Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-09-10

never went back TO the pen;tentiary,
but once a week Jed or l drove over,
and he was interested in our accounts.
Jed was beginning to wear off the
fine aspects of his good behavior.
Some restless ambition tortured this
man, and some power he had not CON-
pletely used invited him to make full
use Of it.
l had implored Mrs. Sidney to in
form me instantly IL he became OBJ
noxious again. / understood how i'm
portant it was to protect Mr.. Sidney's
peace of mind, but thought I had the
upper hand of Jed-aIthough not un-
Outstanding his case at all-and could
manage him.
Isobel, knowing that she was pur-
sued by the ridiculous ambitions of
the man, found amusement in it. I
found only moral nausea. could
see Jed's arrogance arising again, and
twice a week I was awakened by his
singing in the hallway as he came from
drinking in Mr.. Sidney's room. was
expecting something to happen: and
something did, but it was certainly
not what expected. 1t opened up
a new phase of the mystery.
One morning | was waiting for Jed
to bring my coffee to the pleasant
room which he early in our acquaint-
ance had recommended. Not the least
curious thing about Jed was the fact
that he seldom in his sober moments
was anything but perfect servant
when service was demanded. 1t did
not matter how serious and deadly the
issue might be between Jed and me as
men; when the matter lay between
Jed and me as servant and served. Jed
! was the servant. Therefore, no mat
ter how things might stand with us
when, in the morning at an early hour.
/ went to the room Jed originally sug-
gested, / expected him to come with
nv coffee, and he always did.
1t was my habit to arise at seven
O'Clock and be dressed and in this
room by haIf-past seven. usually
read a book until Jed brought the cot
fee and the morning paper. 1t was a
luxurious and restful experience to
| have this hour each day.
This morning In question was read
| ing placidly when looking out the win
| dow. / was startled to see a strange
figure of a man on the lawn. He was
close to the house. almost under my
window, and even could see that he
wore earrings. He had a handkerchief
| h Sc, 10 xxac e.NKysl Tstt q
black-haired. thought he was Span
| ish, and | thought he was a sailor.
These were only impressions, but they
| identified him for me later. He was
passive and was looking up at the
house in an interested but puzzled
| fashion, harmlessly, one would have
| said If the wholly unexpected nature
of his presence had not been in itself
| significant.
! Men wearing earrings were not so
common Of sight as to allow one wear
| ing them to be unnOticed. Strangers
Of any kind seldom came our way.
/ Strangers of his kind were extraordi-
nary. He was looking up at the win
dows as if he sought the answer to
something that had interested II not
mystified him. I knew. in every in
stinct that he had not come in by
chance but by design.
was looking, leaning forward, at
this strange phenomenon on the lawn
when a Crash Of metal and breaking
| china gave me shock. Jed-whom |
had not heard entering-had seen over
my shoulder the stranger on the lawn
md had dropped the coffee tray.