MONDAY. DECEMBER 22.
PAGE e.
PLATTSMOUTH SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL.
Copyright, 1912, by Moffat,
The Story by Chapters.
Chapter I, What Betty Revere
Wrote to Anny de Peyster.
Chapter II. Her Woman's
Will; His Man's Way.
Chapter III. When the Birca
Came Home.
Chapter IV. When the Violin
Man Came.
Chapter V. Where Betty
Went.
Chapter VI What Peter Did.
Chapter VlL When the West
Called to the East.
Chapter VIII. Betty's Carte
de Vistte.
Chapter IX. What Peter Saw
Passing His Door.
Chapter X. Where Little Pe
ter Found the Key.
Chapter Xl-What Peter Van
Zandt Saw.
Chapter XM- When the Lit
tle Master Unlocked "the Door."
Chapter XIII. Little Peter's
Mistake.
Chapter XIV. Peter and the
Little Marquis Make a Secret.
Chapter XV, Two Days Be
fore Christmas.
Chapter XVI. "And a Little
Child Shall Lead Them."
CHAPTER 1.
What Betty Revere Wrote to
Anny De Peyster.
IimSTMAS ere In the roorn
B Ing. at Willanl's hotel. Wash-
ington. D. C. My Dearest
Girl I am sitting P "with
ten pillows at my back. It's only G
o'clock a. m., bat I can't sleep another
wink, not that I have slept, for 1
Laven'L not a moment, sim-e I lay
down at 2 a. ni. four hours ago, back
from the crush at the "White House.
"Before I go on another line. Merry
Christmas, dear, a thousand of them.
I sent you a wee Lit of a gift by post last
week, but I just had to light live can
dles on my dressing table (you know
how I dislike gast and give you the
news. Oh. yes, there is news. Nan, glo
rious news too! Dad Is to go positively
to Limoges as consul general. Don't
- pout, for I. who have always longed to
t live In France, shall remain here in the
States. Why? 1 hear you ask. He
cause I am engaged yes! to marry,
whom do you think? Mr. Feter Van
- Zandt. Hasty, you say. Yes. I sup
pose so. We had never met until six
weeks ago, when at the British embas
sy we did. It was a case of no, no.
not love, but liking at first sight, and
the very next morning his card came
up with some Cowers, and the next,
and the next, and all the mornings
since, and he himself every day. He
Is stopping at this hotel, too, and last
night at the White House, In a certain
corner of the conservatory, Betty Re
vere capitulated, and I'm happier than
I quite understand.
"As for Mr. Van Zandt. well, he
says he is In heaven. It's to be a late
autumn wedding. Feter says so. and
maybe it'll have to be In France; I
don't know yet But what do you
think? You remember the big brick
double house on the corner of the
square the house with two front
doors, one on Washington park, the
other around the corner? The house
we used to pass on our way to school
at No. 1, with the silver plate on the
door on the square, and 'Dr. Van
Zandt' on It? Well, that is to be my
home. Peter Is that Dr. Van Zandt's
son. and that queer old delicious dou
ble house was built that double way
so that the doctor's patients should not
disturb the doctor's family. They tell
mo it's exactly two separate establish
ments except for a single wide folding
door on each floor.
"So I am not to live abroad, and we
shall not be separated, and you will be
my first bridesmaid, and I know Peter
will like you and you Feter. and 1 do
wish his name wasn't Peter! I can
never call him that. lie's not like a
Peter; he's handsome and big and tall
and strong and a bit stern and very
tender and immensely courtly, and I
think we'll never become too intimate;
a too Intimate man must be frightful
to be married to. It's 7 o'clock now;
my chocolate will be coming up soon.
I've been engaged, let me see. seven
hours exactly, because I know It was
Just midnight when Feter. In a very
masterful way, 1 must say, took pos
session and slipped his great big ring
on my finger until he can fetch me a
prettier one, he said.
