Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1914 — The Hollow of Her Hand [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Hollow of Her Hand

By GEORGE BARR MCCUTCHEON

A trfftoF of “Graastatk” “Trurton King," tic.

Illustrations by Ellsworth Young

Copyright, 1912. b> George Barr McCutcheon Copyright. 1912. by Dodd. Mead A Company CHAPTER XIX. The Hollow of Her Hand. When Booth called in the afternoon at Sara’s apartment, he was met by the news that she was quite ill and could-seenoone—neteven him. The doctor had been summoned during the night and had returned in the morning, to find that she had a very high temperature. The butler could not enlighten Booth further than this, except to add that a nurse was coming in to take charge of Mrs. Wrandall, more for the purpose of watching her symptoms than for anything else, he believed. At least, so the doctor had said. Two days passed before the distressed young man could get any definite news concerning her condition. He unconsciously began to think of it as a malady, not a mere illness, due of course to a remark Carroll had dropped when Sara had told him' the whole truth of the tragedy and of her own vindictive plans. It was Carroll himself who gave a definite report of Sara. He met the lawyer coming away from the apartment when he called to inquire. J She isn’t out of her head, or anything like that,” Said Carroll uneasily, ‘‘but she’s in a bad way, Booth. I’ll tell you what I think is troubling her more than anything else. Down in her heart she realizes that Hetty Castleton has got to be brought face to face with the Wrandalls.” ‘‘The deuce you say!" “Today I eaw her for the first time. Almost Immediately she asked me if I thought the Wrandalls would treat Hetty fairly if they ever found out the truth about her. I said I thought they would. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that their grievance undoubtedly would be shifted from Hetty to her, and that they wouldn’t be likely to forgive her for the stand she’d taken. She doesn’t seem to care, however, what the Wrandalls think of her. By the Way, have you any influence over Hetty Castleton?” “I wish I were sure that I had,” said Booth. “Do you think she would come if you sent her a cablegram?” “I am going over—” “She will have your letter in a couple of days, according to Sara, who seems to have a very faithful correspondent in the person of that maid. I shudder to think of the’cable tolls in the past few months! I sometimes wonder if the maid suspects anything more than a loving Interest in Miss Castleton. What I was about to suggest is this: Couldn’t you cable her on Friday saying that Sara is very ill? This is Tuesday.” “I will cable, of course, but Sara must not know that I’ve done it.” “Can you come to my office tomorrow afternoon?” “Yes. Tomorrow night I shall go over to Philadelphia, to be gone till Friday. I hope it will not be necessary for me to stay longer. You never can tell about these operations.” "I trust everything will go well. Brandon.” Several things of note transpired before noon on Friday. The Wrandalls arrived from Europe, without the recalcitrant colonel. Mr. Redmond Wrandall, who met them at the dock, heaved a sigh of relief. “He will be over on the Lusitania, next sailing,” said Leslie, who for some reason best knfiwn to himself wore a troubled look. - Mr. Wrandall’s face fell. “I hope not," he said, much to the Indignation of his wife and the secret uneasiness of his son. “These predatory connections of the British nobility—'" “Predatory!” gasped Mrs. Wrandall. “ —are a bleod-sucking lot,” went on the old gentleman firmly. “If he comes to New York, Leslie, I’ll stake my head he won’t be long In borrowing a few thousand dollars from each of us. And he’ll not seek to humiliate us by attempting to pay it back. Oh, I know thefm.” Leslie swallowed rather hard. “What’s the news here, dad?” he asked hastily. “Anybody dead?” “Sara Is quite 111, I hear. Slow fever of some sort, Carroll tells me.” “Is she going to marry Brandy Booth?" asked his son. Mr. Wrandall’s face stiffened. “I fear I was a little hasty in my conclusions. Brandon came to the office a few days ago and informed me in rather plain words that there is absolutely nothing In the report.” "The deuce you say! ’Gad, I wrote her a rather intimate letter —” Leslie got no farther than this. He was somewhat stunned and bewildered by hie private reflections. Mr. Wrandall was lost in study for some minutes, paying ho attention to the remarks of the other occupants of the motor that whirled them across town. “By the way, my dear,” he said to his wife, a trifle irrelevantly, “don’t

