Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-01-24
CHAPTER xI.

The supper at the White Springs ho-
tel had not been the last supper Car
lotta Harrison and Max Wilson had
taken together. CarlOtta had selected
FOR her vacation small town within
easy motoring distance of the city,
and two or three times during her two
weeks OF duty Wilson had gone out to
see her. He liked being with her. She
stimulated him. For once that he could
see Sidney. he saw Carlotta twice.
She had kept the affair well In hand.
She was playing for high stakes. She
knew quite well the kind of man with
whom she was deallng-that he would
pay as B.ue as possible. But she
knew, too, that, let him want a thing
enough he would pay any price for it,
even Marriage.
Sbe was very skillful. The very ar
dor in her face was In her favor. Be
hind her eyes Iurked cold calculation.
She would put the thing through. and
show those pulling nurses, with their
pious eyes and evening prayers, a
thing or two.
During that entire vacation ne never
saw her in anything more elaborate
than the simplest Of white dresses
modestly open at the throat, sleeves
rolled up to show her satiny arms.
There were no other boarders at the
little farmhouse. She sat for hours
In the summer evenings in the square
yard filed with apple trees that Dor
dered the highway, carefully posed
| over a book, but with her keen eyes
always on the road. She read Brown
| Ing, Emerson, Swinburne. Once he
found her with book that she has
tily concealed. He insisted on seeing
1t, and secured 1t. 1t was a book on
brain surgery. Confronted with II. she
blushed and dropped her eyes. His de
| lighted vanity found In 1t the most in.
sidious of compliments. as she had In
tended.
II feel such an idiot when | am with
| you." she said. II wanted to know a
little more about the things you do"
That put their relationship on a new
and advanced basis Thereafter he
occasionally talked surgery instead OF
sentiment. He found her responsive
intelligent. His work. sealed book
10 his women before lay open to her
! Now and then their professional dis
cussions ended In something different
The two lines of their interest con
verged.
Cad" he said one day. 81 look
forward to these evenings. l can talR
shop with you without either shocking
or nauseating you. You are the most
intelligent woman know-and one OF
the prettiest."
The one element Cnrlotta had left
out of her calculations was herself
She had known the man. had taken the
: situation ut its pr, per value But into
her calculating ambition had come q
/ new and destroying element. She who
/ ike X. In his little room on the Street
had put aside love and the thing,
thereof, found that II would not put
her aside. BY the end Of her short va
| cation Carlotta Harrison was wildly IL
love with the younger Wilson.
They continued to meet, not n,
often as before. but once n week. per
| haps. The meetings were full of dan
ger now; and if for the girl they lost
by this quality, they gained attraction
for the man. She was shrewd enough
10 realize her own situation. The thin.
had gone wrong. She cared. and h,
did not. 1t was his game now, MOI
hers.
All women are intuitive: women II
love are dangerously so. As well a,
sic knew that his passion for her wa,
Lot the real thing, so also she realize,
that there was growing up in his hear
something akin to the real thing To-
Sidney Page. Suspicion became Ger
tainty after talk they had over tn,
supper table at country roadhous
the day after Christine's wedding.
How was the wedding-tiresome?
Thrilling! There's always some
thing thrilling TO me in a man tyini
himself up for life TO one woman
lists so reckless
Her eyes narrowed. That's not OK
actly the Law and the Prophets. Is IL?
Its the truth. To think OF select
ing out of all the world one woman
and electing TO spend the rest Of one
days with her! Although"