Yard and Company.
"Oil. Nan. dear, I wish you could see
the flowers Feter has just sent me a
great basketful, dripping over, with
little bridal roses and carnations! And
the foolish fellow says in his note. 'Not
as red as your mouth, not as sweet as
your kiss, not as fair as your face."
And in the heart of one of the roses
was such a ring! Nan. so brilliant and
beautiful; a constellat! n. not a soli
taire. I don't like solitaires. I wonder
how refer knew. - I suppose Feter has
Instincts; sonie men have. Now 1
must dress for a round of calls, then
dinner here. Feter is to dine with us.
Then the Christmas eve dance at the
Madisous". No one in the whole world
knows about Feter and me but you.
dear. I urn to wear the pink over the
blue with the mother of pearl fringe
and ribbon roses, you remember? And
I wish you were here with all my
heart
"Later: Oh, Nan, such a ball there
never was. with such charming sur
prises! One was a big tissue paper
balloon, red white and blue, hung be
tween the folding doors. After supper
Captain Ashleiuh. the military attache,
was blindfolded and armed with a
wand. His object was to strike the
balloon. He failed. In fact four men
failed. Then Mr. Vau Zandt's eyes
were bandaged and the wand given to
hlin. with all the company on the qui
vive, 1 can assure you. for it was a
novelty to all of us, and we were sur
mising what that balloon contained
when Peter (oh, how I wish his name
were not Feter!) struck the fatal blow,
and we were all showered with flour,
and with such a multitude of trinkets
of silver and silk and velvet as never
before was seen, some labeled, some
not the men all scrambling to get the
prettiest things for their especial girls,
the girls grasping at the prettiest mas
culine things for the especial man. It
seems It Is a German custom, and cer
tainly it was jolly and charming. Fe
ter. while we were dancing the cotil
lion (be led and did it to perfection),
said that we should have a balloon like
that one at the double house our first
Christmas there. I wonder if we will!
"Now, dear Nan. I must close. Write
me here at Willard's for the next fort
night Our movements are uncertain.
Dad heard at the state department
that he would be called upon to leave
for his post almost Immediately ow
iug to the death of his predecessor
In office at Limoges, and the vice is 111.
so I don't know how things may shape
themselves. Peter, not engaged but a
few hours If you please. Is already
quite presumptuous in his remarks ap
proving of early marriages. I am not
so sure. Peter Is only twenty-one. I
am I mean I will be eighteen soon.
Terhaps it vould be nicer to wait a
few years. I shall suggest the wis
dom of this to Peter tomorrow when
we are going for a ride together. Cap
tain Ashleigh is loaning us mounts.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that the de
lightful little carriage house and sta
ble built at the end of the garden of
the double house is not empty. Peter
has two enchanting. I'm sure they are
so from their names, horses. Poppet
and Peacock. They are eleven and
twelve years old. strawberry roans,
and a coupe which is to be done over
in white cloth for a bride! And there
are two wonderful old servants. Quite
old. but still very Immensely service
able, Feter says. Shaddle, a butler
he is almost thirty-five and Supple
her first name is Bridget who is ac
tually twenty-eight Don't call me a
fly away, although who knows but
that I am! Dad always calls me that
He told Peter now. Nan, what do
you think dad told reter? In the first
place, what do you think Peter told
dad? Nothing less than this: 'Colonel
Revere, I am going to marry your
jaughter if I can win her. That was
said the first time Peter ever saw me
Dad only told me today.
"And dad answered, 'Well. sir. your
audacity Is not displeasing. Take care.
though. My daughter is like quicksil
ver, only she is gold, and I sometimes
think no man will ever capture her if
he gives her time enough to change her
mind. Her mind is her own. sir, and
she takes surprising liberties with It
"I wonder if I do?
"Welt dear, an revoir. Write me
about Ned Davies. Are you 6till as
cruel to him as ever? And believe me
to be with sweetest thoughts of you
at Bloomlugdale as ever, BETTY.
