The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, December 12, 1922, Page 7, Image 7
THE MYSTERY GIRL By f.VltOLY.N VI ELLA. (Copyright. 1922.) (Continued from Yesterday.) SYNOPSIS. John Waring, gentleman and achnl »•“, has just won (he holly contested election to the presidency of Corinth I allege, a venerable New England seat of learning. Before his inaugura tion he plans to marry Emily Bates, a charming and cultivated widow. The widow and other friends are hav ing tea at the Waring home. The house was a large one. with a fine front portico upheld by six enor mous fluted columns. O’c of the most beautiful of New Langland doorways led into a wide Bill. To the right of this was the drawing room, not so oflen used and not so well liked as the more cozy living room to the left us one entered and where the tea drinking group now sat. Further back, on the living room side, was the dining room, and be side It. back of the drawing room, was the doctor's study. Tills was the gem of the whole house. The floor had been sunken to give greater ceiling height, for the room was very large, and of fine proportions. It opened onto the cross hall with wide double doors, and a flight of six or seven steps descended to its rug cov ered floor. Opposite the double doors was the great fireplace with high over-mantel of carved stone. Each side of the nantel were windows, high and not large. The main daylight came1 tiirough it great window on the right of the entrance and also from a long French window that opened like doors on the eume side. This French window, giving on a small porch, and the door that opened into the cross hall of the house were the only doors in the great room, save those on cupboards ami bookcases On the other side of the room, oppo site the French window, was a row of four small windows looking into the ■ lining room. But these were high, and could not be seen through by people on the sunken floor of the study. Th* whole room was done In Circas sian walnut, and represented the Ideal abode of a man of letters. The fire side was flunked with two facing dav enports, the wide window seat was piled with cushions. The french win dow doors were suitably curtained and the high windows were of truly beau tiful stained glass. The spacious table desk was tn the middle of the room, and bookcases, both portable and built-in, lined the walls. There were a few good busts and valuable pictures, and the whole effect was one of dignity and repose rather than of elaborate grandeur. The room was renowned, and all Corinth spoke of it with pride. The students felt it a great occasion that brought them within Its walls and the faculty loved nothing better than a session there. Casual guests were rarely enter tained in the study. Only especial visitors or those worthy of Us classic atmosphere found welcome there. Mrs. Peyton or Helen were not ex pected to use it, and Mrs. Pates had already declared she should respect it as the sanctum of Dr. Waring alone. The two made their way to the win dow seat, and as he arranged the soft cushions for her. Waring said, "Don't Emily, ever feel shut out of this room. As I lP e now. I've not welcomed the Peytons In here, but tny wife is a dif ferent preposition.'' "I still t'el an awo of tho place, John, but I may yet used to It. Anyway, I'll try. Hnd 1 do appreciate your will ingness to have me in here. Then if you want to be alone, you must put me out.’’ "I'll probably do that sometimes, dear, for I have to spend many hours alone. You know, I'm not taking the presidency lightly." "t know It, you conscientious dear. But, on the other hand, don’t be too serious about it. You're Just the man for the place, Just the character for a college president, and If you try too hard to improve or reconstruct your self you’ll probahiy spoil your present perfection.” Well, nothing would qpou your present perfection, my Emily. I am to greatly blest—to ha'-9 the great honor from the college—and you, too.” "Are you happy. John? All happy?” Waring's deep blue eyes fastened themselves on her face. His brown hair showed only a little gray at the temples, his fine face was not touched deeply by times lines, and his clear wholesome skin glowed with health. If there was an Instant's hesitation before his reply came, it was none the less hearty and sincere. “Yes, my dar ling, all happy. And you?" •'I am happy, if you are,” she re turned. "But I can never be happy if there is a shadow of any sort o» your heart. Is there, John? Tell me, truly.” "You mean regarding this trouble that 1 hear Is brewing for me?" "Not only