Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-18

ISM. DrCause llIey're summer resorts.
1hat"-he swept his hand toward the
hand In the northeast might be
either, and probably is one Of EN-. At
the same time, II may be the mainland.
! don't know"
Then then what are we to
dor
He looked round. shaking dubious
head. "Of course there's nothing like
II iiagpolr here We might nail Il
plank TO the corner Of the roof and u
iahI" cloth (" That, | suppose
And build fires. by night"
lie nodded. Best suggestion yet. I'll
do hat very thing tonight-after I've
he'd Il bite to eat
She started impationtly away. con,
come. come What am thinking Of,
to let Won stand there, starving by
uchr~f'
They entered The house by the back
deer, finding themselves In the Kitchen
that mean and commonplace assent
My gooIu Of narrow and piuchcd lives.
The imuaculatr cleanliness OF decent,
close poverty lay over II MI like II
lli-ht Whitaker husiod himself i'm
mcdiatply with the stove. There was
fun WoCdboX near by: and within
very few minutes he had brisk fire
going. The womnn had disappeared in
the direction of the barn. Sh" returned
IN good time with half Il dozen eggs.
Foraging in The pantry and cupboards
she brought Ia light n quantity IF sup
plies. Il side of bacon, -four, potatoes,
sugar, tea, small stores of edbles in
tins.
I'm hungry again, myself" she de-
Clared. attacking the problem of simple
cookery with will and confident air
that promised much.
The aroma Of frying bacon, the steam
of brewing tea, were all but intolerablc
TO an empty stomach Whitaker left
the kitchen hurriedly and, in an en-.
deavor TO control himself. made
round of the other rooms. There We're
two others on the ground floor In the
upper story, four small bedchambers;
above them an attic, gloomy and echo
Ing. Nowhere did he discover any.
thing to moderate the impression made
by the kitchen 1t was all impeccably
neat. desperately bare.
Depressed, he turned toward the
head of the stairs. Below door
whined on its hinges, and the woman
called him. her voice ringing through
the hallway with an effect Of richness,
deap.toned and bell-true. He was stag
cered by something In the quality Of
that full-throated cry something that
smote his memory until 1t was quick
md vibrant, like harp swept by an
old familiar hand.
"Hugh?" she called; and again:
"Hugh Where are your
He paused grnsping the balustrade. =
and with some difficulty managed to
art,culate:
Here . . . coming :"
Hurry. Everythngs ready"
Waiting an instant to steady his
nerves, he descended and re-entered
the kitchen.
The meal was waiting the table. !
The woman too, faced him as he en-
tered, waiting in the chair nearest the
stove But, once within the room, !
he paused so long beside the door, ,
his hand upon the knob, and stared
40 strangely at her, that she moved
uneasily, grew restless and disturbed. |
A CLEAN of apprehension tlickered in |
her eyes
"Why, what's the matterF" she (
asked with forced lightnesS. 'Nhy /.
don't you come in and sit DOWN."
He said abruptly: You called me
Hugh"
She inclined her head, smiling mis- ,
cheyousIy, II admit It. DO You
mnd:'
Mind? Mo-" He shut the door, /
advanced and dropped into his chair,
troubled gave. "Only," he said--"you |
startled me. | didn't think expect
hope"
ION so short an acquaintance" she
suggested archly. "rcrhars you're
right ! didn't think And vet
I do think the man who rished
his life for me-Tm little justified !,
In forgetting even that we've never
met through the medium of conven-
tioual introduction"
at isn't that, hut :" He hest
tinted, trying TO formulate phrases TO
explain the singular sensation that
had aSsaled him when she chilled him,
Il sensation the precise nature OF
which he himself did not as yet un-
derStand.
She interrupted brusquely: Don't
lets waste time talking. l can't walt
another instaN."
Silently submissive. he took up his
knife and fork and fell to.