The herald., 1922-11-02
"As a Thief in the
Night"
By JANE OSBORN
20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndicateJ

half way up the clean brick walk
who could be following 50 close be-
hindu Turning square about she saw
a man, tall and thinnish, STOPPING
little from the weight Of things swung
over his shoulders, who halted as she
faced him, asking uncertainty: Are
you Mrs. Dancy? And did you get
my letter.
Il am not-I did not" Janet an
swered imperatiyely. MY name is
Ross, but live here with Mrs. Dancy.
No letter has come from anybody
within the last three days. know,
because l take the mail from the
box"
The man gasped family. He was
breathing hard, as though spent. Il
might have guessed as much," he said.
There was nobody TO meet me, but
| Numbered on; tell me. please, what
had better do"
"Sit down first-anything else de-
pends," Janet answered YEARLY. She
had burdens enough already without
taking on those of a stranger. She
noted amid the heterogeneous burden
he thankfully dropped folding easel,
sketchboOk and sundry odd-shaped
parcels, in addition to a fine leather
bag, much scuffed and plGstered half
over with vuri-cOlOred labels. He
slumped palpably on the bench placed
. 81, nh h0
Grape myrtle shaded il. Before she
had settled what to say he went on:
II was advised TO come here-climate
and quiet and that sort of thing, you
know. I'm not exactly tramp, but
when you're just out after six weeks
In hospital you're pretty much all In
Naturally" Janet commented. You
would like TO stay here while"
"As long as my money Will let me,
the newcomer brok~ III. MY name Is
LoUdon-nOt that il matters-l sketch
and draw things, for illustrations, you
know. Jimmy Burton sent me here;
he is kin to Mrs. Dancy-~"
81 know" Janet in turn interrupted
THAT being the case. am sure you
can stay. At least until you are
strong again. She is very hospitable.
Wait here, l will send her to you; you
can set things straight quicker face
to face"
BY such means fate set Joseph
Loudon down In the softly scented
summer foothills, where every day had
its own charm miraculously unlike all
other days. The sun was the miracle
worker, helped by clouds and winds
and mists. RoSe-red dawns followed
others Of the cleSrest azure, stormy
sunsets. riotously colOred. supervened
after mornings SO perfect the wealth
erwise foreknew their treachery. Pine
scent came in hot gushes from the
background mountains, ever looming
enchanted. And all about was the
still yet pulsing life of the country
side, inhabited fully but nowhere
crowded. An oasis of contentment II
seemed TO Loudon-he was so wearied
of strange tongues, strange cities, the
stir and clash of changing human
tides, Here there was neither poverty
nor riches. Rather a spare yet thrifty
plenty, exhaling the wholesome per
fume Of rest after labor and Joy in
morning light.
Mrs. Dancy, plump. silver-haired,
motherly, had taken him almost liter
ally TO her heart. He bettered magi-
cally under her cterishing, accepting
1t so gratefully he could but wonder
how Janet Ross managed to hold 1t
aloof. A queer girl. he decided; not
handsome nor brilliant, yet with pO-
tentialities. At first he had set her
down as machine-made-the type
ground out in myriads by the mill Of
school and college. But presently he
had surprised something of reality,
that showed him depths almost tragic,
heights that might be dangerously
alluring. But these discoveries neither
explained nor justified her civilly re-
pressed antagonism to the older wOm-
an. He gathered casually that she
had grown up in the house; she was
evidently free of II. yet he had some
how q sense that her position was
something anomalous. When the rare
visitors came she almost Immediately
vanished, making never an excuse.
But that was less surprising than her
solitary vigils; she occupied the Sc
cluded east wing, whose windows were
always lighted long after midnight.
Back to working strength, LOudOn
ceased to speculate about her. He
was still the fair-haired boy of his
kind hostess-she thought nothing a
trouble that added to his comfort.
Her low-swung carriage and easy-gO-
4ng ponies took him far and wide, up
hill and down dale, seeking out beauty
spots and trying to preserve some of
their charm. Commonly Nose, the
black house boy, drove, lettering
afterward to wait upon the painter,
serving sometimes as model. Oftener
as messenger or man u all work
Loudon was nightly tempted to Cos
sip with the lad, but held his curl
osity In check-it would be dastardly
to pry into things the woman who
was so kind evidently cared to keep
hidden.
So summer slipped by until a sui
try late-August morning OF lowering
mists and growing thunder. Mrs
III