"P. S. If my letter seems more frag
mentary and disjointed than usual put
It down to the fact that some mis
guided being In a room near our suit
has a violin and plays on it or with It
in the most excruciatingly horrible
way whenever I am in. You know
how I loathe violins save when played
by competent artists, and this person Is
evidently amateur, au bout des ongles.
A man, of course; he draws a strong
bow. I despise men who are musical.
I mean men who play on violins and
oianos and flutes. BETTY."
CHAPTER II.
Her Woman's Will; His Man's
fit ':
S Betty Lad written to her
closest friend, Anny De Pey
ster. Sir. Peter Van Zandt
was inclined to be master
ful Rt the same time he was ex
cettfingly young, a combination which
la not rare, it is true, but which, leav
ened as it was In his case with a fund
of patience and a sense of humor, ren
dered Van Zandt even at the early
age of ous-and-twenty, rather of a per
sonage in his particular circle. He
was. as Betty, beautiful, willful, per
haps spoilt Betty had written, a hand
some man: tremendously well set up:
one of the men who were always well
groomed, well dressed; unobtrusive,
but distinctly there: an obvious, unmis
takable factor in whatever position or
environment he found himself. It is
not too much to - say that he had
thought, reasoned and reached about
as many conclusions as one-and-twenty
of the masculine gender can. lie was
something of a man already, just as
Betty, laughing out her seventeen
years and the fraction, was a good
deal of a woman.
On the afternoon of the day Betty
had written to Anny De Peyster. she
went with Peter for the ride. Peter
had. later, a stag dinner on at the
club; some man who was going to be
tied up the following week, but he
managed to break away from this and
got back to Willanl's by 9:15. Word
came down that Miss Revere was In
disposed; word went back, hastily
Mr. Van Zandt Was the Man With the
Violin.
scribbled, that he "must see her; he
couldn't get on at all unless he did;
that it was four hours now since he
had. etc." Word came back by pencil
that "a headache was raging."
Peter went to his room and scribbled
again. "Let me come. I can cure It"
He waited a considerabye time for
the answer. While he waited he strove
to melt time away by playing upon his
violin.
Certainly Peter Van Zandt was the
man with the violin.
Then, Just as he was in the midst
of a very especially fortissimo pas
sage, Betty's reply reached. It ran
this way: "I have got up and into
a frock. My head Is splitting. It is
all the fault of some wretch who
plays the violin In a room below us
or above, or near by. At least he
thinks he plays. t'Ut the noise is fright
ful. I wish I could murder him. You
can come in three minutes. Daddy
is writing letters in hi3 room. I am In
the parlor. BETTY."
When Peter had read the note he
smiled, laid the violin on the dressing
table and in less than one minute was
in the parlor with Betty.
"Ho has stopped!" she exclaimed
with a delicious little pout as she con
trived not to have Mr. Van Zandt kiss
her.
"Who has stopped, dear?"
"The violin man. Did yon you
didn't really stop him?" with very
wide, almost frightened, eyes.
"Yes. I stopped him."
"Oh! How did you do It? Was he
angry? Is he young or old? What did
he say?"
"lie wasn't angry. lie is young. I
didn't say anything."
"reter!"
"I 6lraply took the vollln and laid it
away from him."
"But didn't he want to thrash you?"
"No."
"But it must have been an insult"
"Not exactly." Feter laughed. "How's
the headache. little sweetheart?"
"It's better."
"Let me smooth It There so. Per
haps 1 inherit some of my father's
curative power."
"Who is the violin man, Peter?"
Betty always pronounced the name
with hesitation and reserves of disap
proving taste.
"Oh. he's not a bad chap."
"A friend of yours?"
"Not an enemy, I trust"
"You must know him quite well to
have ventured to go Into his room and
take his violin from him."
