Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-03-26
Continued from Page 4

When | reached my quarters in the
garage | sat down and laughed until
Flynn appeared, frightened by my
noisy mirth that had penetrated to his
quarters.
wakened early, rang a bell con-
Meeting my rooms with the chauf-
feur's end of the garage as warm
ing to the Flynns to prepare break
fast, and was dressed when the Irish
man came in with the tray. In the
absence of morning paper l chung
to him for company.
81 trust you will not be leaving,
sorr," he remarked. cycling my half
packed trunk.
Very soon, Flynn
"Then Elsie and I will be going
too, sorr. It's most uncomfortable
they're making us-Dutch and the
rest. That Antoine and his army
keep pesterin' us and calm us Huns.
Its most disagreeable we find it,
the wife and me-"
Suffer and be strong-that's the
watchwOrdI We will hope that Mrs.
BashfOrd is woman of sound sense
and tact who will exert herself to
restore peace on her property. When
! call to pay my respects and make
my adieus | shall speak to her of the
situation and vouch for your loyalty.
You haven't, / suppose, seen the widow
yet-she's probably sleeping late"
"Quite the contrary, sorr. She's
been up and around for an hour an
more She's been all over the place
and stopped for squint at the garage.
her and the pup"
"She been here. inspecting the
garage" / asked. glancing at my
watch. 1t was not yet eight O'Clock.
The banter died out of me; clearly it
had been my duty to be on hand to
pilot her over the estate. or at least
to receive her at the garage. "Just
what was the lady's frame of mind
as to things generally. Peeved, was
she. over the row last night?"
"Oh, no, sorr; quite cheerful an
friendly. She's ordered q big car
from New York and told me it would
be coming up to-day and to make a
place for It,"
Here was news indeed, destroying
all my hopes that she meditated only
a brief soiOurn. The purchase of a
machine meant definitely that she
would remain for some time. perhaps
for the winter. poured second cup
of coffee, swallowed it, grabbed my hat
and stick, and asked enlightenment
as to the course taken by Mrs. Basil
ford when she left the garage.
''She took the lower road. sorr.
toward the Sound and stepped off
quite brisk-like."
II was the serenest of September
mornings. and ! hurried away think
ing the cloudless blue arch, the
twinkling sea. and the crisp air might
serve to soften my aunt's displeasure
at her hostile reception. From the
Conservatives l caught glimpse Of
woman on the beach-a slender.
agile woman, throwing a ball for the
amusement of a fox-terrier. The two
were having no end of a good time
She laughed joyfully when the ball
fell into her hands and the terrier
barked his discontinue and eager
ness for u chance to redeem himself.
AntOine'S equivocal statement as TO
Mrs. Bashford's age was ridiculous.
Instead of the middle-aged woman
whom | was prepared TO meet. here
was beyond question a vigorous,
healthy being whose every movement
spoke for youth and the joy of life.
1t might, after all. he tile maid or
whom Antoine had spoken. reached
low stone wall that separated the
lawn from the beach just as she
effected running pickup of the ball.
She turned swiftly and flung it straight
at my head. lnvoluntarily | put up
my hand and caught ii just as she
saw ne and cried out-a cry of warm
ing and cOntrition. | tossed the ball
TO the dog.
What must you think of mel" she
exclaimed. Il was blinded by the
sunlight and | didn't see you-really
did mott"
ndu uO UuSiuCSS UelDS III tAiC
way" | laughed, noting first her
glowing color, her violet eyes
amazingly fine eyes they were-her
fair hair with its golden CLINT, her
plain black gown with lawn collar
and wristbands. 1t was her age. how
ever. that reused me to instant spec
ulation. Twenty-Five, decided, was
maximum; more likely she was not
more than twenty-five. and If had
been told that eighteen was the total
of her years | shouldn't have had the
heart to dispute it.
bob Singleton" said and stupidity
added, land you are Mrs. Bashford?"
unable for the life of me to avoid
turning the statement into an inquiry.
Il am your aunt Alice" she said
with smile, putting out her hand.
Down, Rex - she commanded the
dancing terrier; ''lie down; schools
over now: whereupon Rex obediently