Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-11
The Lady of the Night Wind

with her, and without a glance in his
direction, although he did rise from
the swinging piazza chair, as if to ap-
proach her.
The Archers we're next to leave then
the Clanceys; and as they passed into
the house Belkhap lighted fresh Gig
arctic, crossed to the top Of the steps
and remarked
THE night is much too fine to turn
in yet I think I'll take a stroll"
He disappeared down one of the
paths, thus leaving Harvard and his
wife alone.
"Go to bed if you like, Katherine u
Bing remarked. "I'll sit here a while
longer-possibly I'll wait for Belknap,
l don't feel like going in just yet.
Katherine, who had risen at the be-
ginning of his speech, started a trife
as she bent forward to kiss her hus
band good highland then assuming
that his remark about waiting for Bel
knap had been merely a casual one, an
excuse rather than a purpose, she went
inside.
Bing Harvard did not alter his re-
clning position upon the chair he oc-
cupicd for several moments after Kath
crime had gone; but, then, he got upon
his feet, passed down the length OF
the veranda, turned and descended by
the side steps to the path.
Instantly, when he had gained the
shaded walk, ne was all alertness.
The instructive dislike that he felt
toward Belknap had crystallized into a
settled one during the week just past
and he had not a reason in the world
that he could call by name to account
for it.
But the fact troubled him. also il
had made him representative to every
surrounding condition, and superwatch .
full of the little things that happened
and he had made up his mind to be the
last one in the house to go to bed that
night. with no reason whatever for the
decision,
Nor did he become alert because of
any accountable reason when he entered
the shadows of the grounds; rather, 1t
was the alertness of habit, inculcated
during the Night Wind days, and never
quite abandoned since then.
Like every other member of the house =
hold, he was conscious of the charm OF
Scnorita CervanteZ, and under the spell
Of her marvellous skill upon the piano {;
also. like the others, although little
more so because more sensitive i'll that
respect. he resented the unkindness of
the fate that had deprived her of the
pOwcr of speech. 1t seemed monstroIS
to Internationally preposterous-a
travcsty: and he had found it difficult to
keep his eyes away from her.
Thus, while studying her with no
other incentives than sympathy and ad-
miration. but nevertheless watching her
IcovertIy. he had seen--well, other things
that he had not sought; little, nameless,
unimportant trivialities, chicfest among
which was the impression he received
of her suppressed-bu to him apparent
consciousness of Belknap.
Outwardly she seemed almost to
ignore him-to be less aware of him
than of any other gentleman in the
party; and yet Bing felt, rather than
WAS conscious of it, that the man did
not utter a word that Senorita Ger
yantpz did not hear the rcgister-that
the man did not make move, however
natural simple or unimportant. that
Senorita Ccrvantez did not, by some
occult Sensitiveness, anticipate.
Perhaps it was partly because blng
was also covrrtly watchful of Belknap,
although unconscious of it, that he saw
and took account of such happenings
if there were such and he was by no
means sure on that point.
He did not go around to the side steps
of the veranda and descend to the path
for the definite purpose of watching
Belknap; in reality he had no thought
of such purpose when he started.
! Nevertheless, it was his purpose, just
the same-and before he returned to the
house and sought his bed, he had found
reason for more puzzling surmises
aucnt the true character and calling,
and the undeveloped purposes of Mr..
Conrad Belknap.
katherine was restless also
She did not retire when she had pre-
pared herself for bed. Instead, after q
moment of pondering, she put on q
daintily embroidered negligee over hel
night dress, extinguished the lights il
her room, and stepped through the oper
French window to her private balcony
She had at the moment no othel
thought than to sit, quiescent, in tn
starlit night and think upon her per
plexities; but, with the instant of step
ping outside, with the black background
Of the darkened window behind her, an,
the starlight and waning moonbeam
upon the gardenlike grounds of Myques
beneath her, she too, became alert ant
watchful.