Life — October 1, 1903 — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘LIFE: feet and escort him politely from the room. Four times this scene had been enacted. ‘The tree-agent had grown wary. Constantia—serene in a sense of power— listened absently to the flow of sound. She planned a new carriage. robe for Annabel. It should be dark red—wine red—with the merest line of—— Annabel, left to her own devices, slipped cautiously down from the chimney-seat. She bumped a little in descending. But no one gave heed to her movements and she hitched toward the dining-room door. No one observed her—unless, perhaps, it might be the tree-agent. He was becoming, with each breath, more persuasive, more hypnotic and tuneful. His hands moved like gentle fans. Marcus's eyes dilated. He sat upright in his chair. Con- stantia saw that the moment had come. She opened her lips—— A sound of crashing glass from the dining- room closed them. She gave a glance at Annabel’s empty place and fled. When she had swept up the fragments of Venetian glass, bound up Annabel's fingers and comforted her disturbed feelings, she returned to the study. Marcus was pacing up and down the room—his eyes aglow and his countenance exalted. By degrees she got at the facts. to them. “You'll have to write to the dealers,” she said firmly. Marcus gazed at her helplessly. She rose “Tell them that you have reconsidered the matter.” He nodded. “Yes, I have.” “And that you want the delivery delayed.” “Yes,” “And that perhaps you'll have something else instead of a rose-hedge, anyway—cab- bages, for instance.” He looked at her reproachfully. She ignored it. Her spirit expanded. “You might say in a postscript that you were not a free agent at the time you signed the order—that a bald-headed, oily-tongued, sapo- naceous old hypocrite mesmerized you, or hypnotized you, or chloroformed you—or anything!” “It wouldn't be so far from the truth,” said Marcus meekly. She nodded. “I know!—Hadn't you better sit down and write the letter now before you forget what you want to say?” Marcus sat down and wrote it, Il. The reply came promptly. it at the breakfast table. “What do they say?” asked Constantia. Marcus laid it thoughtfully on the table and looked at it, “What is it?” repeated Constantia. “They'll let us off,” he said slowly. “Yes?” “But there's a little something to pay.” What for?” It seems to be the agent’s commission.” Marcus opened There was a silence. Constantia finished it with a sigh, —How much is it?” “I'm afraid you'll deal——” “Very likely I shall—when you tell me.” “It’s twenty dollars.” Her cup descended swiftly. When her voice came to her she commented freely on the agent. Marcus heard it meekly. “Perhaps we'd better take the hedge and pay the whole thing,” he suggested when she had done. “I wouldn't have a hedge like that—not if they’d pay me to have it. I should be ina state of mind every time I looked at it!” “We won't have it,” said Marcus hastily. “No. We'll pay twenty dollars not to have it,” she responded. She sighed wistfully. ‘Twenty would buy Annabel a dozen——" He looked at her pleadingly. “Suppose we don’t talk about it any more, Constantia. I have to finish my poem on the ‘Birth of Chaos’ this morning. I don’t like to have my atmosphere disturbed.” “No, dear,” said Constantia meekly. Marcus retired to the study, humming softly. There was a radiant look in his eyes and poesy was aflight in his countenance. Constantia looked thoughtfully into the bottom of her cup. Something splashed and fell. It was round and clear and shining. The brown drops closed quickly over it. Jennette Lee. “Well think it’s a good dollars. LEWANDO’S New York 479 Fifth Avenue Philadelphia 1631 Chestnut Street Boston 17 Temple Place 284 Boylston Street ProviDENce 337 Westminster Street New Haven 123 Church Street HartrorD §0 Asylum Street Newrort R I Worcester Mass 155 Thames Street 3 Pleasant Street Bundles called for and delivered Watertown Mass 9 Galen Street Cawpripce Mass 1274 Massachusetts Avenue BaLtimMore Mp 214 W Fayette Street Telephones CLEANSERS DYERS Largest in America LAUNDERERS Established 1829 LEWANDO'S FRENCH DYEING AND CLEANSING COMPANY “YOU CAN RELY ON LEWANDO’S” We Cleante or Dye all fahrica used in the home or of personal wear Including Blankets Lace Cartains Draperies Portieres Rugs Gloves Feathers Real Laces Ribbons Scarfe Doylies Fine Table Linen and Clothing of all kinds for men women or children comicbooks.com