Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-08-24
CHAPTER VIII.
A WOMAN IN A woMAN,s VILE

bS ulu nOt conjecture. This woman
could resent his curiosity If she chose
to do so and might shoot him the next
time they met If she was quicker with
her weapons than he was.
He shrugged his shoulders disdain-
fully, pondered a moment and then
stepped through the window and toin
ed the others on the veranda.
Il am going to the corral be said TO
his father. "Ah Sin will have supper
presently"
be would have passed on then with
out further remark. but Erna Thomas
had regretted her anger at something
which second thought told her was not
Intended as offensive. and she saw I'm
this incident an opportunity to atone
for It
"May go with youy' she exclaimed,
rising.
IF you like" he replied not pausing,
but slackening his gait so that she
could catch up with him. Richard Max
well would have accompanied them
also II he had been given an oppor-
tunity, but his lOquacious guest had
not permitted him to do anything but
listen ever since his arrival. so that he
was compelled to retain his seat
you're not overburdened with polite
ness, are your" said Miss Thomas, over
taking Lisle half way down the path.
Il suppose you're mad. Are your
Mad? Not at all. Why should be
angry?"
81 left you rather suddenly, didn't l?
I'm sorry. You-you rather took the
wind out Of me, you know"
II should think your Instruments OF
torture would do that" replied Lisle
Il ought not to have offended you. I
apologize"
''oh, that's all right. Don't men,
ton it. Why don't you offer me your
armr'
''My arm! What forT'
ITO take hold Otto lean upon, OF
course"
Are you lame2 Have you hurt your
selfT'
"Oh, dear, what a hopeless creature
you are! 1 keep forgetting that you
never saw a woman before. You are
sadly In need Of education. Tomor-
row I'll take you In hand. 1 believe
I'll begin now. Stop Just a moment:
crook your arm up-so; hold your palm
against your chest-so. Now, / take
hold of your arm-so. Therel Isn't
that betterT'
Isle did not think IL was better, but
he thought it wise not to say so. II
she liked II, she was his guest, and IL
should be so.
1--WE walk together very nicely; don't
you think sor' she continued. "You
are just enough taller than j am TO
make II comfortable for both, and, be-
sides, you step with me beautifully.
Don't you think that you step rather
short for a mann
81 do not know. Perhaps so. Here is
the corral. There are 80 horses In here
tonight. always come out to see that
all is secure before / retire. Shall we
return nowT'
What! So soon? Don't you think IL
Is nicer out here? See, the moon Is Just
coming up. 1t Will be a glorious night
after all. want to ask you something,
Mr.. Maxwell ! want you TO tell me
how II happens that you never saw a
woman before tonight"
81 don't know. Do you know very
many womenT'
DO know very many womenl Well.
should say so! Oceans Of them"
"Are they all like you? Have they
all got yellow hair. waists like a wasp
and
There, that Will Go. You'll say
something that you ought not to If you
are not careful What queer mortal
you are. Mr.. Maxwell! One might pos
hively regard you as quite shocking If
one did not know that you haven't got
II In you to shock anybody. Women
are just about as much alike as men
are alike-no more, no less. Your IA
Their and mine are not alike. are they
And Craig Thompson II know him;
he comes to Kansas City sometimes
he isn't like any other man you ever
saw, is hep
HE Is one Of the best men / ever
saw" replied Isle. with enthusiasm.
II think so too. We're agreed on
that He says that 1 am the best girl
be ever saw"
Does Craig Thompson say thatf" ex-
claimed Isle lncredulously.
49, - NDSAS oAJ lAAuS ESAudIhdOkE
shout itY'
II think there is. If he said that, l
shall like you"
ooh, indeed! Thank your
Were you ever a mother?" asked
Lisle calmly, remembering that Craig
had assured him that mothers were al
ways good women
He heard quick gasp from his com
panion. He felt that his arm was re.
leased as suddenly as though 1t were a
redhot iron. and he turned toward the
woman In surprise. She had started
away from him and was standing In
the attitude of one who wishes to run
away, but cannot. He saw that she
was trembling, and he fancied that
there were tears in her eyes He knew
that she was angry. One glance told
him that