The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-31
Chapter yI.-Continued.


rather remotely toward the. end opposite her,
suddenly realizing that he had walked very
close to her, coming down the narrow gar
den path Neither knew that neither had
spoken since they left the veranda; and 1t
had taken them long time to come through
the little orchard and the garden. She rest
ed her chin on her hand, leaning forward aud
looking steadily at the creek. Her laughter
had quite gone; her attitude seemed little
wistful and little sad. GIe noted that her
hair curied over her brow in way he had
not pictured in the lady of his dreams; this
was so much lovelier. He did not care for
tall girls he had not cared for them for
almost half an hour 1t was so much more
beautiful to be dainty and small and pi-
quaint. He had no notion that he was sigh
ing IN a way that would have put furnace
to shame, but he turned his eyes from her
because he feared that II he looked longer
he might blurt out some speech about her
beauty. His glance rested on the bank; but
its diameter included the edge OF her white
skirt and the tip Of little. white, high
heeled slipper that peeped out beneath 1t;
and he had to look away from that, too, to
keep from telling her that ne meant to advo-
cate a law compelling all women to wear
crisp. white gowns and white slippers on
moonlight nights
turf before her. twisted 1t absently in her
fingers, then turned to him slowly. Her lips
parted as II to speak Then she turned away
again The action so odd, and, some
how. as she did 1t, so adorable, and the pre-
served silence was such bond between them,
that for his life he could not have helped
moving halfway up the bench toward her.
What Is it," he asked; and he spoke in
q whisper he might have used at the bed
side OF dying friend He would not have
laughed If he had known he did 80. She
twisted the spear of grass into a little ball
and threw it at a stone In the water before
she answered.
'HDo you know. Mr. Harkless, you and
haven't met have we? Didn't we forget to
be presented to each other?"
Il beg your pardon, Miss Sherwood. In
the perturbation of comedy I forgot
ut was melodrama, wasn't it, she said
He laughed. but she shook her head.
Comedy" he answered, except your part
Of 1t, which you shouldn't have done. 1t
was not arranged In honor Of visiting ladies' :
But you mustn't think me comedian. Truly.
] didn't plan 1t. My friend from Six-Cross-
Roads must be given the credit OF devising
the soene-thoush you OWNED it!''
1T was little too picturesque, think.
know about Six-Cross-Roads. Please tell me
what you mean to do
Nothing What should II"
You mean that you will keep on letting
them shoot at you until they-until you-'
She struck the bench angrily with her hand.
There's no summer theater in Six-Cross-
Roads; there's not even church. Why
shouldn't they? - he asked gravely. Dur
Ing the long and tedious evenings 1t cheers
the poor Cross-Roader's soul to drop over
here and take shot at me-, It whites away
dull care for him. and he has the additional
exercise OF running all the way home
- "Ah!" she cried, Indignantly, they told
me you always answered like this!''
well, you see the CROSSROADS efforts have
a1xv hrrexto 10 p~r
triot have sometimes felt extreme NORTH
cation that such bad craftsmanship should
exist In the county, but I console myself
with the thought that their best shots are,
unhappily, in the penitentiary."
There are many left. Can't you under
in body. as they did before you broke them
up? And then, II they come on night when
they know you are wandering out OF
town" ...-. % q,
You have not the advantage OF an intimate
study of the most exclusive people of the
Crossroads, Miss Sherwood There are
about twenty gentlemen who remain in tina
neighborhood while their relatives sotourr
under discipline. II you had the entree ovel
there, you would understand that these
twenty could not gather themselves into
company and march the seven miles Withou
physical debate In the ranks. They are no
precisely amiabe people, even amongst them
66lV6S. .1ley WOuiQ quarrel ana ShOOt edCE
other to pieces long before they got here"
'.But they worked in company once"
Never for seven miles. Four miles was
their radius. Five would see them all dead
She struck the bench again. "Oh, yor
laugh at me! You make joke Of your owr
life and death, and laugh at everything
Have five years of Plattville taught you tt
do that?"
II laugh only at taking the poor Cross
Readers too seriously. don't laugh at your
running into FIRE to help a fellow mortal"
Il knew there wasn't any risk. I knew hi
had to stop to load before he shot again.
He did shoot again. If I had known 20,
before to-night-I-' His tone changed and
he spoke gravely II am at your feet In wor
ship Of your philanthropy. It's so much fnel
to risk your life for stranger than for
friend
THAT is rather a mans point of view, ism
it?"
"You rlsked yours for man you hat
never seen before
"Oh no! I saw, you at the lecture; heart
you introduce the Honorable Mr.. Holloway.
'Then I don't understand your wishing t.
save me-
She smiled unwilingly, and turned her gra!
eyes upon him with troubled sunniness, and
under the kindness OF her regard, he set
watch upon his lips, though he knew It nigh
not avail him. He had driveled along re
SAA
sentimental longings Of years, starved OF ex
preston, eliminating In his heart She con
tinued to look at him, wistfully. searchingly
gently Then her eyes travelled over hts bi
frame from his shoes "a patch Of moon1igh
fell on them they were dusty; he drew then
under the bench with shudder) to III
broad shoulders Che shook the stoop out Q
them) She stretched her small hands towar
him in contrast and broke into the mos
delicious low laughter in the world At TIL
sound he knew the watch on his Hips wa
worthless 1t was q question of minutes I'll
he should present himself to her eyes as
sentimental and susceptible imbecile. II
knew It. He was IN wild spirits. ..--- .
e7"Could you realize that one OF your dan
gers might be shaking?" she cried. i
your seriousness lost art?" Her laughte
ceased suddenly. "Ah, no. / understand
Theirs said the French laugh always, In orde
not to weep. haven't lived here five years
should laugh too, If were YOU. e.
Look at the moon,. he responded. Nv
Plattyillians own that with the best OF metro
politans, and, for my part. l see more {
ii here. You do not appreciate US. We hay
large landscapes In the heart Of the city, an