that; 1 mean in any di rection.” "Trouble, Emily! With you in my arms! No, a thousand times no! Trou ble and 1 are strangers so long as I have you!” Miss Mystery Arrives. Any one who has arrived at the rail road station of a New England vill age, after dark on a very cold winter night, the train late, no one to meet him, and no place engaged for board and lodging, will know the desolation of such a situation. New England's small railroad sta tions are much alike, the crowds that alight from the trains arc much alike, the people waiting on the platform for me arriving travelers are much alike. Hut there came into Corinth one night a passenger who was not at all like the fellow passengers on that belated train. It was a train from New York, due In Corinth at 5:40. but owing to the extreme cold weather, and various untoward freezings occasioned there by. the delays were many and long and the train drew Into the station shortly after 7 o'clock. The passenger who wag ur.llKe the others, stepped down from the car platform, and holding her small suit case firmly, crossed the track and en tered the station waiting room. She went to the ticket window, but found there no attendant. Impatiently she tapped her little foot on tlje old hoard floor, but no one appeared. Undecided as to her next move, she opened the station door Just in time to see an old man with long white beard Jump into his sleigh and begin to tuck fur robes about him. "lie sprang to his sleigh—to his team gave a whistle—" she quoted to herself, and then cried out, "Hey, there, Santa Claus, give me a lift?" "You engaged for our house?" the man called back, and as she shook her head, he gathered up his reins. "Can't take any one not engaged,” he called back. "Oiddap:" “Walt—wait! I command you!" The sharp, clear young voice rang out through the cold winter air, and Old Saltonatall Adams paused to listen. "Ho. ho." he chuckled, “you com mand me, do you? Now, 1 haven't been commanded for something like 50 years.” "Ob. don’t stop to fuss," the girl exclaimed, angrily. "Don't you see I'm cold, hungry and very uncomfort able? You have a boarding house—I want board—now, you take me In. Do you hear?” "Sure. X hear, but. miss, we've only •o many rooms, and they're all occu pied or engaged." "Boms ara engaged, but aa yet un occupied?” The dark eyes challenged him. and Adam mumbled—"Well, that is atiout It." "Very well. I will occupy one until the engager comes along.” The wind blew fiercly, It was snow ing a little, and the drifts sent feath ery clouds through the air. Tile trees, coated with ice from a recent sleet storm, broke off crackling bits of ice as they passed. The girl looked about, at first curiously, and then timidly, as if frightened by what she saw. It was riot a long ride, and they stopped before a large house, showing comfortably lighted windows and a broad front door that swung open even as the girl was getting down from the skigh. ‘‘For the land sake!" exclaimed a brisk feminine voice, "this ain't Let ty! Who in the earth have you got here?’ "I don't know." Old Salt Adams re plied, truthfully. "Take her along, mother, and give her a night's lodg ing." "But where is Letty? Didn't site come?" "Now can't you soa she didn't come? You s’pose I left her at the station? Or dumped her out along the road? No—since you will have it, she didn't come. She didn't come!" Old Salt drove on toward the barns, and Mrs. Adams bade the girl go into the house. The landlady followed, and as she saw the strange guest she gazed at her In frank curiosity. "You want a room, 1 s'pose," she began. "But I'm sorry to say we haven't one vacant—” "Oh, I'll take Letty's. She didn't come, you see, so I can take her room Tor tonight." "Betty wouldn t like that. "But I would And I’m here and Betty isn't. Shall we go right up?” Picking up her small suitcase, the girl started and ihen stepped back for the woman to lead the way. "Not quite so fast—if you please. What is your name?" As the landlady's tone changed to a sterner Inflection, the girl likewise grew dignified. "My name is Anita Austin," she said, coldly. "Where are you from?" "New York City." "What address?" By this time tire strange dark eyes had done their work. A steady glance from Anita Austin seemed to compel all the world to do her bidding. At any rate. Mrs. Adams look the suit case, and without a further word conducted the strapger upstairs. She took her into an attractive bed room, persumably made ready for the i absent Betty. "This will do,” Miss Austin said, I calmly. "Will you send me up a tray i of supper? I don’t want much, and 1 prefer not to come down to dinner." "Band sake, dinner's over long ago. You want some tea. 