The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-08-26
6be Mystery Of
Hartley House

when he dares to think for the first
time that he has been interesting to a
young and beautiful girl. 1t is one of
the Elysian emotions. We grow old
and bald. and women are adventures
dismissed from our lives. We know
We do not interest them. We do not
think of interesting them. We become
pan%talooned lay-figures too scared Of
scandal or too confirmed in propriety
to break out Of the narrowed way.
There is an age which to a man,
a condition in which he finds himself,
to which he submits if he have any
morals, and when it comes and when
he submits, the gates are closed upon
fanciful, romantic adventures. If he
has been fortunate, he is content. He
sits at the west window, and his pros
pect is the sunset. He no longer asks
the great question of youth: Gould l
make that girl like me?"
To me, after that first dinner with
Mrs. Sidney and her daughter, the
ecstacy was a romantic folly. Isobel
had captured me, my sense, my ra-
tionality. my Judgment. my mind. fancy
and emotions. Beauty and youth alone
are enough to do this for an imagina-
tive young man, and when attractive
aspects of character are back of beauty
and youth, and when the young mar
looks forward to a probability of that
%conQuering circumstance, propinquity,
ho nav no ovr1so1 - hiS foot Hrhf1u
touch the floor. l was captured and
knew it after that first dinner-knew
it, and both loved and dreaded 1t. I
was about to make a fool of myself
and be ut one a happy and Il miser-
able fool.
In the exalted state Of egoistic emo
lions which 1 have outlined. l went to
Mr.. Sidley's room after dinner and sat
with him for two hours. l began to
appreciate how charmingly his life was
decorated. A really rare subtlety Of
art was used to bring a warn color
into this indomitable but feeble mans
winter of life. l did not fully appre-
ciate until later what thought and care
lay behind the unstudied comforts and
sensations Hartley house offered.
Mr.. Sidney was white haired and
very gracious. His manner was u
warm cordially. 1t was o precise.
1t was robust, but it was benignant.
Later l saw how his presence pervaded
the place.
We had a cheerful talk. What he
said suggested to me that my world
could not have been more than a hun
dred years old at the most, and that
his included the period Of inorganic
evolution in which the period of or
ganic evolution is but q pin prick.
Youth is startled by such conceptions
ing.
Before l said good night, Jed came
In with two bottles of wine. lie stood
and looked at me u~npleasantly. l
ros to go, and Mr.. Sidney said:
Il think we shall like each other.
At least, I hope you will be comfort
able, even happy. And don't be dis
tressed about the wine. l don't drink
it any nor Jed drinks it, and l en-
joy seeing him do it,"
A whippoorwill was reiterant in the
woods at night, and it's call came from
dark recesses odorous and mystic
riously yelled. Having said good night
to Mr.. Sidney, l had gone to my room
with a book from the library. The
night was fresh, understanding and
cool. / had read for several hours
when I heard the cut bolt in my door
thrown against the piece of metal
which had been left in the socket.
There was no transom above the
door, and evidently the threshold kept
light from appearing beneath it. ! had
been reading, as I said, for three hours
at least, and whoever tried to bolt me
In had good reason to think l was
asleep.
l knew who the person was. 1t was
Jed. knowing I was not locked in
l was undisturbed and continued read.
ing.
Shortly afterward l / heard a woman.
voice in expostulation far down the
hall. 1t arose abruptly to a sharp cry
and I had to lay aside my book a1c
expose the fact that my door was no,
locked, a thing l had not wanted t.
do until the secret of It's being locked
could be discovered by revealing tina,
it was not.
l hurried out and down the hall
Jed had a wOman by the wrist. Boil
Of them saw me coming. She released
herself from his relaxing grip by .
quick jerk and ran. He stood until
came up.
"Whut is the matter?" l asked.
"What makes you think anything /.
the matter!" he asked.
"Dol't take me for a fool" l said
"That was Mrs. Sidney who screamed
You were holding her. 1t seems t.
Inc it needs al explanation"
"Who are you that you need an ex
pIanation!" said Jed.
"You are drunk again"
II know ] am. If that's satisfactory
to my employer, why should it botheI
youy
II doubt that it is satisfactory I,