The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, September 30, 1915, Page 14

LEADER kiss on my cheeks. g The warm, mellow old moon flooded 2 glow in front of me through tbe big front ‘door, as 1 opened “it,iand then: hastened to pour into the wide win- dows as I threw back the shutters.:: - Logs lay ready for, lighiting in the wide fireplace at the end of the lofig- room,.and father’s tobacco jar gle-tmcd a reflected moonlight from its pewter sides from the tall mantle shelf. The |. »ld books melted into the dusk of their cases along the wall, and the portrnlt of Grandfather Shelby lost its fierce gaze and became benign from its place between the windows. ) I was being welcomed to~the home of my fathers, with a soft. dusk that was as still and swéet as the grave. |/ |.A] Sweet for those that want lt, but' I} FEF ! didn’t. ' Suddenly I thrilled as’ ‘alive asg}* any terror stricken- woman that ever found herself alone anywhére on any: other edge of the world, and then sy suddenly found” myseif in’a complete ) condition of fright pmsh'atlon, crouch- ed on my own tbreshold. -I mmgflt- euned at the dark and could not even Copyright, 1915, the c.ntlu-y Cc»npany\ _ (Continued from last week.) . | would také a mModern vehidle to Trav- SYNOPSIS erse Manhattan lengthwise, and-at last Evelina, at the request of her rich friend. | We stopped at the gate of ‘Widegables.. i Uane, attempts to demonstrate that it is The -rambling, winged, wide gabled, possible and advisable for a woman to ; . Woo and wln 9. mnte just as a man does. tall columned ia pile of time grayed Eveum e e om R ‘brick and stone sat back in‘tlie moon- t light, in its tangle of a garden, ‘under she nfeets' her fifth cousin; James Hardin, Whom she cals- the- "Cx‘ag” and insigts | 1ts tali roof maples, with a dignity that * on living 8lone. : ;| went straight te my beart. 'There is £ g . : nothing better in France or England, Y was“glad be- had»escuped. and 1|05 1 feel sure that there are not ;10 found::myself able to look with: com- houses ii Ameriea as good. I'It paint Ppoeure at-his. queer, long.talled gray Iy yugt live I saw it tonight, for next :.coat, which made me know that little spring’s salon. - A bright light shone 7old Mr. Pinkus, who had been father's | oo™ windo s oot dining room ardarly all throngh the war, waa still | 11 41q teft wing, where: the collection . alive and tafloring In his tiny shop | go clinging vines were taking supper, “down by the postoffice, though now unconscious of the return of the left ;1 that father is dead he probably only behinds that threatened. : 2 * does it for ‘Cousin James. The two of And as I glanced at my own tnll ¢ them had been his enly customers for "piliared. dark old house tybat S tanias e that o pooied T saw that the | 5t opposite Widegables, and s of the fon around the Crag’ e re slight- same period and style, I knew that if 1 lyn rinnlg ed :rith s.ea dwe:)ember did .not. eseape -into its emptiness be- edslfow he had log:‘i} :; tre d by £ " | fore I got into Cousin Martha’s com- i 2 ved and stood by fa- | ¢o1tople arms, surrounded by the rest thex, even in the manner of wearing of the Crag’s family, I would never ~ “Pinkus clothés. My heart grew very | . 2 g have the courage to enter into the large all of a sudden, and I held out | estate of freedom I had planned. my hand to him. i D 2 i “Sallie.” 1 said firmly, as I banded Tm glad -to be at home,” 1 said, | the limp kitten down to Aunt Dilsie, as gazing straight into his eves .with a'y Henrietta took the other one—*puppy” Jook ‘of affection that you would have 1 suppose I will have to call the young been proud of, Jane, using unconscious- | animal—from ber mother and started 1y, until after I had done it, the warmth | o yp the walk in the lead of the re- I had tried unsuccessfully-on Richard | tyrp expedition, “I am going over to _Hall at the Astar not forty-eight hours stay in my own home tonight. I know ago, but 2,000 miles away. ¥nd it got | it seems strange, but—I must. Pleake a response that puzzles me to think of don’t worry- about me.” yet. It was just a leok, but'there was | ‘‘Why, dear, you can't stay by your- a thought of father in it, also a sug- | self, with no man on the place!” ex- v\?