The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-10-18
CHAPTER XVI.

Breakfast was brought to him IN hi
room as usual; but he did not max,
his normal healthy raid upon tn,
! dainty tray: the food remained un
touched, and he sustained himself
upon coffee-four cups OF II, which
left nothing Of value inside the glis
tening little percolator. During thi,
process he heard his mother being
summoned to the telephone In the hall
not far from his door. and then hel
voice responding: Eyes? oh. it's you
Indeed I shouldi OF
course Then I'll expect you
about three. Yes.
Goodby till then" A few minutes
later he heard her speaking to some
one beneath his window. and, looking
out, saw her directing the removal OF
plants from small garden bed TO
the Majors conservatory for the win
ter. She laughed gayly with the Ma
tors gardener over something he said,
and this unconoerned cheerfulness of
her was terrible to her son.
He went to his desk. and, searching
the jumbled contents OF a drawer,
brought forth large, unframed pho
tograph OF his father. upon which he
gazed long and plteously, till at last
hot tears stood In his eyes. "Poor.
poor father" the son whispered bro
kenly. poor man. I'm glad you didn't
know
He wrapped the picture in a sheet
or newspaper, put IL under his arm,
and, leaving the house hurriedly and
steadily, went downtown to the shop
OF silversmlth. where he spent sixty
dollars on resplendently festooned
silver frame for the picture. Having
lunched upon more coffee he returned
TO the house at two o'clock, carrying
the framed photograph with him, and
placed II upon the center table In the
library, the room most used by Isabel
and Fanny and himself. Then he went
TO front window OF the long "recep-
ton ROOM and sat looking out
through the lace curtains.
NNi 81 AoohSu olttH dl MS WhtCn,
but his vigil did not last an hour. AT
ten minutes OF three, peerIng through
the curtain, he saw an automobile stop
In front OF the house and Eugene Nor
gan jump lightly down from II. The
car was OF a new pattern, low and
long, with an ample seat In the ton.
neau, facing forward and a profes.
sional driver sat ut the wheel.
strange figure In leather goggIed out
OF all personality and seemingly part
OF the mechanism.
Eugene himself. as he came up the
cement path TO the house, was a fig
ure OF the new err which was I'm time
TO be so disastrous TO stIff hats and
skirted coats; and his appearance ar
forded debonair contrast 10 that OF
the queer-looking duck caperlng at the
ANDERSON ball In an old dress coat.
and next day chuggIng up National
avenue through the snow IN his night
mare Of a sewing machine. Eugene
this afternoon was richly clad In new
outdoor mode: his motoring coat was
soft gray fur; his cap and gloves were
OF gray suede. and though Lucy's hand
may have shown Itself IN the selection
OF these high garnitures. ne wore them
easily, even with becoming hint OF
jauntiness. Some change might be
seen In his face, too. for a successful
man Is seldom to be mistaken, espe-
cially II his temper be genial. Eugene
had begun TO look like a millionaire.
But, above everything else, what was
most evident about him, as be came
MP the path. was his confidence in the |
happiness promised by his present
Grand; the anticipation in his eyes |
could have been read by stranger. |
His look at the door Of Isabel's house
was the look OF n man who is quite |
certain that the next moment will re- |
veal something lncffably charming, In
pxpressIbly dear.
When the bell rang George
wnited az the entrance of the "recep-
Ion room" until housemald came /
through the hall on her way to answer
he summons.
You needn't mind. Mary" he told
her. TN see who Il Is and what they
want Probably it's only n peddler."
Thank you, sir. Mister George"
aid Mary, and returnedto the rear OF
he house. !