Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-07-31

IN INO
ZIP THE stairs she ambled ponder
ously. When she was nearly at
~ the top she slipped and had to hold
to the balustrade to prevent a fall, as
the carpet became suddenly taut be-
meath her feet. Looking down, she saw
that Elsie had failed to put back n
of the brass rods. after cleaning.
Elsie. Elsie" she called.
There was no reply, although the
girl must have heard her. Miss Luck
was on the point of descending the
stairs when she OPPORTUNITY remem-
bered the Christmas buildings. Be-
cause of them, she resolved TO accept
the fiction of Elsie's deafness.
The staircase ended in a broad cor
rider. On one side were Elsie's bed
ROOM. the bathroom, and the spare
bedroom. On the other side Miss
Luck's huge bedroom opened into Fay's
smaller apartment.
AS a rule Miss Luck hated to open
her door in the dusk, because 1t faced
the wardrobe mirror, and it gave her
a shock to see a dim figure advance
to meet her. But this evening she
was forcibly struck by her vast, sway
ing gray shape.
'Fay'S right she said. II am like
an elephant. What an old fool l was
to get so angry with her!"
Her face grew wistful as she remem-
bered how Fay had limited that she,
too, could acquire courage If she would
only realize her reserves. From the
bottom of her heart she wished that.
BY some miracle, her coWardly nature
,.f~L+ 10 ohoraaI Che bod haa,, told
that miracles actually did happen. Her
silly muddle Of features did not look
quite SO silly as she uttered up a
voiceless prayer for a miracle to hap
pen to her. A prayer-to be brave.
Feeling quite gay and confident, she
Strolled over to her toilet table. To
her surprise a cheap blue leather bag
lay on her silver tray. She opened it
and found, by the evidence OF money,
key, packet of flags, and sundry cheap
aids to beauty, that it belonged to
Elsie.
Miss Luck forgot her eXaltation in
the human Indignation Of a mistress.
This time the careless baggage should
stir her lazy bones and CONF upstairs,
in spite of floury hands.
On her way to the bell, however, the
thought of the Christmas buildings
prevailed. Elsie might get mixed in
her quantities, were she called away.
Leaving the bag on her toilet table,
Miss Luck descended the staircase,
treading carefully over the loose car
pet on the twelfth step. She was
crossing the hall when she glanced
at the front door.
II ro1ra Nov n Wild r1nnly IF 1icnnyy,-
fort to discover that the bolt was not
drawn. She distinctly remembered
doing SO herself when she had seen
Fay to the police car. Feeling vaguely
disturbed she burst into the kitchen
to catch Elsie unawares. The homely
place treasured her with its glowing
fire and snowy table linen with suet
and dried fruits. The primrose enam-
eled walls cleaned in the gaslight and
the air was hot and spiced.
But Elsie was not there. Miss Luck's
heart began to hammer as she went
into larder, scullery, and outhouses,
calling the girl by name. When she
returned to the kitchen her eye fell
upon the empty peg upon which Elsie's
coat usually hung. Suddenly she felt
blasted by a terrible sense of desola-
ton. Elsie had gone out secretly and
left her all alone.
Miss Luck's muddle of features puck
cred up like a pimpernel on a wet day.
To understand her feelings it must be
stated that the situation was unique.
When she was quite young the doctor
had prescribed constant companion
ship, after a nervous breakdown. Be-
ing a lady of means, Miss Luck had
converted a temporary measu into
a permanent one.
She felt helpless as a stranded baby
Fortunately, however. her first blush
of indignation left her no room for
actual fear. She vowed that Elsie
should have her marching orders.
When she returned from the pictures