_,‘gestion‘ of the glance he Lestowed on | cinimed Sallie in a tone of absolute *. - Sallie’s twins. I remembered that the |'panic. “I'il go tell Cousin Martha you Crag seldom speaks, and that's what | are here while Cousin James unpacks makes you spend your time breath- | your satchel and things.” And she lessly listening to him." hurried in her descent from the ark “Well, come on everybody. Let’s go.|und also hurried in her quest for the home and undress and forget about the Te-enforcement ‘of Cousin Martha’s au- “wedding,” came in Henrietta’'s pesitive | thority. - and executive tones. . “Let's go and “I’'m- going to escape before any of - take theistrauge lady with us. We can | them come back,” I said determinedly " bave company if we can't be it. She ['to the Crag, who stood there still, just <. can sleep other side -of me next the | looking at'me. “I’'m not up to arguing wall.” . the question. tomight, for.the trip has I have never met anybody else at all | been a long one, and this is the first " like Henrietta Carrutliers, and I'never.{time I bave been home since— ' Just ghall unless Jane Mathers marries;.and | let me have tonight to myseif; please;” 1 sincerely hope that some day she und I found myself-pleading to him as he ‘Jane will meet. held up his arms to lift me clear of the %4l And the mest tem minute& was~one | wheels, « - of the most strenuous perlods o{' time His eyes were bhurt nnd suffering for I'evér put in in all my life. ¥ Tonged, | 0" second, then a strange light of com- “ really longed, te' go home ‘Sallie | prehension- came: from: them -inte- mine; and Henvietta and-sleep nest the-wall | like'a benedietion, as-he gently set me at Widegables with the rest of the | ou my feet. . Crag’s collection.. But 1 knew Glendale “Must you, Eve?” " - well enough’ to see:plainly ‘that-if 1| *Yes,” I answered, with a gulp that . thus once give myself up to.the con- ‘went all lthelWfly :OWB to ltlg' femigin: ventions that by Saturday .night they | foes as 1 glanced across the road a * would h’uve'mes;zice)y settled with his | the grim, dark eld pile that towered | - yeliets “or in my home with probabiy.| against- the starlit sky. *“I want to . two clderly widows and a_maiden |Stay in my own house tonight—and— ““corisin_ or- 50 to look after me. And |and I'm mot afraid. ‘thén by the end of the nest week they. “You won't need to be frightened.' 1, ayould: bave the: most suitable: person understand, L think, and bere’s your in town faicly hunted by both. spoken key. -1-always carry it im my pocket. m ental influence to the moonlight Your father's candle is on the mantel.: .| You shall have tounight to yourself. emi of” my ‘front - norcb with “matri B f smonial intentions in His pocket. I knew Good night, and Dbless your ome com- .| , a take | g, denr?” ht; . p:szint:!‘;: ;?;i::uunely “Good night,” T nnswered ns I mmed serve away from his kind eyes qxficklv to. erisi h::: ih;:fles would kezp from clinging to him with might 2 '-Sd'I"iéi:‘Qo:'sinu James pack mé into -and:-'main and erossed. the road to my his low, prebistorie:old: surrey in the | W0 gate. Wlfgm’:’y he:d' ‘:‘*;t“’i’fi t;yy Py y hile Sallie took ing for the w Je. at lel ut. Dilsle and fif‘;‘;m ithr her on | heirt, I went quickly along the front e walk with its rows of blush peonies, nodding along. gither:edge. ‘The two 1d. purplp macs beside the front steps ;: e frighteried” | I Courageously I lifted my’ eyés: 1(!- looked down between ' the old: lilac:} bushes and saw just what I expee : 1 would—a tall, gray figure paeilg' slowly up and down the road. Then it wase that fear came into me, stiffen- | ed my muscles and mengthened my soul—fear of myself and my own eon- clusions about destiny and all things G pertaining thereto. - I never want to go through such an- other hour as I spent putting.things 1n,, order in father’s room, which opens off: the living room, so I could go to bed by candle light in the bed il which he and I were both borm:. I° wanted to sleep there and didn’t even open any other part of the grim old house. And when I put out the candle and lay in the high, old four post bedstead I again-fel{-as small-as I really am;: and 1 was in danger-ofsa bad collapse from self depreciation when my humor came to the rescue. . I might just as well have gone on and slept between