The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-12-27

lighted wax candles. She looked stead
fastly at her own reflection. A little
smile parted her lips. In the bedroom
of this quaint farmhouse she was look
ing upon face and figure which the
of the modern photographer had COM
bined to make familiar to the world
the figure of a girl. it seemed, notwith-
standing her twenty-seven years. Her
soft, white blouse was open ut the
neck, displaying a beautifully rounded
throat. Her eyes dwelt upon the oval
face, with its strong, yet mobile fea-
lures; its lips little full, perhaps, but
soft and sensitive; at the masses Of
brown hair drawn low over her ears.
This was herself, then. How would
she seem to these two men downstairs,
she asked herself-the dour, grim mas
ter of the house, and her more youthful
rescuer, whose coming had somehow
touched her fancy? They saw SO little
of her sex. They seemed, in a sense, to
be in league against 1t. Would they
find out that they were entertaining
an angel unawares?
kohC luOushl WILL a SIdtAhCu
of her incognito. 1t was a real trial
of her strength, this When she turned
away from the mirror the smile still
fingered upon her lips, a soft light Of
anticipation was shining in her eyes.
John met her at the foot of the
stairs. She noticed with some sur
prise that he was wearing the dinner
jacket and black tie of civilization.
"Will you come this way. please2"
he begged. Supper is quite ready"
he held open the door Of one of the
rooms on the other side Of the hall, and
she passed into low dining room. dim
ly lit with shaded lamps. The elder
brother rose from his chair as they en-
tered, although his salutation was
even grimmer than his first welcome.
He was wearing q dress-coat of old
fashioned cut, and black stock, and
he remained standing, without any
smile or word of greeting. until she
had taken her seat. Behind his chair
stood q very ancient manservant in a
gray pepper-and-salt suit, with white
tie. whose expression, at the entrance
Of this unexpected guest, seemed Gu
riously to reflect the inhospitable in
stincts of his master.
The table was laid with all manner
Of cold dishes, supplemented by others
upon the sideboard. There were pots
Of jam and honey, a silver teapot and
silver spoons and forks of quaint de-
sign, strangely cut glass. and a great
Dresden bowl filed with flowers.
II am afraid" John remarked, "that
you are not used to dining'at this hour.
My brother and are old-fashloned In
our customs. II we had had a little
longer notice"
II never in my life saw anything
that looked so delicious as your cold
chicken" Louise declared. MAY /
have some-and some ham? believe
that you must farm some land your
selves. Everything looks as If 1t were
homemade or homegrown"
1--WE are certainly formers" John ad-
mitted. with a smile, land l don't think
there is much here that isn't Of our
own production. The farm buildings
are at some distance away from the
house. There is quite little colony
ut the back, and the woman who super
intends the dairy lives there. In the
house we are entirely independent Of
your sex. We manage, somehow or
other, with Jennings here and two
boys"
You are not both woman-haters, I
hopew
Her younger host flashed a warning
glance at Louise, but it was too late.
Stephen had laid down his knife and
fork and was leaning in her direction.
Madam" he interviewed. "since you
have asked the question, will confess
that / have never known any good
come to man of our family from the
family history, If ever you should come
to know 1t, would amply justify my
brother and myself for our attitude to-
ward your sex"
"StephenI" John demonstrated, a
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 1t may interest her to
know that she is the first woman who
hns crossed the threshold of Peak Hall
for matter of six years."
Louise looked from one to the other.
half incredulously.
ssDO Won reollv mean ft7 Ia 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 peighbors,
and intercourse with them seems to
have slipped out of our lives. Tell me.
how far have yen come today, and