Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-04-05

INSIDE ana see wnar order the graves
were in. but not just then. From where
he sat he could see how the laurea mum
dis had grown and spread, making q
shadowy arbor over and about the clus-
tering marble stones beneath. Gahri-
elias was the newest one there. A
crumbling brick wall su1nounted by
rusty iron railing circled the sacred spot.
Creepers Of every description twined
clinging fingers in the iron tracery. A
spray Of gaudy nasturtium flowers fell
near enough for him to have grasped 1t
il he had 30 willed.
| Il was as quiet as Robinson Crusoe's
island, not even mocking bird STIR
ring the branches Of the dark leaved
laurea mundis. Adrien leaned his gun
against the vineclad wall and gave him
self up 10 rather somber tinted reverie.
Strong Martin intruded into il with
exasperating persistency-and-
He took a package Of letters from his
pocket and passed the superscriptions
slowly in review. There was one with
unbroken seal. His mail had been hand
ed him by his grandfather with jocu-
lar allusion TO this rather strongly
scented envelope.
"No use dodging il. II is violation
Of the contract, however.
He said this aloud, as he ran his fore
finger impatiently under the flap. His
face darkened as he rsd il, and he
promptly tore il in half. Short as II
was it completed his discontinue for
that day. He laughed unpleasantly and
drew his gun toward him.
Better make wadding Of IL.
At sight Of the drawn ramrod and
the white wad of paper disappearing
down the black throat of the shotgun,
Sarah Jane drew in her lolling red
tongue and sprang to her feet. Evident
" she had mastered one opinion in her
short life and made it securely her own
Guns and birds Were the corollary Of
each other, and her hour for self asser-
ton had arrived.
With the Jealous indiscretion Of am
bilious ignorance she leaped in among
the trampled pea vines, and with her
slender nose held close To the ground
careered wildly over the field. setting
at defiance Adrien's harsh demand for
her return. II her disobedience had
borne no fruit, it might possibly have
gone unpunished, but when promising
coyey of birds wheeled, startled and
terrified. close to Adrien's head and
srudded of to take shelter in the more
distant comfeld, the measure Of his
wrath was complete.
Evidently Sarah Jane and he took
differing views of the situation. With
the triumphant mien of a conqueror
who had routed the enemy she came
leaping back to his side. Instead Of lau-
rels a rod awaited .ler Crestfallen, with
soft deprecating eyes lifted to the stormy
face above her the setter crouched To
receive her first lesson.
Quick and fast fell the blowsfrom the
ramrod held in Adrien's firm fingers.
He had been defied-the Decalogue held
no darker crime Sarah Jane was Ia NJ
ceive the overflow of the discomfort that
had been accumulating all that morn
ing. With one hand he held the silken
brown head in merciless grasp. His
handsome face was empurpled with the
violence Of his rage and the exercise.
Sarah James yelps Of agony were MIN
/ Il. 4 81 a. oh,
His strength was almost spent. High IN
air he lifted the rod for "a supreme effort.
lone more, d-n you. and then per
haps you will know who is master.
But the rod did not descend. Ii was
caught from his grasp by an invisible
hand behind him and girls clear voice
i'm denunciation was added to the dis
cord
You are cruel wretch, Adrien
Strong. and IL would only Ia serving
you right il you could b. paid back in
your own coin. There, and there, and
there
A cracking Of broken wood, and the
fragments Of his ramrod flew piecemeal
from the iron crosspiece Of the fence
against which it had been struck with
furious force.
Adrien faced about hurriedly. He
knew of no one who would thus dare to
interfere with his discipline, surely not
his mother, scarcely his grandfather.
Standing on the moss grown brick
wall behind him was vision altogether
out Of keeping with its surroundings.
1t was Liza Martin, silhouetted III gray
serge garb and red fringed turban
against the dark greenery Of the grave
yard. Her eyes and cheeks were afiame
with indignation as she flung the last
splinter Of his broken ramrod at his feet
and brushed her redeemed palms against
each other To free them from dust and
splinters.
The stormclouds on Adrien's mce
gradually passed away. II was such an
exceedingly comical turn he was ready
10 laugh. Such transitions came easily
to him. But the girl S face was too stern
yet awhile for him To venture upon pre-
mature mirth. OF course this must be
Eben Martins daughter. He regarded
himself as good judge Of female beau
ty, and this girl, who stood there calm
" adjusting her displaced cuffs, filled
his most rigid requirements.
"Who arr you:' he asked, quite un-
necessarily.
Il am Eliza Martin, Governor
Strong's Overseer's daughter. i have
been prowling about here. The views
are pretty from this poiM. My brother
Eeth left me here when he went by with
the wagon 10 haul cotton to the gin. /
am waiting for him to pick me up on
his return. come here to sketch veiy
often. You have spoiled it for me. !
am telling you this 30 that you need
not think went ont Of my way to IN
terfere. was in there with Gabrielle
when / heard your murderous blows.
At school / was vice president Of So
ciety for the prevention Of cruelty to
animals. We don't have such societies
here at nome, but / know Of no place
where one is more needed than in this
plantation. Poor, poor doggy"
All this time Adrien was thinking
much more about the girl herself than
about what she was saying.
Yes, she was pretty, the prettiest
girl by long odds he had seen since leav-
ing college. Rather self possessed-that
was the strong mindedness he supposed.
that his grandfather complained Of. Her
voice was marvelously sweet, however,