Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-01-24

lower attitudes until the air grew
intensely hot, physically depress-
ing after the cold wine of the
mountains; finally, ten minutes
ahead OF time, they drove into the
doubly depressing village of Hunt
ersville. 1t was no ugller than
thousands Of other villages and
small towns that look as If built to
demonstrate the American con.
tempt for beauty, but the fact miti.
gated nothing to eyes accustomed
to the picturesqueness of mountain
villages in Europe, where the very
roofs are artistic and the peasants
have the grace to wear the dress of
their ancestors.
There were a few farms in the
valley, but If Huntersville had not
been junction of sorts, it is doubt
full if it would have consisted of
anything. but a general store"
now that the saloons were closed.
There was one long crooked street,
with the hotel at one end, the
Store at the other containing the
B post office, and a church, shops
for automobile supplies, two ga
RACES, a drug store. and a candy
store; eight or ten cottages filed
the interstices. Men were working
in the fields, but those in Hunters
Vile proper seemed to be exhaust.
ed with loafing Campers going in
and out of the woods needing shell
ter for a night, and people demand
ing meals between trains. kept the
dismal looking hotel open and rea.
Sonably clean
The situation was wy beautiful
Tor the mou .tains rose behind and
there was a brawling stree n.
Mr. Dinwiddie having ascertained
that Mr." Hohenhauer had re-
eived his message and gone for a
walk, leaving word he would re-
turn at ten o'clock. Mary went into
The hotel parlor to wait for him.
The room was seldom used, pa
irons. local and otherwise. prefer
ring the Bar of happy memories,
and it smelled musty. She opened
the windows and glanced about dis
tastefully. The walls were covered
with a faded yellow paper, torn in
places, and the ceiling was smoked
~
carpet seemed to have been chosen
for its resemblance to turtle soup
squirming W tn vermicelh. Over the
pine mantel painted yellow. were
the table antlers, and on
handicapped table were badly ex-
ecuted water lilies under a glass
dome. The furniture was horse
hair. ard she wondered how she
and the Austrian statesman we're
to preserve their dignity on the
slippery surface Then she heard
his voice in the hall as he stopped
to speak to Mr.. Dinwiddie, and she
glanced out curiously.
She had not seen him since a
year before the war, but he was
little changed; improved if any
thing, for there was more color in
his formerly pale face. He was as
straight and as thin as ever, his
fine head erect, without haughti-s
ness; his dark eyes under their
heavy lids had the same eagle
glance. He was still, she conclud-
ed dspassionately, the handsOmest
man she had ever seen, even for an
Austrian, the handsomest race on
earth; he combined high intelli-
gence with a classic regularity OF
feature, grace, dignity; and when
the firm lips relaxed he had a de-
lightful smile. If it had not been
for his hair, very thick white hair,
he would have passed for little
over forty He wore loose gray
travelling clothes. and every detail
was as quietly faultless as ever.
She went hastily to the speckled
mirror beneath the antlers and sur
veyed herself anxiously. Her own
travelling suit of dark green tweed,
with its white silk shirt, was as
carelessly perfect as his own, and
the little green turban, with its
shaded, dropping feather, extreme
ly becoming. No color set off her
fairness like green, but she turned
away with a sigh. 1t was not the
eyes of the past three days that
looked back at her.
And then she remembered that
he had not seen her since the re-
Nuisance. The moment was not
without it's excitements.
Their meeting was excessively
formal
Frau Grain"
"Excellenz.
She lifted her hand. He raised
it to his lips.
And then he drew back and
looked at her with penetrating but
smiling eyes.
81 had heard, of course" he said
CALAMITY, but / hardly was pre-
pared. May l say, Frau Grain,
that you look younger than when 1
had the pleasure of meeting you
first?"
81 assure you that feel many
years younger" she replied lightly.
May I add that am delighted to
see that you are in the best Of
health? Your rest in Switzerland
has done you good. although it
would have been better for Austria
had it been shorter. Shall we sit
DOWN."