Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-03-16

i.ive. with the roads as bad rs they are

That is so. Well, IL you must go, l
will not detain you. Let me show you
out through the kitchen. It's a shorter
way to the barn than by the path around
the house."
With this excuse she rises to accom-.
pany him. The amazement of Rufus
when he realizes that his hated rival is
actually going, leaving the field clear to
him. is beyond expression. That whis-
pering had fully prepared him for sit
tng-out match" and Il suspicion begins
growing in his mind that in some way his
position has been adroity fankcd, though
he cannot yet see exactly how.
Good night, Mr. Goldic," says John,
with condcscending courtesy, and Rufus
stilly replies Good night"
The departing lover and the girl pass
into the kitchen. closing the door behind
them. Johns quick eye takes cognzance
Of a bountiful collation. set out upon the
kitchen tablc-the subject of Mrs. Null
wells knowing smile and nod to her
daughter just before rctiring-and he
looks nquringly, but silently, from 1t to
Hctty. Fully understanding him. she re-
plies. in a low but emphatic tone:
Its to he hoped he will get something
to eat before he touches a bite that's
Thereon he'll starvc."
The spirited girl rcsents her mothers
action in making such preparation for the
unwclcome visitor after denying 1t, as she
had. for the entertainment of the lover
who might have rightfully expected 1t.
| And John instinctivcly conprehcnds her
| feeling, knows what has happened just
as well as if she told him, for Love Is
very clcar.sightcd in seeing its own re.
| Elections In the loved one. With impul.
| sivc, passionate fondncss. he throws his
arms about her. presses her to his breast.
and kisses her fcrvcn,ly, n demonstration
| that ELECTS no further opposition than the
gently uttered protest:
''Ob. John. don't"
And she has to say: "Oh. John. don't"
at least four times more before the back
door is opened and he is gone.
When Hctty returns to the sitting room
she notices that Rufus has assumed a
sulky expression. probably rescntful Of
her absence with John. which. however
short. may have seemed long to him. II
amuscs her inwardly. but very dcmurcly
she sits down, not In her former place,
but upon the chair John has vacated
twice as far away from Mr.. Goldic. He
says something. but she does not under.
stand what. for she Is listening to the
| tinkle of sleigh bells. out ut the barn. go
| ing down the lane and far away on tho
road, repeating over and over a mclodious
message To her, so plain that she fancies
Rufus must hear and understand il:
! Good night. It's all right! Coming
Nagain next Sunday night"
But to cgotistic Rufus the sounds are
merely those of jingling sleigh bells, go.
ing away with the rival he has driven
from the field. and he becomes more at
ease as they grow fainter In the distance.
At length. he fclictatcs himself for this
evening. at least. his troubles are over.
He would not think so could he know
what Danny is doing above his head; he
might Justly have doubts about 1t IL he
only remembered Danny's existence.
Passive loyalty is an unthnknblc con.
dition to 1.-THE Imp Activity is an In.
hercnt attribute of his being, and acci-
dent determines its manifestation In good
or evil. Having voluntarily declared al
legiance to John Cameron. 1t is with a
noble joy that he has become aware OF
an opportunity to do partisan service. lie
had gone to bed. up In the garnet, before
|
asleep. and heard the sleigh bells an.
nouncing his coming rs soon as anybody.
And when Rufus entered the sitting
room, Danny's eye was upon him rs soon
as anybody's, for the puncheon floor Of
his garnet. which Is ut the same time the
ceiling of the company apartment below
is full of crcviccs and knot holes. With
characteristic prccocity, he comprehend
ia 1,t, al.
did either Of the participants In it-and
found it delightful. Fate, to indemnify
him for his sef-rcstraint toward John,
had brought another predcstined victim,
directly to his hands. The only question
was what should he do with him. Hur'
riedly dressing himself. he glided out to
the barn and opened the campaign by
pouring Il pail Of water over Rufus lap
robes In the cutter, and "skagging' the
vehicle by tying q stout rope securely be-
tween the stanchions supporting It's body
at an oblque angle from left to right,
near the runners, happy device that
rendered capsizing, on a rough country
road, almost certain. Then he ran back
to his observatory in the loft to watch
and wait. When he saw John go away,
another inspiration came to him, and
now, while Rufus is allowing his soul to
sink into the content Of fancied security
and resigning himself to the mere sensu.
Gus charm OF a pretty girls companion
ship, which he enormously imagines love,
Danny Is busy on his account.
BY common consent the loft Is Danny's
domain, where he stores up his wealth OF
unconsidered trihes and miscellaneous
"odds and ends" things absolutely val
ueless to older eyes, but in boys hands
q very arsenal Of witchcraft for mischief
Out Of this mass Of crude material he
quickly selects and with deft fingers com
bines, working by the light Of his soil
tary tallow candle and unconscious OF
the nipping cold, an amazing and terrible
looking spider Its body, which must
have weight. Is made of large bullet
cleft to hold string and wound around
with a fluffy bunch Of red wooden yarn
Half a dozen black feathers, their vanes
trimmed TO near the stalks and roughened
up to give hairy look, make the legs. A
strip of India rubber between the bullet
and the long string attached gives the
thing elasticity, SO that, when he makes
slight jerking motion rs. 1t hangs from
his fingers, its body seems to leap and
its legs to culver with hideously life
like semblance. AS a homemade taran'
tula the thing Is an artistic triumph.
| ". l,a