Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-09-29
Copyright, 1903. by T. @. Mcclure

o&o&O - 80 80 - ~ eeC&C &O&O&C&
A cab stood waiting in a cross street
near Fifth avenue. 1t was an ordina-
ry cab, with its driver arrayed in liv-
cry which could by no stretch of the
imagination be taken for that of pri-
vate family, but to the mind of Billie
McAdam 1t was associated with i'll
omen.
1t Is a far cry from Avenue A to
Fifth avenue, but Billie had made the
transition, with the assistance of Fran
ces Hartley On one of her Summing
tours she had found him, ragged cold
and hungry, the center of group of
hostile urchins who were about to en-
gage him in combat. She had rescued
the boy from his perllous position and
had interviewed his intoxicated and
acquiescent father.
The result of the negotiation had
been Billie's installation as hall boy in
the Hartley mansion, where the COM
placency with which he regarded the
grandeur of his surroundings and the
elegance of his green, brass buttoned
uniform was almost balanced by his
deep rooted feeling of gratitude for
Miss Frances.
If the facile and Independent mind of
Billie McAdam had one responsibility
it was the conviction that he must at
all times act as the protector and guar
dian CT Frances Hartley There was
her father, of course, a dignified, arts
tocratic and preiudiced gentleman of
the old school. He counted, in way,
but Billie felt vaguely that Wiifred
Hartley could not bark back from his
thirty years experience in society and
clubdom and sympathize thoroughly
with a motherless girl of twenty-five
who was impressicnable, light hearted
and rather thouglItless.
Then there was Henry Beach. If be-
ing young, rich. handsome and impul-
sive were all the requisites of life Hen
ry was person to whom Billie's re-
sponsibilities of guardianship could be
transferred. But there were other
things that Billie did not understand,
but which Mr.. Hartley set such store
by that they must be Of prime impor-
lance.
They We're negative, most of these
things, not having ones father in the
retail trade. not being in the shadows
of society instead of firmly anchored
in its depths.
With the prejudice of youth Billie
allowed the feelings of Wiifred Hart
ley to influence him. lie liked Henry
Beach, but on the occasions when he
admitted him TO the house, frequently
occasions on which Mr. Hartley was
absent, he did not exhibit much cor
diality.
Such time had come this morning
Billy had noted the hired carriage in
which Beach arrived. He had observed
an unusual fiutter of expectancy in
Frances greeting of the young man.
Going to the corner to mail letter, he
had seen the cab waiting in side
street. Returning to his station on
hall bench, he noticed that the voices
which came in subdued tones from the
drawing room had in them a note of
suppressed excitement.
Billie sat on his bench and fidgeted.
Then he deserted his post, stole into
the library and. noiselessly pushing
back folding door, installed himself
behind some curtains in the drawing
ROOM
Frances Hartley stood near win
dow, and beside her was Henry Beach,
who looked imploringly at her tear
stained face.
Il cannot bear to deceive my father.
Henry" she said as Billie guilty Sc
cured his place Of vantage.
1T is for only once, dear" Beach re-
piled low and earnestly. I'VE can go
in the cab have waiting and be back
here safely married by the time your
father returns from the club. Then
there will be a scene, and the worst
that can happen viii be his withhold
ing his forgiveness for week or two"
And so the man talked as many men
have talked before
Frances demurred, but in the end
her head sank 70 Henry's shoulder, and
Billie knew she was the woman who
hesitates, and he stole softly away.
His idea OF the duties of guardian
was elemental; it was to strike straight
from the shoulder. His first thought
was to get rid of the cab, his next to
notify Mr.. Hartley.
Seating himself at the library table,
he hastily printed the following note:
Kun Home to Onse I hav took the
Kerriage. BILLIE
Addressing this to Mr.. Hartley, he
hurried to the hall, grasped his cap and
ran to the waiting cab.
Scent wants to see We at de house.
I'll hold yer horses,7 he announced to
the cabman, relapsing in his excite
ment to his familiar Avenue A dialect
Billie waited until the man had
turned the corner. Then he climbed to
the drivers scat of the cab. grasped
the reins and started the horses. Pres
emily the doorman Of a Fifth avenue
club was surprised to see small boy
In a green uniform fmperiously beckon
to him from the seat Of carriage.
When the man wonderingly approached
a crumpled note was thrust into his
hand, with the injunction that 1t be de-
livered to Mr. Hartley at once.
Bibles dominant idea was to keep
the cab away from the house until all
danger of an elopement should be over.
The thought that other cabs might be
obtained did not occur to him. He
drove slowly until he saw Mr. Hartley
hurry from the club. Then he turned
the horses down Fifth avenue and rec
onnoitered from safe distance.
On the brown stone steps Of the