Miss Betty's tone was indicative of
a lively Interest and an uncurbed curiosity.-
"Pretty well."
"Tell me his name, please."
"Oh. dear little girl, how can I?
Why should I? This man has Incurred
your displeasure, caused you pain, dis
tress" his warm lips were on hei
forehead "why should I give up his
identity to you?"
"Why not?" The ebtrnal femlnlas
wished to know at any hazard, and to
her there seemed none at alL
"Because, dear, you are likely to
meet him some day, and won't It be
more agreeable not to know until he
himself wishes to tell you whose vio
lin It was that distressed you?"
Betty sighed with a contentment
born of a line of reasoning that was
H
not without its seductions and Its im
plications of her own supremacy.
"I suppose so. Will I like him?" she
asked, wide eyed and after a pause.
"I hope so."
"You will not be jealous of him,
then?" with no attempt to conceal the
suspicious note.
"No, I thick not"
"Don't you know?"
"Not exactly. I might be Jealous of
even him."
Betty breathed more freely. "Do you
like the violin yourself, Feter?"
"Rather a favorite Instrument of
mine."
"Yes, to be sure, when well played."
"Yes. Betty darling."
"Well?"
"Can't you let go the violin, dear, and
just think of me?"
"No, Feter, I can't And I hate to
have your name 'Peter.' I do Indeed!
It doesn't match with you."
"What would match with me?" he
looked deeply, indulgently, fondly into
the lovely face.
Then Betty laughed and hid her
eyes and murmured. "Just I."
And there was the laughter of love
between them.
"And now you'll forget the violin
man, won't you, sweetheart?" he asked.
She shook her head doubtfully. "I'm
not so sure. You see, you say I'm
likely to meet him, being such a
friend of yours, and then will he want
to fetch his violin to to"
"Our house?" finished her lover. "Eh.
is that what you want to know, dear?"
Betty nodded, looking at him square
ly with her wonderfully blue eyes.
"Yes." Peter Van Zandt answered,
"the violin man will want to fetch his
violin to our house," his kiss was on
her red lips, "and he will want to play
for you."
"I couldn't stand It I hate musical
men I mean men who play on musical
Instruments: they're always very ef
feminate." Betty rose.
"Are they?" - Peter Van Zandt in
stinctively glanced at his own hand,
which was as powerful as a stonecut
ter's sledge hammer for all its white
ness of fle.;h and pinkness of nail.
"Yes. I am sure of it. Peter. If you
were a musician of any sort or kind I'd
send you flying. I certainly would. It
would spoil nil the rest of you."
"Would It?' Peter had risen, too, of
course, and had his arms around his
little love. "Ah. no. my own. if you
loved me and If 1 were musical you
would still love. Is it not so?'r
Betty withdrew; her black brows
contracted, her starry eyes were dim
med almost as if with tears.
"No, it's not so, Peter, at all. I may
be queer and silly, but. after all"
then she laughed for all the world as
April might laugh at January and
clapped her bands, and then laid them
softly upon Peter's shoulders and took
a deep breath, adding, "You're not a
musical man, and so why should we
disturb ourselves about your friend of
the violin?"
He prisoned her face between his
palms. Ue prisoned her glance in his.
"And would you really cast me off if.
well, say, if I were the violin man?"
Betty, with bewitching smiles and
gay little curves and flutes of mirth,
nodded her Imprisoned head and said.
"Yes. I would."
Again he kissed her, halted, made to
speak out held his peace and laughed
with those reservations of prophecy
which even very young men allow
themselves in connection with the girl
they love. ,r.
ft
CHAPTER III.
When the Birds Came Home.
