The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-01-20

to continue TO lean on me for suppors.
a thing that | perceived In abasement
and with sense OF unworthiness and
unreliablllty. Isobel was as whole
some as the air. In the most pleasant
circumstances life was resumed at
Hartley house.
Jed had not wholly lost his trucu.
lence aud his occasional flashes OF
malevolence, but he was subdued.
thought he seemed furtive.
l asked Mrs. Sidney II she had oh.
served a change She said II had not
occurred TO her to think OF It MS
change. hut there had been n differ
ence for which she was grateful she
remembered that when they were max
Ing their visit 10 Montevldeo Jed had
gone down to the docks and had come
back obviously disturbed. She had oh.
served the fact without giving much
thought TO II. She was not sure but
Jed since then. she had regarded the
event as insignificant. II might have
had meaning. but II so, It was OBJ
scured.
Our days were Of pleasant routine,
but nevertheless. for reasons which
l have tried to make perceptible II
not explicit the expectation was
touched by dread. We had, for sew
eral months, no outstanding incident
or disturbing happening Mr.. Sid
ney's health remained exceptionally
good. He created new Interest In
his life: he had not forgotten his visit
to the pententlary, and he was eager
to do what he could for the convicts.
Evidently he thought of his restrict
ed life as something not wholly allen,
except for Its comforts to theirs. The
most that he could do was TO send
books and occasionally TO prepare
Sunday afternoon program of music
to be given by small orchestra which
he had brought out from the city. He
never went back to the penitentiary.
but once week Jed or drove over,
and he was interested In our accounts.
Jed was beginning TO wear or the
fine aspects OF his good behavior.
|
man. and some power he had not COM
pletely used invited him to make full
use of II.
I had implored Mrs. Sidney to In
form me instantly II he becnme OBJ
noxlous again. I understood how i'm.
portant II was TO protect Mr.. Sldney's
peace OF mind. but thought had the
upper hand of Jed-although not un.
derstanding his case at all-and could
manage him.
Isobel. knowing that che was pur
sued by the ridiculous ambitions OF
the man, found amusement in It.
found only moral nausea. could
see Jed's arrogance arising again. ant
twice a week was awakened by hi,
singing In the hallway as he came frCn
drinking In Mr. Sldney's room. | wa.
expecting something to happen; ant
something did. but II was certalnl!
not what I expected. II opened NJ
new phase Of the mystery.
One morning was waiting for Je,
to bring my coffee TO the pleasun
room which he early In our acqualnt
ance had recommended. Not the leas
curious thing about Jed was the fac
that he seldom in his sober mom~nt
was anything but a perfect servan
when service was demanded. IL III,
not matter how serious and deadly tn,
issue might be between Jed and me a
men; when the matter lay betweel
Jed and me MS servant and served, Je,
was the servant. Therefore. no mat
ter how things might stand with u
when, In the morning at an early hour
went TO The room Jed originally sug
gested. expected him to come witt
my coffee. and he always did.
II, was my habit TO arise at seve
: o'clock and be dressed and In thI
r room by half-past seven. usual
read book until Jed brought the col
{ fee and the morning paper. Ii was
luxurious and restful experience I
) have this hour each day.
. This morning In question ! was read
y ing placldly when looking out the win
Y dow. l was startled to see a Srang
figure of a man on the lawn. He wa
close TO the house. almost under m
window. and I even could see that h
wore earrings. He, had a handkerchie
around his neck. He was swarthy an
4 black-hared. ! thought he was Spar
: ish. and | thought he was a sailol
q These were only impressions. but the
/ identified him for me later He wa
q passive and was looking up at tn
!. house In an interested but puzzle
n fashion. harmlessly, one would hav
0 said. IL the wholly unexpected narur
of his presence had not been In itsel
h significant.
D Men wearing earrings were not S
; common Of sight as to allow one weal
$ ing them TO be unnotlced. Stranger
e of any kind seldom came our wa.
e Strangers of his kind were extraord
r nary. He was looking up at the VIII
o dows as II he soughr the answer
}. something that had Interested If nj
s mystlfied him. knew, In every II
| J.