Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-02-17

''o'N dSaln WIFE SlEE CT reliet When
;hf ringing was suddenly interrupted
She lay with open ewes uSwinkina
i'm confusion of divided conscious
ness aware of the snug darkness ct
that room So intimately her own. OF
the rain clashng outside the window
OF the wan light streaming In fron
the street. of the blank, mounlke face
of the little clock upon the dressing
table; and al The same time living in.
penseiy In that distant place where
two wills were contending, striving
each TO impose upon the other its
conception of what was right, fair.
just. and inevitable.
1t was as IL her mind were photo.
graphic plate upon which two scenes
had been developed: one wherein her
common self of everyday was resting
securely at home. one in which that
wild other self Of her dreams dis
puted holly with the man she loved.
In surroundings strange to both selves
till that hour.
or the two sceaes, the stranger was
the stronger; all her interest was cen
tered therein, and all other things
were negligible beside the issue OF that
struggle. since that issue must be
tthis she knew the passionate certi-
tude) nothing less than life or death,
life with love or death with shame.
And she was racked with the i'm
perative need of making Le0nora I'M
derstand that Mario was right. that
no good could come of standing out
against him, that nothing but good
could come of yielding to his insist
ence the fruit of his great love and
greater wisdom. Percipience Of her
bodily environment was waning swift
iy: with all her strength she was will
ing herself back to Leonora
! The telephone began again to glib
Der, In short. strident bursts of sound
demanding her heed.
She faltered, hesitated. looked back.
In bitter resentment she understood
she could 20 no further accomplish
nothing, till that insensate thing had
been silenced
In sleep-waking. the girl reused with
measured movements that cost her In
calculable effort. sat up on the side
of the he'd. drew the telephone to her.
1t continued to chatter angrily till the
receiver was actually at her ear and
she had said: "Hello"
Out of the enigma of night Philip
Fosdick's voice cried: PRISCILLA"
She answered without emotion {:
Yes. Philip"
did wake you up? Sorry ! had
to. Listen to me Priscilla: I've seen
Leonora saw her in the street fol-
lowed her for blocks. lost her when
she entered tenement; and now I'm
on the watch. waiting for her to come
nut. I had to he sure you were al
home-safe-so I called up from q
pay station. Are you all right?"
"Yes. Philip"
"Are you quite awake? You don't
seem 10 understand. tell you, have
seen Leonora-the girl you dream
about--a living woman so like you
couldn't at first believe 1t wasn't you
In disguise"
"Yes. Philip"
$50 now you needn't worry any
more. I'm on the right track at last
The problem will be solved in no time
once | clap my eyes on that girl
again."
"Yes, Philip"
priscilla! Can't you say anything
else? Is anything the matter?'
mo, Philip - She pursued in
the same level accents, speaking
slowly, as If with difficulty finding
words: 81 am quite all right
l am safe with Mario now
Mario will take good care of
me. Goodnight"
Without waiting for his reply, she
hung up the receiver replaced the tele-
phone on the bedside stand. sighed.
and again stretched out upon the bed,
Immediately deep sleep EMBODIED
her senses like warm cloud of dark
ness, and her soul Jared forth once
more on its far quest.