Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-29
AND HERE IT CONTINUES
A Visitor


LIE LAID down the cigar box he
IL had been lingering doubtfully, and
he listened quietly and without NOV
ing. The knock was repeated, quick
and imperative, and Keith rose slowly !
TO his feet.
Now to face the music he said to |
himself. and he went quickly out of the |
room and across the hall to the front .
door and opened 1t.
On the threshold was standing tall,
slim girl with dark eyes and grave |
and pale face. Her features were thin
and not very regular, the nose being n g.
little too prominent, the mouth a little ,
too large. The cheek bones were little .
high, too. and indeed she might have
been called plain but for the finencss OF
the clear. smooth skin, the depth and
beauty of the dark eyes and the per
fection of the broad, serene forehead
from which the hair was brushed back
tightly beneath small closely fitting
felt hat. She held herself very upright,
. with a certain suggestion Of plant
vigor. and Keith noticed that her
limbs were long and her hands and feet
BY no means specially small. She had
ridden up on a bicycle, for she had her
hand on one she had just placed TO lean
against the side of the house, and
though she looked very intently and
scarchingly at Keith she did not speak.
He did not speak, either, but stood
quietly, waiting for her to begin, and
the pause allowed him to notice every
detail of her appearance. He felt, too,
that she on her part was watching him
closely from those great dark eyes. and
that this intent gaze of hers was hostile
and even Contemptuous. He wondered
il she knew who he was and how he
had come there. and he felt his temper
beginning to rise under the slow scorn
of her watchful gaze.
There was, however. in this enmity
her manner seemed to show, no sug-
gcstion of fear or doubt or suspicion
it was rather as though he were some
one whom she knew we'll and utterly
dcSpised. But then it seemed quite i'm
POSSIBLE that she should really know
him. and it occurred to him at once
that most likely she was taking him for
some one else, presumably the rightful
tenant of the house whose food he had
eaten and whose clothes he was wearing.
But then if the girl were really under
such an impression it followed that
she could never have seen this unknown
tenant, and why, therefore, should she
appear so hostile toward him?
Heath through whose mind all these
considerations flashed like lightning. dc =
termined to be careful and cautious in
what he said, and to endeavor. if pos
sible, to find out what the girl knew
or believed about him without in any
way betraying himself.
said suddenly and abruptly, her voice
quiet and low and yet singularly clear
Yes" he answered hesitatingly
YES. She lives here?"
For some reason his words seemed
to fan TO sudden fame the smoulderinl
fires of her wrath.
How dare you?" she cried, and sh,
lifted her hands so that for the mo
ment he believed she was about to strik,
him. But the gesture was only one o
passionate indignation, and she sale
again: How dare you? oh, how dar,
you?"
"But I assure you" he began ant
paused and felt himself flush red, S,
fierce and scorching was the indigna
tion in her angry eyes.
DO you suppose" she said bitterly
that whatever you assure me, shoul
ever believe one word you say?'
well, if you don't" he remarked
'it doesn't seem much use my sayin
anything, does it?'
do you think you have any reason I
4 expect me to believe you?" she de
manded.
He hesitated, rejecting that after al
since the very clothes on his back wer
not his own, he had perhaps no righ
10 raD1v in the affirmative
''I insist on seeing my sister" sh
said, and swept past him with move
ment into the hall.
He drew back with a slight bow
and she went into the drawing roo
Of which the door he had left open WI
on her right. She gave glance roun
70 assure herself no one was ther
and then came out and went into II
dining room. He followed her, and sh
s,ter one quick look round, went oil
.xain without noticing him, while
s.s,ed himself lighting the tall bra'
& lamp that stood in one corner of II
,oom. He drew the curtains, too, ar
while he did so heard her light hr
footsteps overhead as she went swift
into one room after another. When
H. lI;ndS ha sat dawn