| it for long while. They've both had
| too much money ever since their father
died. Jack ran through his the first
year, and I'm perfectly positive she's
i been holding him up ever since to keep
back scandal"
On the other side of the hedge there
] rose suddenly a rollicking Irish tenor
! voice. They could not see Gerry's face
covered by her hands. They only heard
Shane O'Moore's voice.
"'Tis trouble I'd be sharing with
you, If dared" he said softly.
! "Oh, it's nothing" the girls tone was
filled with weary bitterness. 1--WE
been expecting it for long while.
Jack is0my younger brother. l expect
| he's got into some sort of mess, as
usual. must go straight up to town."
"Let me go for you," urged Shane.
"'Tis no place for a woman when
the boy and keep things hushed up.
What's he been doing?'
"Just sinking every dollar we both
owned into wildcat stocks. For all
know, I may be penniless this minute"
"Pray God you are" responded
Shane happily. eff it were only true,
I'd be at your feet this minute telling
you how loved you"
II WONDER" she said, dreamily, II
wonder if"
Shane laughed recklessly, his head
appraised to the blue sky. IF I were
king, ahl love, if I were king" he
laughed. "Will you meet me two days
hence in New York--wherever you
say? I'll promise to have the boy in
hand for you"
Thursday morning Jack Rogers
stood in O'Moore's studio down on the
square. He was clear-headed and So
Der for the first time in week. Shane
turned from the telephone with slip
of paper and some figures.
"If you pay everybody" he said,
you'll have nothing left but honor. me