The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-03-07

| y
| thetic maid was ironing various soft
white garments, and singing as she
| worked.
Sidney sat in rocking chair in a
| hot bedroom. She was carefully
| sWathed in a sheet from neck to toes,
except for her arms, and she was being
as philosophic as possible.
Someone tapped lightly at the door.
Its lie Moyne. Are you all right ~
| Perfectly. How stupid it must be
for your
| I'm doing very well. The maid will
soon be ready. What shall l order for
superb
Anything. I'm starving
| Il think your shoes have shrunk."
"Flatterer!" She laughed. "Go away
and order supper. And I can see fresh
| lettuce. Shall we have a salad?"
K. LIE MOyne stood for a moment in
front of the closed door, for the mere
sound of her moving, beyond it. Things
had gone very far with the Pages
roomer that day in the country; not
so far as they were to go, but far
enough to let him see on the brink of
what misery he stood.
He could not go away. He had prom
ised her to stay: he was needed. He
| thought he could have endured seeing
her marry Joe, had she cared for the
| boy. That way, at least, lay safety for
her. The boy had fidelity and devotion
| written large over him. But this new
complication-her romantic interest in
Wilson, the surgeons reciprocal inter
est in her, with what he knew of the
| man-lnade him quail.
| From the top of the narrow stair
| case to the foot, and he had lived q
years torment! AT the foot, however
he was startled out Of his reverie. Joe
Drummond stood there waiting fol-
him, his blue eyes recklessly alight.
'You-you dog!" said Joe.
There were people in the hotel par
lor. LIE Moyne took the frenzied boy
by the elbow and led him past the
door to the empty porch.
Now" he said, 'if you will keep
your voice down, I'll listen to what
| you nave TO say.
| you know what I've got to say"
This failing to draw from X. LIE
Moyne anything but his steady glance
Joe jerked his arm free and clenched
his fist.
What did you bring her out here
for?"
II do not know that I owe you any
explanation, but ] am willing to give
you one. brought her out here for 8
trolley ride and picnic luncheon"
He was sorry for the boy. Life not
having been all beer and skittles to
him, he knew that Joe was suffering
! and was marvelousiy patient with him
where is she now?'
| "She had the misfortune to fall in
the river. She Is upstairs" And, see.
| ing the light Of unbelief in Joe's eyes
IF you care to make q tour of investi
cation, you will find that I am entire.
ly truthful. In the laundry maid
"She is engaged to me"-doggedly
Everybody in the neighborhood knows
j., and yet you bring her out here for q
| picnic! lists damned rotten treat
| ment."
His fist had unclenched. Before K
LIE Moyne's eyes his own fell. He fell
suddenly young and futile: his just
rage turned to clustering in his ears.
II don't know where you came
FROM he said, .'but around here de
cent men cut out when q girls en-
gagged"
81 seer
whats more, what do we know
about you? You may be all right, bu,
how do I know it? You get her into
trouble and I'll kill your
1t took courage, that speech, with K
LIE Moyne towering five inches above
him AND growing little white about
the lips.
"Are you going to say all these things
to Sidney?"
Il am. And 1 am going to find on,
why you were upstairs just now"
Perhaps never in his TWENTY-FIVE
years had young Drummond been sc
near a thrashing. Fury that he was
ashamed Of shook LIE Moyne. Fo,
/ very fear Of himself. he thrust his
hands in the pockets of his Norfolk
coat
VERY WELL" he said. "You 60 20 he,
| with just one of these ugly insinua-
| tons. and I'll take mighty good care
that you are sorry for it. If you are
going TO behave ike bad child. Won
| deserve licking, and I'll give it to
YOU"
An overflow from the parlor poured
out on the porch. LIE Moyne had got
himself in hand somewhat. He was
| still angry, but the look in Joa's eve
startled him. He put a hand on the
boys shoulder.
You're wrong. old man." he said
| You're Insulting the girl you care for
| by the things you are thinking. And
! If it's any comfort to you, I have nc
! intention of interfering in any way
You can count me out. It's between
| you and her"
Joe picked his straw hat from g
! chair and stood turning IL in his hands
Even if you don't care for her, how
do know she isn't crazy about your