The Press., 1904-05-18
== NO -
THOROUCHFARE
By RUTH EDWARDS
Copyright. lMB. by T. &. Mcclure

AIN 10 10 anyway!
The Whispering wind and the lap.
ping waves gave her no reply. and
pulling letter out of the front of her
blouse. she read it for the third or
fourth time that day. 1t seemed to re-
store her self confidence She laughed
to herself wickedly. Hum! Mrs. Ora.
ham is Il dear. but fancy I've fooled
that conceited Jack Of hers. No. thank
yOu; no four mile drive with him
I'm down here. to be sure. but | wont
speak two words to him all the time
stay if can help it. So! Oh. dear
| wish had IL boat!' ..e..- .-. =-
AS If in answer to her desire a red
canoe shot out from beyond the bend
and came noiselessly down the river
A man sat in the stern welding the
paddle with swift grace. Gladys
arose among the long grass and the
daisies Her mind was made up.
81 beg pardon" she called as he came
abreast of her. Can you tell me ii
there is way of getting to Mr.. Ora.
hams estate except by this bridge? II
seems to be closed"
The man in the canoe rested his pad
die across his knees and gazed at heT
admiringly.
"Why, r. he began, then stopped
''There is an approach by the road" he
said, ''but it is quite two miles to the
other side."
"Oh," she said, II know! But I've
walked SO far already" She glanced
ruefully down at her dusty patent
leather ties. ...
"Would you allow meY he asked ca
gerly. II could take you across in my
canoe"
She blushed charmingly. 81 hate to
trouble you.''
Il assure you it would give me the
greatest pleasure" he said, with an.
other admiring glance. .
With dextrous stroke or two he
brought the graceful little craft up to
the bank and landed. He was tall and
brown and broad shOuldered, and as he
stood looking down at her he saw lit
tie slender girl with the longest eye.
ssasashes tlaatssever dropped over a pair OF
gray eyes, Iii d dark blue foulard, bare
\ headed iii the golden sunlight, big
6fack nat neId III nnb hand. On mel
forehead and around her ears danced
little truant wisps of curly hair.
He helped her into the canoe and
piled the gay cushions at her back
then stepped in after her.
"Where are you going?" she asked as
he pointed the canoe up stream. 81 un-
derstOod you to say you would take me
across" she added. with some stateli-
ness.
'That's such a nasty place to land,'
he replied apOlogetically. "It's much
better little farther up"
His dark eyes sought hers, and they
both laughed. 1t was obvious to the
most casual observer that the slOping
shore on the other side was most ad-
mirably adapted for beaching the ca
noe. - -.. .''
you seem we'll acquainted with the
river" she said demurely. ''Do you
know the Grahams?' .'
He did not answer Immediately.
"Yes; charming woman, Mrs. Gra-
ham," he admitted at last
"Oh, yes; lovely. It's pity her son
doesn't take after her." Gladys replied.
with high scorn.
Her companion grinned. ITS evil
dent you know him." he said.
"Well. ! haven't seen him in years.
but when saw him last he was abso-
lutely the most disagreeable, most con-
ceited and altogether most hateful boy
1 ever came across" Gladys sat up
quite straight among her cushions with
a sudden energy.
"POor Jack" murmured her COM
panion. "Still, If you haven't seen him
for years 1T isn't impossible that he
has improved"
"Improved! Well. I'm sure I hope SO.
There certainly was room for improve
ment. But don't believe he has, The
idea of shutting people out by locking
up that bridge the way he has! It's
just like him. So afraid any one
would get into his domains. Just as
though any one with sense would want
to-
Exactly. But possibly he wants to
keep out that class of people supposed
to be brayer than angels. you know"
f'Fools?" she questioned. Then they
both laughed again. ...-..- ...
you're not very polite" she said.
THow can You expect me to be SYM
rathctic when the bridge being locked
has given me this pleasure?"
"Oh!' she exclaimed. with incredu-
lo,is eyes. Anyway. forgive, you.
But if I'd had my way shouldn't have
been here at ALL @4
Nov. it's you that are impolite." he
said. -@ ~ @
''Ies. and ungrateful." she admitted
frankly. ITS simply lovely out here.
It's the only pleasant thing about the
whole trip. Goodness. if you only
knew how hated to come! wept
day and night for weeks But mother
was adamant."
He looked ut her approximately, won-
derins how any human being could be
proofhgainst eyes like those filled with
tears
"Motlers are inconsistent ut tines -
ne saiq Milne. for instance. has been
systenrtically indulging and spelling
me all Imy life and now has taken 1t
into hef head that must marry girl
she haq picked out for HE whether :.
want t0or not
why that's just the question on
which Raother and | differed" Gladys
gaspeds ''She and his mother arranged
it all Years ago. it seems. and he's un-
manly dough to keep her to her word,
though p must know | hate him. You
wouldn'tfnd girl doing a thing like
thaty'
"WouldPt you, though? This par
ticular yohg lady of whom speak is
Of SO clinghg disposition that, accord
] ing to my bother, she will never know