Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-12-07

nor did she see at the corners of her
guests lips the lurking evidence that
he understood the situation.
When they reached the Fairchild
house she found a caller on the porch.
The minister was there, an yderly and
I benevolent man who had fulfilled his
duty to humanity by giving six daugh-
tiers In marriage at tender ages. To
him E~lizabeth's state of single blessed
ness had long been a source of perplex-
ity. Therefore when he saw her ap-
proach with a stranger, evidently a
gentleman of proper age and dignity.
his face shone with that peculiarly in
dulgent, reminiscent expression with
which age greets lovers.
Elizabeth recognized the look and
swept up the steps and into the hall
without pausing. With more haste than
ease she dispatched Callahan to his
room on the second. floor, then turned
and faced the minister. who had arisen
and followed her. his little clerical joke
all ready.
"Good evening, Miss Elizabeth" he
said In a loud stage whisper intended
to penetrate to the upper chamber. II
see by the signs that the preachers
services will be required later. Ha,
har With that he ambled down the
steps.
Even Mrs. Fairch;ld, rocking on the
| porch, was vexed. "Land!'' she ex-
claimed Indignantly. 1T hope that Bos
ton man won't think you're being
thrown at his head"
Elizabeth made no reply as she de.
parted to light up her studio, but her
lips were pressed together, a red spot
dyeing each cheek, and when Gala.
man entered the room a few moments
later he was confronted by a formula
BILE array of designs and by a woman
bent ON discussing business and bust
ness only.
Stubbornly, but unsuccessfully, he re-
belled. In vain he directed the CONVEX
sation longingly to the moon lighted
porch-would he like the prevailing
tints of the autumn leaves on the tea
set red or yellow? His mind and
speech wandered to a country drive in
the evening light, but his scarlet lip
ped hostess, moving amid her work
tall and straight, charming and mex
orable, firmly interrupted-did he care
for a continuous or broken design
around the platter?
The task was not an easy one that
Elizabeth had set for herself, and it
was a weary head that she laid on her
pillow that night. 81 hope it rains to-
morrow was her last thought. 80
that / may keep him in the studio and
out of the reach of remarks" But for
tune seemed at~odds with her, for the
morning dawned faultlessly clear.
After breakfast, when she would
have led the way to the studio, Gala
man ignored her lead and with, "What
a glorious out of doors this place pos
sesses," stepped out On the side porch.
With a contraction of the heart Eliza
beth followed and sat down facing the
battery of Mrs. Bisselrs green blinds.
the Stats of which We're Immediately
moved gently to permit of reconnois-
sance of Mrs. Bisselrs eyes.
With gentle irmness Elizabeth be-
gan again ON the subject Of painted
china. Mrs. Bissen shall be enlight-
ened as to my visitors mission" she
told herself and slightly raised her
clear voice that it might penetrate the
green blinds.
Callaman's eyes smothered a laugh.
and his lips twitched in a way which
threatened an open rebellion against
china, but Elizabeth did not notice.
She was talking against time as re-
corded by the sitting room clock, a
view of which her position command
ed. And could wishes hasten time, the
hands on that clock would have raced
forward to train time-11 o'clock.
At $50 she heard Mrs. Bissell leave
her house by way of the front door.
1.-The worst is now over" she assured
herself and drew a long breath of re-
lief-premature relief she discovered
the next moment when distant puffings
and blowings announced that Mrs.
Cavendish was labOring up the back
steps for her morning call in the
kitchen, and Elizabeth became appre-
hensive of conversational developments
in that direction.
Her ap~prehensions were almost i'm
mediately justified as Mrs. Cavendish's
asthmatic utterances were waited
through the vine draped kitchen win
dow. "Dew tell A man!' Then to
Mrs. Faircbild in demonstrating ac-
cents: Ann, you can't fool me on no
chiny paintin'. He's here after Lizzie!'
Elizabeth felt the laughter in Gala
mans eyes-her own were downcast
and smarting-but she talked on brave
ly, unmindful of the fact that she had
asked three times concerning the deco
rations of a chocolate pot her guest
had purchased as a wedding gift. But
when a few moments later she arose,
announcing it was time to start for the
station, and he, surreptitiously exam
ming his watch, found it lacked an
hour of train time, his lips frightened
and his eyes sobered.
AS they emerged from the house the