Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-02-23
heading toward the orange walk. which

heading toward the orange walk. which
! had long since learned was known In
the family as "the lovers walk She
did not look in my direction. did not
turn toward me at all. but like many
another fool | was puifed up In my
folly What harm Is there In It,"
unused, "if take my lesson IN Dutch
In the shade of the orange treesT
Tossing my cigar away. sauntered
after the flying figure out of the flower
garden, over the field. into the shady
walk. ! meandered like a he goat
through a gap In hedge, ! walked
about SO yards and saw no one, heard
no enc. Then all at once found my
self looking right into the face OF big
hairy savage who wore tweed coat
and bandolier full Of cartridges. In
his hands he carried handy little
Mal!ser carbine.
"Wcll. Mr.. Spy" said the hairy indi-
vid,al, you are my prisoner"
tried to smile. but somehow the
springs in my face had got out of order
and would not work.
what did you want sneaking after
me for. you benstly Englishman"
snalled the man with the gun. 81 could
have shot you last night and the night
before that if had liked, but did not
wait to bring trouble on this farm.
What do you want to hunt me for?'
found my tongue for moment
then.
"IIunt you? didn't know such a
chap existed"
He lowered his carbine an inch or
two. "rhen what the devil are you
doing In the overs walk"
"What are you doing here" I burt
ed.
We stared at each other like two
grass fed calves in the starlight, and l
edged foot or two away from the
gun. Just then heard the patter Of
girlish feet on the gravel behind me
and. turning my head, saw one OF the
plain sisters hurrying toward us, and
almost at the same second the reddish
gold head Of the beauty" the head of
the girl who had been teaching me
Dutch, passed from patch of shad-
ow into the streak of starlight where
the hairy young giant was standing
fondling his gun. l saw her clasp his
arm, heard her hurredly whisper some
thing in Dutch which caused the giant
to grin as If half his head ached to
part company with the other half. The
"beauty" pointed toward me and the
plain sister, who had come to halt
beside me. The plain girl put her hand
kindly on my shoulder and whispered,
Don't you think it's too chilly out
here?
Chilly was no name for it. l was as
cold as Klondike. The sight of that
carbine in the starlight had taken all
| the warmth out Of the atmosphere as
far as | was concerned. ! turned to
20. when little hand touched mine
| The girl who had been teaching me
Dutch was at my side. Before you
| gentlemen leave" she said, Il want
| YOU both to make promise. YOU
are enemies now. Some day when the
war is over you may be friends. But
promise not to hurt each other by talk
ing Of this meeting. Otto had no busi
ness to come. Father had forbidden
him until the trouble ended with thu
British"
81 came out of love for you" gruntef
the mau with the gun.
"And you came out Of fondness fol
me-" lnurmured the plain girl, hel
voice shaking with laughter that wal
almost choking her. | muttered TN
biggest lie | had ever parted with.
The hairy individual rested his gul
against tree. stepped forward ant
lifted his SLOUGH hat to the plain girl
For your sake promise"
lifted my helmet to the beauty,
and said something similar. A few
minutes later as was buckling IN!
cirths heard him galloping off south
ward to join Olivier's commando. Al
swung into my saddle the plain siste
slipped away, and the beauty lifte'
her hand In farewell. AS our mana
met she said, "Why did you come L
lovers walk?
ITO get lesson in Dutch" l said
with a sheepish grin.
"Well." she answered, u nope you
remember your lesson" And near
the two of them laughing as gallope'
out on the yeldt.-ArgOnaut.