The Green Mouse

Telephone Con

ted out some silver, and handed it

nd reading it aloud to me to see

aid Sacharissa

CY COURLAN

Avenue. If I don't appear by New Year's you'll know

VAN K. V

deeply. "I can't se

nded the young

sister, and three younger sisters are expected at the Courlan

number," he said; "just say I

and a servant took

are two things still" possible. First, you might ring up police headqua

"wouldn't the newsp

rfectly rig

, hands resting upon it, she could look down into the car wher

," she said. "Is there anything I can

her in a be

ain here until after New Ye

d it. Nobody seems to want to

ge--two days

better call u

nd, on a tour of the city. If he hunts hard enough and long enou

instructed him, and he went away, prom

heerful and smoothed out the worried pu

you will never forgive my m

all," he admitted,

eve you think

, I

want to go

countenance of Sacharissa. "I

our philosophy teaches yo

each other in

sure that I care at all.... In fact, now that I think of it, why should I have wished

eflectively, "that I came

he

morn

ore you

rather hastily, "b

ridiculous thing to say! What on earth was tw

he window this morning, thinking, and it occurred to me that I

y wanted to go. It's jollier in town. Don't yo

is perfectly deligh

then looked

ould like to g

the snow is bad for one's

sorry that I'm giving

y. If only I could d

u a

I

to me. I am afraid you feel under o

n't. I was n

through the bars: "Are you qu

e something

nds me," she said, "hav

er a little polite protestat

lle to him, and, as they lunched, he in his cage, she close to the bars, they fell into conversation, excha

about going to Tuxedo this morning you would not be here

"If you hadn't been ill you would have gone

rence," she assented, thoughtfully,

rille, which, as she was seated, br

ough we were doomed to meet each other, any

lightly: "Wha

ugh Fate intended us to meet

mained

lly: "I never wa

or anything?" she asked, aware

uld see to read in he

reply she found herself walking down the landing, toward

t a book?"

't see to read. But perhap

u going

mind you

ette; she looked a

maining," he said. Where

amuse you--till Ferdinand ret

ldn't think of askin

duty," she insi

hy

are under my

don't th

ere is anything I can do to mak

I rather like

amiable of y

lly me

you reall

e close to the bars; she stood with both hands resting on t

Bronx, and it rather astonishes me that

gan seriously: "If Ferdinand doesn't find anybody I

t. You know when one becomes accustomed to

he cage, and as the box would not go through the ba

, "how soon Ferdinand

ged his

head, chose a chocolat

rribly impatien

-terr

countered and sh

verybody in this house. I--I think it is most a

, "I'm feeling about as cheerf

up in

act

aned forward in sudden consternation. "I never thought of that!" she

stly fixed on his. The sweet mouth quivered a

ht catch in his voice, "I don

very much in it. Be careful, I beg of yo

er you," he said, steppin

u really must keep perfectly still. Won't y

anything," he sa

o notice that he

e as it would go to the gr

r courage, won't you?

way, how far is it

te white for a

tter go and rin

times no! I coul

might--drop

haven't the least idea that this thing is going to dro

d, looking into his rat

id, looking into he

almly: "Will you promise me not to m

be very lon

" she repli

center of the room, hands clasped behind he

ctive man I have ever seen.... I--I don't know what's the matter," she added piteously...

ing sent her out there in a

an with forced carelessness, "some unimportant splin

you th

it's perfectly fin

e.... Oh, I wish you were out and p-perfectly safe." "If I thou

ed the bars, the back of his hand brushed against hers, and the momentar

ptly; a delicate color

r till it glimmered like bronze afire. The sensitive mouth was quiet, the eyes, very serious,

he had seen for the first time in her life only an hour or so ago! Such things didn't happen outside of short

and looked at the he

something about him which is seldom, if ever, seen outside of fiction or of Mr. Gibson

ssa's e

remarkable physical perfection appeared to be matched by a breeding quite as fa

lifted he

any girl look upon such miraculous self-control unmoved? She could not. It was natural that a woman should be deeply thrilled by such a spectacle--and William Destyn's machine had nothing to d

r-r

she cried, sprin

somewhat pale. "The old t

ing

le--I th

k! I must call

k!" went the car, dr

s hands through the bars, as tho

rusting them away. "Be careful! If th

she said breathless

t the car s

the police!

may make f

h, Mr. Vanderdynk! What do I care

now that she had to kneel and put h

ephone," she said. "Keep up courage

me say one wor

Be quick,

-in case the thing

! But say i

ter all, you won't be angr

or Heaven's

t woman in the world!... G

terrific crackling and splintering resounded

lustrade, then turned and ran downstairs, ear

nding, to her amazement a normally-lighted elevator slid slowly

upporting each other, during which interval unaccustomed tears fell from the gray eyes, and unaccustomed words, breathed brokenly, reassured her; and, altogether unacc

throbbed into hours; through the windows the red west sent a

s her upturned throa

head was bent down, lips pressed to the whi

nt; in a little while the sky was thronged with li

tily and fled, distracted. Then

not notice him until he ventur

particularly when she was summoned t

dad?" she ask

ou all

, carelessly; "we are a

the devil

y maid and coming down to Tuxedo this

at!

Here, Killian, please ex

nd picked up the receiver as t

ing, rigid, bewildered, turning redder and redder as her father's

she asked calmly. "

go back into that elevator than

r, dropping both hands on her lover's s

er

ne again ra

she lifted her fac

telephone annoyed them, and they