The Washington herald., 1921-10-23

You may come" she managed to say after
q moment, and, still weeping, stretched out
her hand. The other woman pressed It
gently for 4 second and then was gone.
When Agnes Soames had wakened from
her days rest 1t occurred to her to call mp her
friend, Mrs Harvey. This she did, not
from any motive Of doubt, but because she
had become deeply interested in her visitor
of the morning. Mrs. Harvey was well
acquainted with the older generation Of So
/, ,eiety, and liked to be regarded as an au
thority on such unwritten history as rela-
tionships, ages and family resemblances.
But q servant answered her call to say
that her mistress was ont of town; she was
away on q visit to her sister in Massachu-
sets. An hour later, however, Miss Soames
was called to the telephone and was sur
prised to hear the voice of Mrs. Harvey
herself. Some people had brought her back
from the Berkshires in their motorcar. She
had been thinking Of her young friend, and
% she had called her up at once ~ p.
An odd thing, too, child, am not sub
Jet to warnings or visions, but 1 have been
possessed since last night with the thought
that you were in danger of some kind"
A GEES laughinEly vouched fol- her own
n safety. As soon as possible she brought
in her inquiry.
Mrs Howard Jefferson? Yes, I knew
her fairly well. She was some relation of
the Verrisns--sunt to the present genera
ton, think, and connected too with the
girl poor JEFF married. You said you were
on a case there, did you not? Poor fell
low, he"
Could you describe her looksl Mrs
Jeferson's, I meant"
Certainly, never forget peoples fea-
lures. She was tall very erect, always
dressed in deep mourning. Her eyes were
dark and piercing. And her hair grew to
be extremely white"
But Mrs. Harvey, why DO you speak Of
her in the past tense? You say she was
tall. and 50 forth. What do you meanr'
Il mean in her lifetime. She il dead,
is she not?'
Indeed, she is not dead, Mrs Harvey.
1 saw her and talked with her this morn
ing"
Well, that is odd. was under a posi-
I'VE conviction that she died two or three
years ago and left a good bit Of money to
poor JEFF. But am getting old, my dear. -
Miss soames went on duty at 8 o'clock
in the evening. Her way led across tie civ
eastward, up the avenue and into one Of III.
wealthy streets that open upon it. 1t was
cold February night, dry under foot, but
with light little snowhakes pelting down and
the promise Of q harsh wind. As the nurse
drew near to her destination her eyes wan
dered from the home Of the sick man with
its many softly lighted windows to tn. next
mouse beyond, which presented q wider front
and was more snowy Architecturally. She
had never noticed this house especially and
she did not know who lived there, but il
must be the one the fourth floor BALCONY of
which communicated with the verriams'.
Just now there was not a light to be seen
there from basement to roof.
As-the evening wore on she found herself
dwelling on this expected visit and grow.
ing apprehensive about it in a peculiar way.
1t was not that she feared q scene, No IN.
ever came to the room late, unless she called
them, and Rosa was privileged 30 lie down
On couch and sleep after midnight. No,
but the thing was out of the everyday.
bread-and-b butter order of experience. That
emotional interview had left q strong inn
preston.
At Aah-past ten the doctor arrived. H,
reported . stormy night outside with pros
poets Of something like blizzard. After hi.
visit to the sdck man he and the nurse came
out into the sitting room together and talked
in low tones.
de does not respond TO treatment as he
should" said the doctor "Oh, under.
stand that the mans will is not with us.
and that's half the battle lost But one
thing Is certain. He must be kept abso-
lutely quiet and free from any kind of dis
turbancs or shock. would not answer for
the consequences If anything Of that kind
should occur" He gave some directions.
then added in a whisper, That woman
mean the lady here, Mrs. BlashtOn-don't
admit her to him if it can possibly be
avoided. can see bad effects each time"
The doctor had been gone but few
minutes when Mrs. Blashton herself cam.
in She had been dining out and was hand
somely gowned. Here was a woman whose
good looks, fine figure and perfect grooming
might have insured her the sort Of homage
and power she craved, If they had not
been marred by the hard expression habitual
to her and by the bitter discomfort in her
black eyes.
Miss Soames knew the story Of the house.
hold, the story, that is, as it filtered in
from the servants. from the other nurses,
from thousand small events which told
it daily. The cousins, Jefferson Verriam
and Sarah Tillmay, had been engaged to be
married. Or rather they had been parties
to sort Of alliance arranged between the
families and cemented by the prospect Of
thus uniting two large fortunes. People
whispered that there was. another bond,
albeit ne-sided one While young YER