Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-02

that had ever crossed my horizon, and
TO be talking to her across the table
gave me thrills compared with which
sliding out of clouds in an airplane is
only q rocking-chair pastime for old
men.
We had coffee on the veranda tAlice
thought it would be nicer there), and
as Antoine gave me my cup he edged
close to my chair to whisper:
THAT party, sir. If he should
come
''Tel the troops not to attack any
VISITORS" said. loud enough for the
others to hear. Mr.. Terrence will be
here shortly, and it would be annoy
ing to have him ushered in on a shut
ter
Il know why this is the land of the
free and the home of the brave
laughed Alice lone has to be brave
to live here"
Antoine departed with resentful
twist Of the shoulders, and l decided
to meet squarely the matter of the
visitors who had so troubled him.
please don't be frightened" said
as lightly as possible, but these old
follows haven't enough to do, and they
are full of apprehensions. They have
been alarmed by an agent OF some
sort who wants to welcome you to
America by selling you piano on
easy payments"
Antoine had been lowering inside.
and my remark brought him to the
door.
BEG pardon, Mr.. Singleton, but
that party is not an agent, but quite
different. sir. He came to the house.
quite like a gentleman, several times.
and asked If Mrs. Bashford had ar
rived. He came In big car, and
seemed disappointed. madame, that
you were not here and not expected.
A very well-spoken gentleman. and
we'd have thought nothing of 1t except
that a few days later | caught man
was sure was the same party, but
dressed In rough clothes. sneaking
across the veranda right there where
you're sitting. When called to him
he ran as hard as he could. and
Graves-he's the vegetable gardener
saw him leaving the property by the
back way"
ITS hardly possible that man
who impressed You as a gentleman
when you saw him at the door should
have returned in disguise and tried to
break into the house"
oh" exclaimed Mrs. Farnsworth.
sit would be so much more delightful
IL that were true! Any one in dis
guise is bound to be interesting.
disguise suggests most beautiful pos
sibilities"
| could not be sure in the dim light
of the veranda. but thought detect
ed white slipper cautiously reach
out and touch a black one. At any
rate, Mrs. Farnsworth lapsed into ST.
lence.
Thank you very much, Antoine"
said Alice. 1T is very proper for you
to tell me anything of any stranger
on the property. but | see nothing
here TO be alarmed about. IT the
same gentleman calls again, let me
know instantly"
VERY good. madame" And them
turning as though comforting upon me
part of his responsibility for the Sc
curity of the premises: Its party
with limp; just trifling limp. sir;
you'd hardly notice it. A smallish
man. rather dark. with a little mus
tache turned up at the ends
Il have noted all these details. An
toine," | replied; and again ! thought
there was a telegraphic exchange be-
tween the ladies though this time
black slipper was the means of COM
munication.
Terrence arrived in a moment, and
nothing has ever given me keener JOY
than his shock of surprise at behOlding
Mrs Bashford. | was devoutly CRATE
full that he had not been present at
the dinner-table, for my own efforts to
interest Terrence in anything but the
most practical matters had always
been highly unsuccessful, and the dis
cussion of ghosts and witches would
hardly have amused him. AS Mrs
Farnsworth and took up the recent
movements on the western front
overheard Terrence putting all the
machinery of the trust company at
Mrs. Bashford's disposal. 1t seemed
almost a blasphemy to be talking OF
income and like matters to woman
like Alice Bashford
They continued their conference for
some time, but | got nothing out OF
Mrs. FarnswOrth Shat shed any light
on my aunt's history beyond what she
had told me herself, which was pre-
cious little. Mrs. Farnsworth's talk
was that of cultivated woman. Her
voice interested me unaccOuntably
the tones had ali manner of shadings
and infections; it was curiOuSly mu-
steal, but in speaking of the. great war
a passionate note crept into it that
stirred me deeply.
"Ihis has been dark year for
Alice" she remarked. "Mr. Bashford's
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