you think It would be rightTof you and Vivian to drop In thin afternoon and see Sara? Just to let her know that she isn't without—' "It's out of the question, Redmond," said his wife, a shocked expression in her face as much as to say that he must be quite out of his head to suggest such a thing. ~We shall be dreadfully busy for several day, unpacking and—well, doing all sorts of necessary “She is pretty sick. I hear," mumbled "Hasn't she got a nurse?" demanded his wife. "I merely offered the suggestion in order—" ** “Well, we’ll see her next week. Any other news?" “Mrs. Booth, Brandon’s mother, was operated on for something or other day before yesterday." “Oh, dear! The poor thing! Where?" “Philadelphia, of Course.” “I wonder if —-let me see, Leslie, isn’t there a good train to Philadelphia at four o’clock? 1 could go—" "Really, my dear," said her busband sharply. “You forget how busy we are, mother," said Vivian, without a smile. "Nonsense!” said Mrs. Wrandall, in considerable confusion. “Was It a serious operation, Redmond?” “They cut a bone out of her nose, that’s all. Brandon says her heart is weak. They were afraid of the ether. She’s all right, Carroll says.” "Goodness!” cried Mrs. Wrandall. One might have suspected a note of disappointment in her voice. “I shall go up to see Sara this afternoon.” said Vivian calmly. “What’s the number of her new apartment?” “You have been up to see her, of course,” said Mrs. Wrandall acidly. He fidgetted. “I didn't hear of her illness until yesterday.” “I’ll go up with you, Viv,” said Leslie. "No, you won’t,” said his sister flatly. "I’m going to apologize to her for something I eaid to Brandon Booth. You needn’t tag along. Les.” At half-past five in the afternoon, the Wrandall limousine stopped in front of the tall apartment building near the park, a footman jested open the door, and Miss Wrandall stepped out. At the same moment a telegraph messenger boy paused on the sidewalk to compute the artistic but puzzling numerals on the imposing grilled doors of the building. Miss Wrandall had herself announced by the obsequious doorman, and stood by in patience to wait for the absurd rule of the house to be carried out: “No one could get in without being announced from below,” said the doorman. "I c’n get in all right, all right.” said th§ messenger boy, “I got a tellygram for de loidy.” "Go to the rear!” exclaimed the doorman, with some energy. While Mise Wrandall waited in Sara's reception hall on the tenth floor, the messenger, having traversed a more devious route, arrived with his message. Watson took the envelope and told him to watt. Five minutes passed. Miss Wrandall grew very uncomfortable under the persistent though complimentary gaze of the street urchin. He stared at her, wide-eyed and admiring, his tribute to the glorious. She

Blared back occasionally, narrow-eyed and reproving, her tribute to the grotesque. “Will you please step into the draw-ing-room, Miss Wrandall," said Watson, returning. He led her across the small foyer and threw open a door. She passed into the room beyond. Then he turned to the boy who stood beside the hall seat, making change for a quarter a» he approached. “Here,” he said, handing him the receipt book and a dime, “that’s for you.’* He dropped the quarter into his own pocket, where it mingled with coins that were strangers to It up to that instant, and imperiously closed the door behind the boy who failed to say “thank you.” Every man to hie trade! There was a woman in the drawingroom when Vivian entered, standing well over against the windows with her/back to the light The visitor stopped short in surprise. She had expected to find her sister-in-law in bed, attended by a politely superior person in pure white. "Why, Sara,” she began, "I am so glad to see you are up and —" The other woman came forward. “But I am not Sara, Miss Wrandall,*' she said, in a well-remembered voice. "How do you do?” Vivian found herself looking into the face of Hetty Castleton. Instantly she extended her hand. “This is a surprise!” she exclaimed. "When did you return? Leslie told

me your plans were quite settled when he saw you in Lucerne. Oh, I See! Of course! How stupid of me. Sara sent for you.” “She has been quite ill,” said Hetty, non-committally. “We got in yesterday. Fthought my - place- was here, naturally.” “Naturally," repeated Vivian, in a detached sort of way. "How is she today? May I see her?" "She is very much better. In fact, she is sitting up in her room." A warm flush suffused her face, a shy smile appeared in her eyes. “She is receiving two gentlemen visitors, to be perfectly honest. Miss Wrandall, her lawyer, Mr. Carroll, and—Mr. Booth.” They were seated side by side on the uncomfortable Louis Seize divan in the middle of the rootn. “Perhaps she won’t care to see me, after an audience so fatiguing," said Miss Wrandall sweetly. "And so exasperating,” she added, with a smile. Hetty looked her perplexity. “But she will see you, Miss Wrandall—if you don’t mind waiting. It is a business conference they’re having.” An ironic gleam appeared in the corner of Vivian’s eye. "Oh,” she said, and waited. Hetty smiled uncertainly. All at once the tall American girl was impressed by the wistful, almost humble look in the Englishwoman's eyes, an appealing look that caused her to wonder not a little. Like a flash she Jumped at an obvious conclusion, and almost caught her breath. This girl loved Booth and was losing him! Vivian exulted for a moment and then, with an impulse she could not quilo catalogue, laid her hand on the other s slim fingers, and murmured somewhat hazily: “Never mind, never mind!” “Oh, you must wait,” cried Hetty, not at all in touch with the other’s mood. “Sara expects to see you. The men will be out in a few minutes.” “I think I will rurt in tomorrow morning,” said Vivian hastily. She arose almost immediately and again extended her band. “So glad to see you back again, Mies Castleton. Come and see me. Give my love to Sara.” She took her departure in some haste, and in her heart she was rejoicing that she bad not succeeded in m iking a fool of herself by confessing io Sara that she had said unkind things about her to Brandon Booth. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Sale bills printed while you wait at The Democrat office:

He Met the Lawyer Coming Away From the Apartment.