Henrietta and the wall, as was becom- ing my feminine situation, for here my determination to assert my masculine. priviliges was keeping a real man dp- ing sentry duty up and down a moon- light road all night—and.I wanted it.: “After this, James Hardin; you can. eonsider yourself safe from any.of my attentions or intentions,”. I.laughed to. myself as 1 turned my. face into the pillow that was faintly scented. from, {he lavender in which mother had al- ways kept her linen. “I've beén m Glendale two hours; and one man-is on: the home base with his fingers cressed. James, you are free! .Oh, Jane®: ... ;. It was well I was out early to mjay it, for that was to be the .day of m temptation and sore trial. I am. glad I-bave recorded it all, for I might have . forgotten seme duy how wenderfully my very pliant, feminine attitude rub- bed in my maseculine” intentlons as to my life on.the-blind side of ‘al the forces brought to-bear on-me to put: me back -inte my- predestined; phce in the scheme of the existence “Your. Cousin James', home- is_ the: .' place for you, Evelina, ‘and until: he explained to me how you felt last nig I was deeply hurt that you hadn’t come: straight, with Sallie; to me and tof . bim,” said@ €ousin Marths, in as severe |- ; A Flint Spark:: - a voice as was possible for.suck: a- pla¢: e mmtest upheavals:.of natura. . id individual to produce::.’ Consin:Ma - dvel thewe that: grrive suddenly tha is completely lovely, and the Meoss-' - vithentnotifying the werld days back: gets his beauty from-her; «She:f = . peforehand-of their intentionsdf - Is also such.a. perfect dear. that:her ,spmungtheemgfioubenniverse wide influence. is something terriflt: even it | open; - Oue.is -caming. to. Glendale. by negatively ¢xpressed. degrees; but-the tewn basn't found et 1 have come. o help you get your about” it ‘yet: F'm- the-only owe whe thlngs together so you can move over-fsces:it. and: P afraid: te tell by before dinner,” she contiuued with ‘gé When - Old - Harpeth, who “bas. been- tle foree. *Now; whnt‘slmfl*we*pnfi 10eking- Jown ‘on’ a’ nice,” peaceful, man " Eordained. huilt “dnd: protetteds worldy weke: Glendale-up. the: morning after oy -arrival - found . me defiantly - 7 alone: in the.. howe. of my. fathers—alse. . was jnst a dutflul mfimem, £or your-| of ench-of. my foremothers, by the.cour lost loved ones. and not any unmaiden ly sense of independence‘m the matter A Tal, Guy, F:gure Paemg Slowly Up Down the Rond. - There are three of us . widows, whem- he wastains: and: comforts’ for the' lose of our husbands, and alse the three Nortom- girls, cousins on his fa- ther's side of the bouse; you remem- ber. It ig’ impossible for them o Took after” their plantation since their fa- ther's death: robbed themr of a protec- tor’ at least, éven’though he had been: ‘paralyzed since’ Gettysburg. James i - 4 most wonderful man, my dear, a most - wonderful man, though, ag he 'is ‘my son, 1° o‘ught to think it in sk lenece.” “Indeed be ig,” I anewered from the beart. “Bui—but wouldn’t it be a lit- tle crowded for him to- have another— andtber - vine—that-“is, exactly what would he do Wwith he? 1 know Wide-: gables: is' wide; but that ls a housequ ‘isn’t it?” : “Well, all of us did feel that it made the house uncomfertably: full: when ‘Sallie came: withi #he three children, ‘but you know Hemry Carruthelw)eft cutor and gu;udian ot; the. “ehildresi,” and Sallie, of course, £ comldn’t. Hve:dlone, so Mrs. Hargrove i 'and 1 moved: into: the south room :to- f gether and: gave Sallie ‘and- the ehik-- dren my roonx It is'a large reomr; and-t it would be such a cemfort: to Sathe } to' hive you'stay with-her and belp Ber f at Dight Withi the children.’ She doesn’t really Tee} able te get up with themn - all. Then Dilsie: eould sleep in the- cabin, ag sbe ought: to ea: aceount: of - the jimson weed: itv- her-phthisic: pipc,x 2 1t weuldvbe such a. beautiful influenee in your: Jonely- life, Bvelina, to hme the ehildren:to eare for? = l x\-endered if. €eusin.-Martha had -Heard-that- Blue' Buneh' indulge- - ‘aueb heartfeit onths am had Tollowed tfiat tral’down the: Grad! Tast nightt. C»APTER I“’. 9 Q. veiL of mist across. his_face. © sngn ~f showers: ensued, but he. _hadt to come ‘and of course James wnr pfit xbu, uns’ der my care." :