LTTY REVERE and Peter Van
7andt were married at Grace
church. It was admitted to
have been the most beautiful
wedding New York then had ever
seen, with the most beautiful bride
and the most gallant and proud bride
groom. Anny De Peyster was inn id of
honor. There were eleven bridesmaids
and twenty-two ushers. The company
overflowed to the sidewalk, and the
music was from the organ and an or
chestra. And such music! No wed
ding marches, no voices breathing o'er
Eden Instead waltzes, the gayest of
the gaj. all the tunes that were liked
best In those farofl days. "II Bacio,"
"Una Palomita" and the rest Detty
was of a mind to go off. tripping to the
measures her small feet loved the best
aud It was noted that she fairly danced
up the aisle, and certainly down It, al
though keeping well in step with Pe
ter's stately tread.
Why did she have twenty-two ushers
and only eleven maids? "Because,"
laughed the bride, "every girl should
have two cavaliers so that not either
one of them might be too happy, and
so that she might choose and not be
forced into boredom." Colonel Re
vere gave his daughter In marriage,
sailing the next day for his post in
France,
When the merriment was at its high
est, when the rausle was the sweetest
Peter and his wife stole down the rear
staircase of the old St Nicholas hotel,
where Betty and her father had been
stopping; she, wrapped into an army
cloak.' and Into a coach and off for
Boston and Niagara before one grain
of rice or. a single slipper had been
thrown at them.
By and by through a little hole In
the walls of the garden of paradise
these two slipped back into the double
house on the corner of Washington
square, Peter darting up the steps and
unlocking the door himself, then down
again to catch her up and carry her in
bis arms up and into her own bouse.
"Welcome home, sweet wife of my
B
Boul!" Ad up he carried her to her
own rooms on the second floor, with
Shaddle busying himself with luggage
in the vestibule, with Miss Bridget
Supple gathering together satchels,
shawl straps and valises, both exchang
ing glances, Shaddle's somewhat sheep
ish and suggestive. Miss Supple' s arch,
yet forbidding, as Indeed had been the
case between these two for lo, these
past many years.
When the trunks were all taken up
and the light luggage, too; when Sup
ple had discovered that she was not
wanted above and therefore had come
down to assist Shaddle In looking over
the table and seeing that everything
was in exact form. Shaddle was found
standing, thoughtfully leaning against
the mantel corner twirling a ring
around on his large ' thumb. Miss
Bridget Supple had seen that ring be
fore, several times. Sho came into tne
dining room, drew the folding doors
closer between the drawing room, ar
ranged the curtains, even advanced to
the hearth and poked the logs a little,
lifted the bellows and began to puff
them.
"Bridget!" exclaimed Shaddle.
No attention was paid. Miss Supple
continued to ply her bellows. "Biddy!"
Miss Supple vouchsafed a glance-
"Ah, Biddy, darlin', what's the use
of waltin' any longer? Won't you
make It Christmas eve?"
Miss Supple, from sheer force of long
habit maybe, shook her head.
"Yes, you will!" Shaddle persisted.
"Isn't the young master's example a
good one? And if we keep en like this
we'll soon be too old for It altogether."
"Never too old," exclaimed Miss Sup
ple. "Maybe not." with a doubtful empha
sis. "But make it Christmas eve at
St Joseph's, won't you?"
Miss Supple had parried these sug
gestions for many revolving years.
Rising from the hearth she replied.
"Let's wait a bit Shad."
"'Walt a bit!'" retorted the butler.
"I've waited and waited and waited.
Biddy, what are wo waltin' for now?"
"To see how this" the serving wo
man lifted her eyes to the room over
head "turns out"
"Are you crazy? Turns out! With
the two of them clean wild for on5
another, how could it turn out? And
even if it didn't, what reason Is that
for you and mo to be keepin' from
havln' our banns read?" Shaddle re
arranged his forks with an undue clat
ter. "Walt a bit" reiterated Miss Supple,
adjusting her cap at the mirror in the
pier. "It's not us that should be after
leavln' them two young tilings to them
selves Just at the start."
"Isn't it?" cried Shaddle Irately.
