The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current, December 22, 1913, Page PAGE 6, Image 6
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-