Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-21
CHAPTER /.

moving ever westward, was of a pure
LIGHT blue. Out in the open the wind
blew crisp and cold, but down in the
high banked, sheltered lane, where a girl
was searching for the FIRST Of the scented
white violets, it was warm enough. The
girl was sweetly pretty, slight, of
medium height, golden haired and violet
eyed, and the fresh morning air had
given a brighter color than usual to her
cheek.
White violets were scarce in those
parts, and although she had been hunt
ing for them quite a long time, she held
but a small bunch in her left hand.
Presently the sound of a distant church
clock striking the hour reached her ear.
She paused and counted the strokes.
"Why, it's l2!" she exclaimed, with
little gasp of surprise. "And have not
gathered half enough yet"
Shall 1 help you search?" said a
laughing voice. "Only if l do, / shall
levy a tax of one in six for myself"
At the first sound of the voice the girl
had looked up, On the top of the bank
stood young man, clad in dark tweed
shooting suit.
Tail, slight, active-looking, at first
glance he would have passed for six or
even-and- twenty, but when he raised
his hat there was a simmer of gray to
be seen amongst the thick brown hair,
which placed his probable age amongst
the thirties instead of the twenties."
'fHow tiresome of you, Philip, startling
me like that" the girl exclaimed. Il
hate being watched! How long have you
been there, pray?"
"About two minutes, at a guess" he
answered. you made such a charming
picture, turning over the leaves and
pricking your pretty fingers with the
furze prickles, that I dare say I should
have waited moment or two longer be-
fore declaring myself, if you had not ad-
dressed yourself to space, when l an
swered as, as q gentleman, l felt bound
to-"
How ridiculous you are, Phil. But if
you really mean to help me, the sooner
you begin the better
"All right. Look out" And the next
moment, amidst a small avalanche of
gravel and bits of broken stick, he was
beside her.
There, my dear Lefty" he said. 'You
see, in spite of my advanced age, / am
still moderately active. Now for the VIC
let's, only remember that l claim one in
six, the same to be pinned by you onto
my coat"
well, you will have to find a great
many, then" the girl replied. 81 want
a big bunch to place on Dads study table,
for this is his birthday, and see how few
/ have found, although l have been
searching the banks all the way from the
lodge gates"
1T strikes me, then, that you have
been looking in the wrong place. Now
violets are not much in my line, as a
general rule, but noticed quite a quarry
as I came through Monks wood. Sup,
pose we go there and search -
The girl hesitated.
Very we'll" she answered "Only you
know the story of the Monks Curse, and
how it lies on the wood rs well as upon
us"
And on the violets, blue-b bells and
other flowers growing in the wood, of
course" he laughed. Really, Miss Monk
ston, was not aware that you were so
superstit.ous"
81 am not, Phil-not bit; except just
a wee little bit about the curse And it
is odd how true that curse has worked
out"
"As how?'
AS if you did not know, Phil Has
there ever been a direct heir to the
estates all these years? And, every gen
Grafton, farm has been sold to pay off
a mortgage or dover a daughter of the
house, till we are as poor as poor can
be-"
II would" want no farm if
only your father would give you to me-"
ne was about to say, but he remembered
his gray hairs. and refrained
How can she care for me-" he asked
himself. Il am nearly double her age.
Absurd Why, she used to Ride cock
horse to Banbury Cross ON my foot when
she was a baby! What will she care
when she hears | am going to the 'front.'"
Well, you would-you would-what?"
laughed the girl. "The Monks curse does
not hit you; it only refers to US Monk
stons."
IF it troubles you or Sir Michael, I
would take the curse on my own shout
ders with pleasure" he answered, color
ing little, in spite of himself But
how about the violets? Are we to brave
the dangers of the wood, or not?"
There is nothing else for it. We have
not much over an hour before lunch
Don't stop to talk. Let us make straight
Tor the place where you saw the violets,
and if you have spoken the truth about
them, you shall have your button-hole J."
They had not far to go, and fortunate
y the wood adjoined the house. or rather
formed a dark background to it.
The wind blew keenly across the two
meadows they had to cross, but then
they descended into another of the deep
cut country lanes, which took them
round the outside of park fence, and
after leading them through the midst Of
dozen cottages clustered round vii
lage green. brought them TO the edge of
the Monks wood.
1T was on the other side l saw the
violets,' Philip Radcliffe said, as, having
climbed stile, they passed along a mar
row woodland path "-All the same, there
Is no reason for you to run, Lefty; we
have lots of time"
We can't have, Phil, and you know
now Dad hates to be kept waiting.
We have forty minutes that gives
us ten minutes to cross the wood, ten
minutes IN Y,icL- Aha x-in1e4- rr,;r,,4oe