"Of course we wouldn't be leavln'
for good and all. but only for a fort
night's vacation like: it wouldn't be
right, though. Mrs. Van Zandt 11 be
needin me. Shad, and the young mas
ter can't get on without you."
"Can't he! But I'm to get on without
you, Biddy?"
"Whisnt! Ain't I here In the same
house with you?" Mr. Shaddle seem
ed to find assuagement in the eyes of
Miss Supple, who, however, promptly
eliminated personal sentiment by ask
ing. "How do you like tbe new mis
tress ?"
"She's as fine as silk, Biddy."
"That 6he Is, with eyes In her head
like diamonds."
"He worships her."
"That he does."
"Ah, go on, now. Shad, them napkins
is tumbling over and the smilax
wreaths are fallln from tbe chande
lier." Shaddle, dissuaded thus from mere
romance, replaced the smilax. stood
the plate warmer in front of the glow
ing fire and then vanished Into hla
pantry.
That first dinner went off admirably;
many another with friends and rela
tives at the board; Anny De Peyster
Little Surprises For Peter When He
Came Home.
and Ned Davies, of course. Fast fol
lowing days when reter went down to
his law office In Nassau street when
Betty, under Biddy's cheerful guid
ance, got inklings of the housekeeping
6he knew nothing at all of. Little sur
prises for Peter when he came home
toward 5 o'clock, little bits of wifely
comfortlngs as to warm slippers, house
coats laid out and brushes at band.
Sometimes the coupe and Poppet and
Peacock prancing iii their new harness
down Broadwny to Nassau to fetch
Peter home; sometimes to carry him
downtown In the morning. Evenings
at tho opera, the theater; quieter times
at home in the library or. rather, in
each library by turns, for there were
two. of course.
It was an actual double house over
which Mrs. Van Zandt was called upon
to preside. On each floor merely the
big archway connecting; the two emits
separate establishments and no com
munication at all In the garrets.
Teter had. when refurnishing the
double house completely for his bride,
taken the keys of the archway door
there were doors? to be sure; solid ma
hogany. Inches thick, polished as glass,
now flung wide with curtains looped
aside to frame them Feter then had
taken the three keys, tied them to
gether and carried them up to the gar
ret of the half of the bouse farthest
from the square. He hung them on a
peg and said, "We will never want
them, but let them alone Just for the
sake of the governor who's gone on."
So it was, after all the old physi
cian's painstaking years of eque?tra
tioa of his profession from Ms family,
now one big single house rramed over
by tho restless fret of Betty Vaa
Zandt
nils very day she had been hprself
dusting Peter's library; they called the
library In the Washington square half
l'eter's, because there were none tut
law books there, and Betty, for mis
chief, Lad just put a couple of senti
mental novels on the table and a copy
of I L' rper's and of Godey's; then she
had frisked out into the garden. Such
a delicious garden as It was. with the
high' spiked Iron fence matted with ar
bor vltnes all the year round; with
box bordered paths all gravelly be
neath her slippered feet; with a little
fountain and deep shade of horse
chestnut and fruit trees; an arbor
thatched with grapevines, seats here
and there, and flowers! All the sweet
old fashioned kiads in their seasons,
pansies and Sweet Alice, lady slippers,
hollyhocks, lilies of tbe valley: mar
igolds, dahlias; bieeding hearts: lark
spur, bluebells, foxgloves: fuchsias.
Mexican sage, snowballs; Macs: In
small formal beds marked out by box
way up to tbe stable and carriage
house.
Betty had put on one of her prettiest
frocks, a black silk skirt and an over
gown that I think they called a Dolly
Vnrden, a pannlered. rullled. fichued
bit of daintiness with bunches of po
sies, pink and green and violet on a
creamy gown. Betty's hair. In a won
derful waterfall, with a beaded net
confining somewhat its exuberant
tendency to curl all over her rtvtty
head, had then frisked out Into her
garden to gather a posy for the table.
