The Washington times., 1901-09-22

i it's always well to be careful, l think-l
shouldn't like to feel that l had provoked
bad luck. you know Come on, Marion,
| it's getting late. don't like to hurry DR..
| Drayton-,
"oh. I'm quite ready he remarked.
| with resigned air, as he rose from the
table and went out In the hall for his hat.
Ten minates later Helen had him hard
| at work, unmooriug the boat and push
ing her from the shore. There was a
fresh wind blowing, and Drayton took OFF
his coat and grasped the oars with de-
light which was almost boyish.
How nicely you do it. Couldn't we
| help the least little bit? There's another
pair of OARS % suggested Helen.
"Oh. no. thanks; it needs practiced
| hand, YOU know"
Marion gasped This to Helen. who had
| always been crack oarswoman. Helen
merely raised her eyebrows, but made no
4, remonstfance Drayton was warming up
| to his work and never noticed. In fact,
| after the first few moments he forgot the
| girls entirely and bert to his oars, whist
ling some gay BOAT song, until brought to
a sudden haltsand knowledge of femi-
nine proximity by a little shrek from
Helen.
Don't she cried. for goodness sake.
DIR. Drayton never whistle iIt the face of
= wind, or it will blow a hurricane.
What nonsenset' he said, sharply; to
! be hauled up by this shallow young
person was annoying in the extreme; he
| would take her to- task at once, and so
definitely settle their positions. 1t must
be understood that though he may have
come to this quiet little nook for relaXa-
| tion he refused to be fed on schoolgirl
| inanities, SO he kept on whistling, with
the Interior design of provoking an ar
| gument-
Il don't think you heard me. DR.. Dray-
ton,' said Helen, in a vexed tone.
Yes, did," he replied. coolly. but 1
| make hurricane"
| But tell you it is unlucky. If you
believed in omens you'd never do it,
Perhaps I'm ignorant on that point
will you give me some dots? a reason on
omens and evil signs would be edfying,"
he suggested.
| 'Well, really, L don't know to begin.
| there areaso many. OF them; they literally
strew the path. There was a Southern
girl in Col in my school, who was
bristling with them She got them. of
course, from the negroes. but they are
| fine-and true as Gospel. 4 believe in
| good many of them; for instance, If you
stand a broom upside down behind the
parlor door when you, have unweicome vis-
! itors they'll be sure to go soon. / tried
| 1t on Jimmy Brown last night and it
worked like a CHARM she added nodding
to Marion. who was staring at her in mute
astonishment. Then, of course, you'd
| never walk under the ladder or go to bed
| without turning your shoes soles up"
she went on, addressing Robert; "or light
| three gas jets in a room. or rock an emp
ty chair-that means certain death-and
you mustn't go in front or behind a fu-
neral procession, or you'll surely die, and
it's just as unlrcky to cross the street in
the midst of one. for then someone you
care for will die, she paused for breath.
Go on" said Drayton, with a smile;
she was beginning to amuse him.
Let me see, she said, pulling little
curl on her forehead as she reelected, a
very charming action, for ii brought into
play a prettiiy turned wrist and hand-
'anatomicaliy perfect said this critical
doctor to himself.
"'Oh-if you are going out and find you
have forgotten something. you can rene
dy the evil by going back and sitting in
the parlor for a second or two before get
ting what you want; you can also keep
of evil by touching a hunchback, but you
must never under any circumstances look
a cross-eyed person in the face; it's the
worst possible luck
Dear. dear said Drayton, beginning
to laugh, your knowledge is overwhelm-
ing, Miss Branscombe, and 1 advance the
theory that if you live up to what you
know your life must be a strenuous one"
Yes, I'm kept quite busy" she an
swered, as if she did not see the sarcasm,
but there are lots and lots more, among
them a fine cure for gout-I don't mean
hairs from the tail of black cat, thats S
common remedy. You must make your
patient steal six potatoes-be certain he
steals them. He must put them i'll his
pocket and throw away one a day, and
he will throw away with each a portion
of the gout. A hare's foot carried in the
pocket is also very good. but, of course,
you doctors don't believe in such things;
you'd rather do something more trouble
some Just to get big fee-and, OH you
must know that If you go to bed with a
sieve hung up over it evil will be kept
awav because ii slips through the holes.'
Perhaps that's metapherical sieve,
he suggested; ''if SO, it's rather pretty
idea" He did not object to the girls
chatter but, he wanted to draw il into
more serious channel.
oh l don't know she replied, care
lessly. Il never inquired; such ideas may
be fine, but they don't bother me much.
Now, row into the little cove, DR. Dray-
ton, and you may lie down in the boat
and read that horrid-looking. dusty little
book in your pocket, while Marion and l
step across the farm"
IL.
the girls left. but he did not take out the
little book. Instead, he lay quite idly in
the gently rocking boat close to the shore,
staring into the tree-tops just above him
and dreaming dreams. through which a
slender. giriish figure fitted aIluringly
He decided to study Helen Branscombe,
since it was probable they were to see a
great deal of each other. He had counted
upon meeting Margaret, of whom he had
heard so much. and had pictured to him
self many pleasant hours of intellectual
communion. but this captivating young
person was, in her way, quite as interest
ing, though he and she might not have
the pleasure of exchanging abstract
thoughts: there was something so thor
oughly concrete about her that the
"ologies'' seemed TO take wings and fy
Here, however. was raw material of ex-
ceilent quality, a vivid Imagination as
proved by her childiike faith in dognas
and superstitions. altogether a fertile soil
for Improvement; he would do his best
during his short vacation. He would
teach her in a quiet, unassuming way.
many of those fundamental principles
which are necessarily the root of all solid
learning. He would at least stir her am
bition, which must stagnate in this quiet
place.
So when the girls came back he took a