Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-09-25

Stephen" John demonstrated,
slight frown upon his face. "Need you
weary our guest with your peculiar
views? 1t is scarcely polite, to say the
least of it."
The older man sat, for a moment,
grim and silent.
Perhaps you are right, brother" he
admitted. This lady did not seek our
company, but it may interest her to
know that she is the first woman who
has crossed the threshold of Peak Hall
for matter Of six years."
Louise looked from one to the other,
half incredulously.
do you really mean It? Is that lit
orally true?" she asked John.
Absolutely" the young man as
sured her; "but please remember that
you are none the less heartily welcome
here. We have few women neighbors,
and intercourse with them seems to
have slipped out of our lives. Tell me,
how far have you come today, and
where did you hope to sleep tonight"
Louise hesitated for moment. For
some reason or other, the question
seemed TO bring with it some disturb
ing thought.
Il was motoring from Edinburgh.
AS regards tonight, had not made up
my mind. l rather hoped to reach
Kendall. My journey is not at all an in
teresting matter to talk about" she
went on. "Tell me about your life
here. 1t sounds most delightfully."- pas
toral. Do you live here all the year
rOundT
my brother" John told her, "has
not been farther away than the near
est market town for nearly twenty
years"
Her eyes grew round with astonish-
ment.
But you go to London sometimes"
81 was there eight years ago. Since
then have not been further away than
Carlisle or Kendall. I go into camp
near Kendall for three weeks every
territorial training, you know"
"But how do you pass your time?
What do you do with yourseIf?" she
asked.
Farm" he answered. Farming is
our daily occupation. Then for amuse-
ment we hunt, shoot and fish. The sea-
sons pass before we know it."
She looked appraisingly at John
Strangewey. Notwithstanding his sun
tanned cheeks and the splendid vigor
of his form, there was nothing in the
least agricultural about his manner or
his appearance. There was humor as
we'll as intelligence in his clear, gray
eyes. She opined that the books which
| lined one side of the room were at
once his property and his hobby.
1T is very healthy life, no doubt"
she said; "but somehow it seems in
comprehensive to think of man like
yourself living always in such an out
of-the-way corner"
Johns lips were open to reply, but
| Stephen once more interviewed.
life means different thing to each
of us, madam" he said sternly. "There
are many born with the lust for cities
and the crowded places in their hearts.
born with the desire to mingle with
their fellows, to absorb the convention
al vices and virtues, to become one of
the multitude. 1t has been different
with US Strangeweys."
Jennings, at sign from his master,
removed the tea equfpage, evidently
produced in honor of their visitor.
Three tall-stemmed glasses We're
placed upon the table, and a decanter
of port reverently produced.
Louise had fallen for a moment or
two into a fit of abstraction. Her eyes
were fixed upon the opposite wall,
from which, out of their faded frames,
row Of grim-looking men and women,
startlingly like her two hosts, seemed
to frown down upon her.
"Is that your father?" she asked,
moving her head toward one of the
portraits.
"My grandfather, John Strangewey,"
| Stephen told her.
| "Was he one of the wanderers?"
HE left Cumberland only twice
during his life. He was master of
hounds, magistrate, colonel in the yeo-
many of that period, and three times
refused to stand for parliament
"John Strangewey" Louise repeat
ed softly to herself. 81 was looking at
| your family tree upstairs" she went
on. sit is curious how both my maid
and myself were struck with a sense
Of familiarity about the name, as if
we had heard or read something about
it quite lately"
Her words were almost carelesSly
spoken, but she was conscious of the
somewhat ominous silence which en-
sued. She glanced up wonderingly
and intercepted a rapid look passing
between the two men. More puzzled
than ever, she turned toward John as
if for an explanation. He had risen
somewhat abruptly to his feet, and his
hand was upon the back of her chair.
"Will it be disagreeable to you if my
brother smokes piper" he asked. 81
tried to have our little drawing room
prepared for you, but the fire has not
been lit for so long that the room, am
afraid, is quite impossible"
do let me stay here with you" she
begged, ''and hope that both of you
will smoke. am cutie used to it."
John wheeled up an easy chair for
her. Stephen, stiff and upright, sat on
the other side Of the hearth. He took
the tobacco jar and pipe that his broth
er had brought him, and slowly filed
| the bowl.
with your permission, then. ma
dam" he said, as he struck a match.
Louise smiled graciously. Some in
stinct prompted her to stifle her own
craving for a cigarette and keep her
little gold case hidden in her pocket.
All the time her eyes were wandering
round the room. Suddenly she rose
and, moving round the table, stood
once more facing the row of gloomy
looking portraits.
ThoS Sc xnr-- -,