They went to dine alone that even
ing. Just Betty and Peter. They had
been married exactly three months,
and Feter bad said In a lordly wsy
that he hoped no one would drop In
.-.round G:Cu. a man wanted his wife
to himself sometimes, etc.. at all of
which Mistress Betty bad laughed Joy
ously. Had there been such a thing In
those days as a telephone she wonld
promptly have rut It Into fommilon
and had guests to tease her husband
with.
As it was. for she was n child fall of
whimsies, conceits, little rebellions,
petting awny from the routine of
things, Betty. instead of being at the
vestibule to greet Feter on the third
monthly reminder of her wedding day.
elected to sit demurely ta the garden
listening for the click of tbe night key
l the latch.
CHAPTER IV.
When the Violin Man Came.
8nE heard It; also heard Inquir
ing tones anJ Shaddle's sub
dued replies, quick plunging
footsteps up the stairs, down
again, out the back door. Into the gar
den, up the broad, central path. Betty
fied from ber seat In the srbor and
darted back Into the house, ran up tbe
stairs and stood dimpling, mirthful oa
the landing while Peter searched.
"Sure." oterved Miss Supple to her
inamorata, -they're like two cbl!der."
"Ah. yes, but they're grown up for
all that!" was the butler's sage re
Joinder. Betty stood there full five minotes
She was sure she had heard Peter
come Into the bouse; sure she bsd
beard his voice and Shaddle's.
To be sure she had. but not to dis
cern the words.
Mr. Van Zandt had asked Shaddle
where a certain thlug was. a thin
tbe serving man bud noted that his
master had not touched In months
now. He had fetched It; Feter bsd
taken It Biddy had seen ber young
master unfastening the case, drawing
forth the contents: then she had bevX
oned the butler away to his pantry,
and there the two faithful souls stood
together quite breathless and poignant
watching, waiting, for they didn't pre
cisely know what
Their mistress, too. stood now no
the threshold of ber own room, the
door ajar, her lips parted, ber car bent
Where, then, was Feter?
If he could tarry she was assuredly
In no haste. She withdrew, pushed tbe
door closer, flung herself Into a cbslr.
dallied with a powder puff, a hand
glass, laughing at her own most radi
ant face.
As she laughed In sheer Joy over tbe
beauty of herself and of Peter's pos
session of that beauty and over the
lesson she would teach Peter a to hi
patience, all. all to end In bis k!e on
her mouth. Hetty heard a sound, n
wail, a mellowed but Herring p
She put her hands up to her ear, then
took them down
It was a violin.
A violin played by an nnadept hsn5
it must be Peter's friend, tbe violin
man of Willard's. fetched tx-me by '
Peter for dinner.
And Peter bad said. "Let ns be all
alone this evening dear, little gtrt
please."
And Betty had said. "Tes."
It was certainly horrid of Peter t
fetch liorne a gist nnd. ; a;, t". rt
violin man on this pirti'.-u-ar everts..;,
and beyond everything It -rt.iix.'y
was ungenerous of Peter tt at.ry.tm
the violin man or to let fcim srn ui; e
himself in this remarkably ifcf.trr.sl
fashion.
Doubtless the violin man gen
ius. Genln.ses were m.j .lens.n.t f...
Peter woild surety b corning c; s u
to tell her. or. at least. If ' T..,.iu
frVnd was so determi'ed:y U.tlr.m'e.
fchaddle would be sett with Lit ciud
r bis came.
Mrs. Van Zandt sat down again. Hot
nil the while tbe violin was wsiUrg.
calling, searching, with Its sTrso.
weird, pussy cat voice resounding up
and down and all OTer tbe tig doubt
louejuIte-lf It rFe at lt aei
tomed Laur.t and Betty's roes frew
a deeper red. ber Ups qn!vereL ter
eyes Cashed with the rvearhy tears.
