Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-12-28
Without
Premeditation
q
By Susan Claggett
By Susan Clasgett

Are the islands forts?"
John English answered the ques-
ton absently, without turning his head.
"They are masked batteries, I be-
lieve."
Gall of them?"
Something in the tone Of voice
caught his attention. He looked at
the woman standing beside the rail,
past her to the bay and the many is
lands dotting its surface.
"Boston is well protected" he re-
marked casually.
"Of course" Rachel Baruch moved
so as to face him. 81 am good
American" she said dryly.
"Yes?"
"Your tone implies reservation and
an implication"
For an instant annoyance dominat-
ed John English. Then he laughed.
''The times call for reserve. AS for
implication, l never imply thing"
"Then why?" she waved her hand
outwardly.
Ignorance. l have never before
been in Boston harbor."
She looked at him doubtfully.
my explanation is not satisfac-
tory?'
"Your pardon. There is something
familiar, yet l am sure l have never
seen you before. A chance likeness,
a similarity in tone"
II am fortunate If l resemble one
who is friend; 1t argues favorably
for me-" he answered idly.
"a friend! No. I disliked the man.
In fact, 1 am running away from him."
His eyes twinkled. "The obvious
reason|
She did not reply. The swell, that
makes the trip to Yarmouth something
to be dreaded, was rolling the steamer
in most unpleasant way and had
cleared the deck Of all but themselves.
isn't 1t very rough?" she asked, glanc-
ing about helplessly.
II have been told this trip is worse
than an ocean voyage" Then he
glimpsed her face and was all con-
Germ.
at is nothing" Rachel said hastily !;
20 little dizziness that will pass, but
I think will go in"
"The air. is best for you, and you
will miss the sunset" But she shook
her head and left him.
They did not meet again until a
week later. Lettering upon the piazza
Of the Queens hotel, Halifax, he saw
her pass. His first thought was to
join her. His second, to wonder why
he should desire to do so. Such an in
clination belonged to youth, not to a
man who had long left sentiment be-
hind and found his most cOngenial
companionship among his own kind.
His means permitted him to live as
he pleased in the house built by some
forgotten ancestor This he had chang
ed little. The principal alteration had
been in the attic, which he had trans
formed into a billiard room. the pleas
ATTEST place in the house, and this
room visualized itself with some amaz-
ing-additions to the furniture as he
figure. A baby grand stood beside one
window Now, he could not tell the
difference between Dixie and the sex
tet from Lucia, and he realized the in
congruity of q piano In his den, but
the oddly of It's appearance disappear
ed in a greater establishment as he no
ticed upon the hearth two pairs of
slippers. This in itself was not un'
usual, but when he glimpsed one of the
pair he wondered what had happened
comfortable number mines was a WON
ans shoe, dainty and small.
A blast from q steamer at the pier
reused him, and he looked at his watch
as porter approached with his griT
and rug, and with an unconscious sigh
he came back to the business Of the
moment.
That q man should have dreams Is
not surprising. The surprising thing
was that this condition of mind was
brought about, not by young woman
but by one quite thirty-ive or more
years of age. She could not even lay
claim to beauty, but in Rachel's face
was force and sweetness; a note in hel
voice that appealed to him. Analysing
his condition of mind later on, HI
reached the conclusion he was In {
state bordering upon the idiocy of ex
IRENE youth; for the first time in hi
life he could not constrain his feelings
to respond to his will.
He wondered why he had been 81
short-sighted not to join her, to accep
! the chance offered by the gods, and a
he dashed himself mentally over hi
failure to do so, something in the at
titude of woman upon whom his eye
lad rested unseeingly for some tim
J brought sudden realization that, a1
ler all, fate was kind.
He made no move to join her. II
vas content to wait, hoping she woul
: ecognlze him when she turned. II
, vas disappointed. Once her eyes swep
. Dver him casually, as casually as the
Iassed over others standing near.
| Sill no honpd for rppopni ion U1ily