Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-03-19
BY
Z. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
Copyright by Little. Brown and comDanv

. - 800 otAVcl' reSTeIIlnS MS lnaOll-
lty 10 dine that night. and each time
ne destroyed it. He carried the first
message, around Richmond golf course
WITH him, intending to dispatch his
caddy with it Immediately on the con-
cluslon of the round. The fresh air,
however, and the concentration re-
CURED by the game, seemed to dispel
the nervous approximations with which
ne mad anticipated his visit, and over
an aperitif in the club bar he tore the
telegram into small pieces and found
nlmself even able to derive a cetrain
haif-fearful pleasure from the thought
Vi meeting again the woman who, to-
getner with her terrible story, had
never for one. moment been out of
MS thoughts. Andrew Wilmore, who
nad observed his action, spoke of it
as they settled down to lunch.
so you are going to keep your en-
gagement tonight, Francis?" he OBJ
served.
The latter nodded.
After all, why nOt?" he asked, lit
tie defiantly. 1T ought to be interest
ing"
Well, there's nothing of the sordid
criminal. at any rate, about Oliver
Hlldltch," Wilmore declared. Neither.
II one comes to think of it, does his
Vile appear to be the prototype of
suffering virtue. l wonder if you are
wise to go, FranciS?'
NV, ~ ~
himself that question a dozen times
already, demanded.
Because" Wilmore replied coolly,
underneath that steely hardness Of
manner for which your profession is
responsible, you have a vein of senti-
ment, of chivalrous sentiment, l should
say, which some day or other is bound
TO get you into trouble. The woman
is beautiful enough to turn any ones
mead. AS matter of fact l believe
that you are more than half in love
with her already"
Francis Ledsam sat where the sun
light fell upon his strong, forceful
face, shone, too, upon the table with
its simple but pleasant appointments,
upon the tankard of beer by his side,
upon the plate of roast beef to which
he was already doing ample justice
He laughed with the easy confidence
of man awakened from some haunt
ing nightmare, relieved to find his
feet once more firm upon the ground.
Il have been a fool to take the
whole matter so seriously, Andrew"
he declared. II expect to walk back
to Charges street tonight, disillusioned.
The man will probably present me with
gold pencil case, and the woman"
well, what about the womanY' Will
more asked, after brief pause.
"Oh, l don't known Francis de-
clared, little impatiently "The wom-
an is the mystery, of course Prob
ably my brain was a little over-excited
when l came out of court, and what
I imagined to be an epic was nothing
more than tissue of eXaggerations
from a disappointed wife. However,
I'm sure I'm doing the right thing to
go there" 4
The two men returned to town to-
getner afterwards, Wilmore to the
club and Francis to his rooms in
Charges street to prepare for dinner
At a few minutes to eight he rang the
ben. of number 10 b, Hill street, and
found his host and hostess awaiting
him in the small drawing-room into
which he was ushered. 1t seemed to
him that the woman, still colorless,
again marvelously gowned, greeted
him coldly. His host, however, was
almost too effusive. There was no
other guest, but the prompt announce
ment of dinner dispelled what might
have been a few moments of embar-
rassment after Oliver Hilditch's almost
too cordial greeting. The woman laid
her fingers upon her guests coat
sleeve. The trio crossed the little
hall almost in silence.
Dinner was served in small white
Georgian dining room, with every ap-
purtenance of almost sybaritic luxury
The only light in the room was thrown
upon the table by two purple-shaded
electric lamps, and the servants who
waited seemed to pass backwards and
forwards like shadows in some mys-
ferrous twilight-even the faces of the
three diners themselves were out of
the little pool of light until they leaned
forward The dinner was chosen with
taste and restraint, the wines were
not only costly but rare. A watchful
butler, attended now and then by a
trim parlor maid, superintendent the
service. Only once, when she ordered
a bowl of flowers removed from the
table, did their mistress address either
of them. Conversation after the first
few amenities speedily became almost
a monologue. One man talked whilst
the others listened, and the man who
talked was Oliver Hilditch. He pos
sessed the rare gift of imparting color
and actuality in a few phrases to the
strange places of which he spoke, of
bringing the very thrill of strange hap
penings into the shadowy room. 1t
seemed that there was scarcely coun-