DM Pfter. then. tMck that Lis wire
would come down at the call of V-l
vUIln man? Did TeTrr wish his wire
to answer such m weird and Jesg
announcement?
He could not.
The violin man mast be sn onron
frcllable boor. FLe stonl.l lt still
right there In ber own room, until
Peter came or sent
Below in th butler's pantry SaLU
set on the shelf dancing t', L?.
listening: Miss Scpp' t Cie er-k Li
respectful atlsodnce at call of either
master or mistress; both speechless but
quite uncomprehecd.r.g.
No one summoned them.
Betty, above, beard the shriek, tbe
long attenuated caa cf te strings
coming to her; there seemed a sort ef
witchery in tbe excruciating loartlstlc
ness cf the quivering t"nes. Ste got
up. came to tte doer, opened It Cer
tainly tbe violin r&aa ranst be- at te
foot of the stairs. eTen up at tte 2rt
landing: she drew back.
Then Peter poke. -Betty!"
Br.t tbis eUd not obtain r?ply. Mis
tress Betty was of Do Ciisd t be
summoned t!ius lnforn;a"y wt! tb
violin man went patiently oa wita hi
bow.
"Darling!" cam to Betty's artociVied
ears.
Then "Sweetheart!" reacted her ont
nged hearing.
Then Peter laagel. tie clrta seem
ing to chime la qieerly wlta a wild
Not Reliiqsiiehina Hie V.elm, He Pat
Out H-e Arms te Inclose Her W.th It.
dissonant strala from th slotla. It
smote ber brain and besrt. sad CiJ
them ache.
It even made the discreet bctr as !
serving woman in tbe p-sntry glaae
at each other la a strsr.e. bew.b?rel
fashioo.
-Betty r rim up to ter axila-
Sbe t1ptrd out of ter ruoci. to tie
railing: she looked dowa tbe s-jnare
well of the staircase, sod uw her bi
band, standia? alone In the bail. toM
lag a vlolia under bis cblo, dm w'.iZ
tbe bow with that peculiar carr.
emphasis which Is more epe-!;:y tie
manifestation of tie person who witta
to t'ay on tbe viotla and can't.
Her tig eyes dilated, ber silni Cnre
quivered, her ilpe and cheeks were
whit as her teeth; wita ber two !!::
bands she gripped tie rsl'lrc a
looked over. down, at ner b-ssbac I be
low. Van Zandt g!r.eed op eager, errert
ant. wairing for ber.
" Peter r the ejaculate! la a enris.
buhed vctce.
"Ye. loTe girl. It's L" Fie r!Ted oa.
-I see you." Then fee loot." I R?
ber f.i'-e again, seeing the lUjtm cf it
no longer there, bat b r?3 Jed on. "rt
stmgr!Ir.g attempts. wfee-L:-.r tie
strings Icto wast he perhaps fjs-i-l
was a melody.
"Come down." he said fc"Kri-.t'.
Betty rim down bedien'.ly. bt
aand upoa t!ie rail for ates'ly'-a,:. r1"'
baps.
Then, not rellnaulthlnc bis eia. ft
put out bis arms to In! ter w?: It-
B-tty be!d a'onf. onrsponslTe.
"Were yon the vto'Irj ro e? vT'.l
lard's yoirself?" be asked ta s t".:--small
voire, brittle as lryl-n ri.-s.
with a little break f feeart la rfT7
syllable It ntterL
TesT Peter lsnzhed train. r-.:1 e
youth, masuilnlty. rssest." "l rv
dlatlng tls larX of knowledge ef
anklrvl as Lrl"lnntly as mm rx ''
"Ton are Jestin. Peter T Iler et
eves oul-k! son z-, t the rif. b ;r
yon: In tbe shadows ef tie W.r t"
way: her sweet breeth flitter! w!:
ecstasy at tae foncbt tit
bend wss but mi -aerating, tilt tk.e
real vlol'.a mao was of cwrse 13 tl-