Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-11-03

obtained was infinlteSlmal, although II
bore 70 some extent on the problem
confronting him. The colonel innocent.
~ lifted the veil slightly, permitting
him 10 learn that this was a weekend
party, and that Miss Coolidge was the
mistress Of the place, her parents hav-
Ing been dead for two years. Percival
Coolidge, her fathers brother, and a
manufacturer in the city, was her
guardian, and the affairs Of the estate
were not yet entirely lIQuldated. Be
yond this he apparently knew moth
ing OF the family history, which he
felt ut liberty to communicate.
West vas assigned to escort Miss
Willis. a tall willowy blonde, and
quite laxative, into dinner, but her
conversation ran largely to the the
atric0l offerings In town, and he found
It u possible to change her trend Of
the light into other channels. Once the
smiling Natalie appealed to him, ia
miliarly calling him Matt" across the
table. and he responded with equal in
timacy, yet her eyes avoided his, and
It was plainly evident to his self-cOn-
seriousness, that her remark was
merely part Of the play. More and
more her actions mystifed and per-
picked; he could not discover the key
to her hidden motive, or guess at her
IlII-nnCn I'm thiS pnSnIInro1n Nnthinn
remained but for him to 60 quietly for
ward, playing the part assigned. She
coolly and deliberately defeated every
effort he made to get her alone, and
yet this was accomplished In a man
ncr SO as not to attract the attention
of others. Even Percival Coolidge,
who, West felt, was watching them
both shrewdly, never suspected the
quiet game of hide and seek being
played under his very eyes. AS the
evening progressed West became al
most convinced that Natalie's princi-
pal object was to deceive this gentle
man; that she really cared nothing for
what the others might think, or say.
It was all a masterpiece Of acting, so
exceedingly well done, as to finally
convince the young man that she was
greatly in earnest as to its success.
She desired Percival Coolidge to have
no lingering doubt Of her engagement.
And, finding all opportunity Of ex-
PLANTATION denied him, West yielded to
the inevitable, and, for the evening at
least, silently accepted his fate.
Nor did circumstances favor him
when the company finally broke up,
and retired for the night. He had
thought this moment might be propi.
Nous, but she calmly ~outgeneraled |
him again. suddenly bidding the men
remain and smoke as long as they
pleased, and disappearing herself up
the stairway with Miss Willis. West,
convinced that her retirement was
final, soon sought his own room. It
IA eleven o'clock of a bright. moon
light night, and, feeling in no degree
sleepy, he seated himself at the win.
dow to finish his cigar. Again and
again his mind reviewed the strange
events Of the evening, unable to ar
rive at any definite conclusion. The
harder he sought to delve into the mys-
terry, the more obscure 1t became.
He had, indeed, reached some con-
illusions already. These might not be
correct, yet they were already i'm
planted in his mind. The guests of
the night were mere puppets, having
no real connection with the game be-
ing played, utterly ignorant of what
was going on behind the scenes. The
only one present having any real part
was Percivai Coolidge, and West had
taken ar instructive dislike to this
nan Only one explanation flashed
into his mind to account for Miss Coo
lidge's unexpected announcement OF
an engagement between them-thiS
would excuse any future intimacy;
would enable them to meet alone free
ly without ~arousing comment. This
appealed to him as the most reasonable
explanation Of the situation. But be-
yond this vague guess, it was impossi-
BILE to delve.
Tired by the uselessness of such
thinking West finally sought the bed.
and must have slept, although scarcely
aware that he had closed his eyes.
Some slight noise aroused him. The
door leading into the hall, which he
had failed to lock, stood partially ajar,
and his eyes caught the vague glimpse
of n figure gliding swiftly through the
opening. With one bound he was upon
his feet, springing reckleSsly forward.
The hall was dark, but for a patch Of
moonlight at the further end. Against
this he caught an instant, fitting
glimpse Of the intruder. It was a wo-
man, yet even MS his eyes told him
this, she seemed to vanish into thin
air-the hall was empty.
Vague and indiStinct as was that
fleeting vision In the moonlight, West
felt no doubt MS to the identity of his
visitor-the woman was Natalie Coo
lldge. His one glimpse of her vanish.
ing figure assure, him Of this fact, and
he drew back instantly, unwilling to
follow. Where she had gone he neith-