Evening star., 1896-01-18

went for 'em, and they both came at him
,,1 Two 20 one: Rfchd ana ne iammsd both In min.
splendid, don't you? A young feller thatll
stand up for his girl agin two big tramps-'
The major had been motioning for Edith
to drive on down toward the gate and she
seized the chance for escape Her Iirs
quivered with shame and anger. 1t seemed
as if she had been splashed with mire.
Oh the vulgar creatures" she said in her
throat, her teeth shut tight.
There, isn't that a fine field?" asked the
major, as he pointed to the cabbages There
Is chance for an American imitator of
gray-blue-pink pearl tints-What's the mat
ter, my dear?" he broke off to ask, "are you
ill?' W.
NO, no. only let's go home" she said the
tears coming into her eyes. He got in
hastily. MY dear, you are really i'll; what's
the matter? Has your old enemy, the head
ache" He put his arm about her tenderly
NO, no! I'm sick of this place. wish I'd
never seen 1T! How could those dreadful
men fight over me? It's horriblep'
The major whistled. "Oh, no! that's got
around to you, has 1T? didn't know it until
you at all. I wouldn't mind 1t, nv dear
It's the shadow every lovely woman throws
no matter where she walks-it's only your
shadow that has passed over the muck :"
But can't even bear that it seems like
a part of me-what do you suppose they
said of me?" she asked in morbid curiosity.
Now, now, dearest! To know that would
be stepping into the muck after your
shadow. The talk of such men is unim-
aginable to YOU"
you don't mean Mr. Ramsey?'
mo; Mr.. Ramsey is a different sort Of a
don't suppose anything else would have
brought him to blows with those men"
They sat looking straight forward. "Oh,
it's horrible! hcrriblev'
Her uncle frightened his arm about her
II suppose the knowledge of such lower
deeps must come to you some day, but don't
seek 1t now; I've told you all you ought to
know"
Ramsey meant WELL" he went on, after
silence. but such things do little good, not
enough to pay for the outlay of self-respect.
He can't control their talk when he's out of
hearing"
But I supposed that If a woman was
good-I meant didn't know that men
talked In that way about girls like me. How
The abyss still fascinated her.
MY dear, these men are only half-ci vii
lied. They have all the passions of animals
and all the vices of men. Ramsey was too
hot-headed. Their words do not count; they
weren't worth whipping"
There was little silence; they were near
Ing the mountains again, and both raised
in tyrian purple.
II know how you feel, think" the major
went on, "but the best thing to do is to for
get It, To walk into gang of rough men
like that is foolish, and dangerous too, for
the rufiian is generally the best man physi-
cally, I'm sorry to say
1T was brave, though, don't you think
so?" she asked.
He looked ut her quickly. "Oh, yes, it
was brave, and very youthful"
She smiled little for the first time. 'I
guess like youth"
In that case I'll have to promote him for
it, he said, with smile, that made her look
away toward the mountains again.
PART ".
SauliSbrry took S,1dden tur,, to fr;opd
liness and defended the action when the
major related the story that night at the
dinner table and they were seated over
their walnuts and cigars. He was dining
with the Sarisbrrys.