Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-26

above being temptedr cried she, indig.
nantly. And it's not as If this Nigel had
shown himself we'll behaved before ever be-
| ing put In his proper place; but he's always
lodging about the village, aye, and he's
been at it for ever 50 long, when Mr.. Mer.
GERS up there to tea. Playing the regular
spy. that's what call It'll And. like enough
| ready to DO him mischief. coming at him
from behind hedge with thick stick, one
] OF these days. like the coward he is!i she
wound up. painting for breath.
! Farmer Rede scratched his head reflect
lively. Then he shook it gently.
"Treveddoe's no coward" he admitted IN
! low voice.
Piety gave his arm surreptitious squeeze
| OF gratitude.
IF he gets out Of this mess and pulls
himself round" went on the farmer, mo
one won't be more pleased than me. But
AZ the same time. Piety." and he gave her
| warning look. If he's done as wrong as
what we think. why. he'll have to pay for
it-same as other people have to do"
She heard him in grateful silence, and
acquiesced by bend of the head. Then, in
pathetic comments. she hastily sprang up,
bade them all good night and hurried up to
/, her own little room at the corner of the
house, with the dormer window looking out
among the branches Of the cherry trees
She could not sleep for thinking of poor
Nigel and the dangers which threatened
him. By all accounts he was going down
the hill In state of utter recklessness
| ming by his own folly. Folly-she could not
| use harsher name for his misdoings But
when she recalled her fathers words and
reflected that her old friend might be in
the hands of the police within another
twenty-four hours, her fears grew so acute
that she resolved. at all hazards, to find
him out and to speak to him a word of
warning.
Perhaps he would listen to her. wild and
reckless and wicked as he seemed to have
grown, perhaps he would yield to her en-
treaties, check himself in time and by a
timely act Of confession. or reparatioll.
avert the awful consequences he was draw.
ing down upon his head
With this resolution fixed in her mind
Piety finally fell to sleep
She had to go to her work at Carstairs
early In the morning. and 1t was past z
before she reached home at night. She
came homo by the longer way, in order to
pass Fourways, but she saw nothing of
Nigel who was usually employed when at
front OF the house.
Disappointed and uneasy, she rode on.
entering st. Martins by the south road,
which passed the jolly Sailors Inn. Out
door and step downward into a bar worm
eaten with age, she saw Nigel. He was
leaning against the wall. with his hands in
his pockets. his pipe in his mouth. his head
cap-drawn low over his eyes.
Piety's heart leapt up as she noted that
he wore his old blue jersey instead Of the
fashy clothes in which she had lately seen
him. But she thought he looked as if he
had been drinking, and 1t was with some
hesitation that she dismounted from her
bicycle and came slowly up, wheeling it
beside her.
He had seen her long before this. but he
had not moved
Undeterred by this from her mission of
kindness. Piety, with her heart beating
violently, stopped only few feet away
from him.
Nigel" she called, softly, yet rather
coldly, too.