'n bread 'n' but ter, n’ preserves, ’ll' cake?" "Yes, thank you, that sounds good. Send it in half an hour." To her guest Mrs. Adams showed merely a face of aequiesenoe, tint once outside the door, and released from the -poll of those eerie eye- she re marked to herself. "For the land sal: " with great emphasis. "Well, what do you know about that:’ t >k i bait Adams cried, when, after she had started hint on his sup per. his wife related the episode. I can't make her out." Mrs. Adams sa id. thoughfully. "But I don't like her. And 1 won't keep In r. Tomorrow, you take her over to Hel ton's." "Just as yuu say. But I thought her kinda interesting looking. You can t say she isn’t that." "Maybe so. to some folks. Not to me. And Letty'll coma tomorrow, so that girlll have to get out of the room." Meanwhile "that girl" was eagerlj peering out of her window. bhe tried to discern which were the i lights of the college buildings, but through the still lightly falling snow, she could see but little. "Corinth." she whispered. "Oh, Corinth, what do you hold for me? 1 What fortune or misfortune will you bring me? What fortune or misfor tune shall I bring to others? Oh. Jus tice, Justice, what crimes are commit ted in thy name!" Miss Mystery Baffles Speculation. The next morning Anita appeared in the dining room at the breakfast hour. Mrs. Adams scanned her sharply, and looked a little disapprovingly at the short, scant skirt and slim, silken legs of her new boarder. Anita, her dark eyes scanning her hostess with equal sharpness, seemed to expres an equal diapproval of the country-cut gingham and huge white apron. Not at all obtuse, Mrs. Adams sensed this, and her tone was a little more deferential than she had at first intended to make it. "Will you sit here, please. Miss Austin?" she indicated a chair next herself. "No thank you, I'll sit by my friend." and the girt slipped into a vacant chair next Btiitonstall Adams. Old Sait gave a furtive glance at his wife, and suppressed a chuckle at her surprise. “This is Mr. Tyler’s place.” he said to the usurper, "but I expect he’ll lot you have It this once." "I mean to have it all the time," and Anita nodded gravely at her host. “All the time is this one meal only," crisply put In Mr. Adams. "I’m sorry, Miss Austin, but we can’t keep you here. I have no vacant room." The entrance of ome other people gave Anita a chance to speak in an undertone to Mr. Adams, and she said, "you'll let nie slay till Hetty comes, won't you? I suppose you are boss in your own house." As a matter of fact almost any phrase would have described the man belter than "boss in his own house,” but the idea tickled his sense of irony, and lie chuckled as he replied, "You bet I ami Here you stay—as long as you want to.” "You're my friend, then?" and an , appealing glance was shot at him be j neath long, curling lashes that proved the complete undoing of Saltonstall Adams. "To the death!" lie whispered In mock dramatic manner. Anita gave a shiver. "What a way FATIMA7 CIGARETTES / for TWENTY —and after all, what other cigarette is so highly respected by so many men? Lit Fatima smokers tell you Liggitt& Mteiis Tobacco Co. ADVmnitXIK r. Thousands of housewives have found that they can save two-thirds of the money usually spent for cough preparations, by using this well known old recipe for making cough syrup. It is simple and cheap but it ha* no equal for prompt results. 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But when the .fill smiled or spoke or frowned, changes look place, and tlie mobile countenance grew soft with laughter or hard with scorn. And scorn was plainly visible when a moment later Adams introduced Robert Tyler, a. fellow boarder, to Miss Austin. She gave him first a conventional glance, then, ns be dropped into tlie chair next hers, and said "Only too gi id l«» give up any place to a peach.” she turned on him a flashing glance j that, as lie expressed it afterward, "wiped him off the face of the*earth.” Nor could he reinstate himself in her good graces. lie tried a penitent attitude, bravado. Jocularity and in difference. hut one and all failed to engage her interest or even atten tion. fc>he answered his remarks witii cilm. curt speeches that left him baffled and uncertain whether he wauled to bow down and worship her. or wring her neck. Old riaIt Adams took this all in, his amusement giving way to curiosity and then to wonder. 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