Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-09-20
CHAPTER v.

Once more that long, winding stretch
Of mountain road lay empty under the
moonlight. Up the long slope. where
three months before he had ridden TO
and himself confronted with the ad
venture of his life. John Strangewey
logged homeward in his high dogcart.
The mare, seeming her stable, broke
into a quick trot as they topped the
long rise. Suddenly she felt Il hand
tighten upon her reins. She looked
lnquiringly around. and then stood pa
tiently awaiting her masters bidding.
1t seemed to John as If he had passed
from the partial abstraction of the last
few hours into absolute and entire for
getfulness of the present. He could
see the motorcar drawn up by the side
Of the road, could hear the fretful
voice Of the maid and the soft. pleas
ant words of greeting from the woman
who had seemed from the first as If
she were very far removed indeed
from any of the small annoyances OF
their accident.
Il have broken down. Can you help?"
He set his teeth. The poignancy of
the recollection was torture TO him
Word by word he lived again through
ludl UTlt1 interview. lie saw leT Qt-
scend from the car, felt the touch of
her hand on his arm. saw the flash
of her brown eyes as she drew close to
him with that pleasant little air Of ia
miliarity, shared by no other woman
he had ever known.
Then the little scene faded away. and
he remembered the tedious present.
He had spent two dull days at the
house of a neighboring land owner,
playing cricket in the daytime, dancing
at night with women In whom he was
unable TO feel the slightest interest
always with that faraway feeling IN
his heart, struggling hour by hour with
that curious restlessness which seemed
to have taken a permanent place in
his disposition. He was on his way
home to Peak Hall. He knew exactly
the welcome which was awaiting him.
he knew exactly the news he would
receive. He raised his whip and
cracked 1t viciously in the air.
Stephen was waiting for him, as he
had expected, in the dining room. The
elder Strangewey was seated in his ac-
custOmed chair, smoking his pipe and
reading the paper. The table was laid
for a meal, which Jennings was pre-
pairing to serve.
Back again, John?' his brother re-
marked, looking at him ixedly over
his newspaper.
John picked up one or two letters,
glanced them over, and flung them
down upon the table. He had exam
lned every envelope for the last few
months with the same expectancy, and
thrown each one down with the same
throb of disappointment.
"As you see."
Had a good timer"
"Not very. Have they finished the
barley fields, Stephen?"
"All in at eight O'Clock"
There was a brief silence Then
Stephen knocked the ashes from his
pipe and rose TO his feet.
John" he asked, "why did you pull
up on the road there?"
There was no immediate answer
The slightest of frowns formed itself
upon the younger mans face
How did you know that l pulled
npT
Il was sitting with the window open
listening for you. I came outside to
see what had happened, and saw your
lights standing STILL"
II had fancy to stop for a mo-
nent," John said nothing more"
You aren't letting your thoughts
1well upon that woman?"
II have thought about her some
times" John answered, almost defiant
~. whats the harm? I'm still here
am 1 notT
Stephen crossed the room. From the
drawer Of the old mahogany sideboard
he produced an Illustrated paper. He
turned back the frontispiece fiercely
and held 1t up.
do you see that, Johnf"
"Ive seen 1t already"
Stephen threw the paper upon the
table.
"She's going TO act In another OF
those COMPOUNDED French plays" he
said "translations with all the wit
taken out and all the vulgarity left
IT,"
1--WE knew nothing Of her art" John
DECLARED coldly. 1--WE shouldn't under
stand 1t. even If we saw her act. There