The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-12-04

just the least bit lower over his study.
81 say, Iet, maybe he thinks you're
only fibbing,' | began teasingly in a
discreetly subdued tone which was 81
fenced by sudden startling uproar in
a contiguous field where score or
more cattle had been quietly grazing
The animals ha been lesurely near
ing the stream and at the moment, the
monarch of the herd had espied the
young man occupying the knoll beside
the path.
At the uproar he arose from his
campstool and glanced hurriedly about
him. Behind was treeless level, be
low was a shallow and almost bankess
creek /; and to gain our invulnerable
hedged vantage ground would be to
challenge those deadly horns already
lowered for the victim.
How he meant to evade the immi-
nent peril, had no time to conjecture
For at the instant Zettio impetuonsly
sprang forward, waved alofL her scar.
let shawl, and scaled the hedge like a
young deer and in another second all
was over. With her white teeth set
fiercely, with the rich bloom all faded
on her olive cheeks, she was again be-
side me on the safe side Of the hedge
Paul Shirley had clambered to our
safely barricaded place and the baffled
animal was CONTEXT to wreak its frenzy
upon the scarlet shawl which the dar-
ing Zettie had dexterously tossed across
its very horns.
"Well 60 back for the berries now,'
she said, as she hastily twtched my
jacket collar, and simultaneously di-
rected toward the artist such look as
effectually checked anything compli-
mentary or grateful which he might
have uttered.
"Did you do that because you hate
him so, Zet p ! inquired when we at
length paused after our unceremonious
withdrawal from the scene.
She responded with an emphasis
which was undeniable. She turned
with frown, and had those immense,
magnificent eyes been dagger points, l
fancy | should not now be living TO
tattle her little romance to the world.
Il never allow impudent boys to ask
me silly questions was her sharp re-
ply, accentuated by resounding slap
upon each of my unoffendng ears.
felt that my idol hal Inundated
me, that my tyrant had heaped the last
feather upon the already too heavily
laden back of her patient camel--and I
resolved to avoid Ze,tie forthwith
But Zettie was not so easily avoided.
| Shn ,,h;pn,fnna Il, :r,o,,,,;
BILE, and in my infatuated boy way l
alored her
81 should like to know Why you are
sulking :" she said to me one morning
when she perceived me peering through
the pickets, festooned with the honey
suckles and morning glories which fill
ed her pretty garden.with odor and col
or
"You are a vixen y | growled back
through the sprays Of gold and azure
blossoms.
She only shrugged her superb shoul-
ders and laughed disdainfully.
81 could tell you something, but I
WON'T" l avowed spitefully. "And
maybe you would be glad to know how
something dreadful has happened TO
Paul Shirley"
She looked absently away, and there
was not gleam of curiosity nor any
sort of interest whatever upon her iu-
scrutable face.
'He had no business to come here"
she presently said in her familiarly
saucy voice.
"He could not help himself, and
shant tell you a word about him, eth
er," | said, with sulen inconsistency
i"1e did something wrong-so wrong
he could not stay where he belongs
and he had to go somewhere. And
now officers have come for him saw
them down in the village, and | heard
what they sad-and they will take him
back and shut him up in prison"
She still looked absently away-at
the low stone fence half concealed in
eclantine white with bloom at the
fantastic old cottage, all peaks and an
giles of faded brown paint, embosse
here and there with struggling ivy
foliage, at the ancient house dog, keep
ing drowsy watch and ward on the top
most step of the queerly gabled porch.
"Well, why doesn't he go somewhere
else now from here and from them ?"
she at length carelessly questioned, as
she drew down branch from a bushy
cherry tree near her and viciously snap
ped off little bough heavy with blood
red fruit.
because he can't" l condescended
to inform her. HE cant stir hand
nor foot with the fever he got sketch
ing things in the marshes down the
creek. Sleeping in tent, as he does,
is bad for a fellow, anyhow | added,
sapiently.
"Aud then, beside, there are always
ghosts in the wood, and black stumps
and owls and catbrds to frighten peo.
pie who have done something dread
fully wrong" Zettie observed, as she
suddenly flashed upon me the
mocking splendor of her magnificent
eyes.
The significant thrust quite annihi-
lated my unconfessed desire for recon.
ciliation. / would never again submit
to such cruel irony,I mentally declared.
My adored tyrant should not be allow
ed always, with impunity, to sater-
ize and ridicule me.
81 shall never try to oblige You
again, Zet," l blurted as l prudenuy
retreated beyond the possible clutch of
shapely and unsparing hands. "And
do not believe in giving JOY to the enc
mics of any poor fellow. know what
| shall do now. | shall lust warn Paul
Shlrely against you and against them
as has have come to take him to pris-
on
And so in mighty dudgeon | strobe
away. Blu, | felt more aggrieved than
valiant, however, and | scarcely pur-
posed to risk any catastrophe by inter.
fering between the vixedly Zettie and
her hated artist.
Though why any girl would so hate
an attractive young man who admired
her was riddle to me. And that