Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-08

tacles," he said to himself. "or else @
provincial young lady with big eyes tc
pose at you" Then he felt the ridicu-
lousness OF looking after his common
sense on moonlight night In June;
also, he knew that he lied.
The song had ceased, but the musician
fingered, and the keys were touched to
plaintive harmonfes new to him. He
| had come to Plattville before "CayaI-
leria Rusticana" won the prize at Rome,
and now, entranced, he heard the I'm
| ternezzo" for the first time. Listening
to this, he feared to move lest he should
wake from a summer nights dream.
| A ragged little shadow fitted down
the path behind him, and from a soli-
tary apple tree standing like lone
| ly ghost in the middle Of the field
came the ",Noow of screech owl twice.
| 1t was answered. clump
OF elder bushes that grew in fence
corner fifty yards west Of the pasture
bars Then the barrel OF squirrel rife
issued, lifted out Of the white elder bios
SONS, and lay along the fence. The
music in the house across the way ceas-
ed and Harkless saw two white dresses
come out through the long parlor WIN
dows on to the veranda. 1T will be
cooler out here" came the voice Of the
singer clearly through the quiet. what
night!'
John vaulted the bars and started to
cross the road. They saw him from
the veranda, and Miss Briscoe called
to him in welcome. AS his tall figure
stood out plainly in the bright light
against the white dust streak of fire
leaped from the elder blossoms, and
there rang out the sharp report of
rifle. There were two screams from
the veranda. One white figure ran into
the house. The other, a little one with
a gauzy wrap streaming behind, came
flying out into the moonlight straight
to Harkless. There was q second re-
port The rife shot was answered by
revolver. William Todd had risen
UP, apparently from nowhere, and,
kneeling by the pasture bars, fred at
ths.fiash Of the ride.
slump fer the shadder, Mr.. Hark-
lessy' he shouted. Hes in them ell
ders. Fer Gods sake, come backv
Empty handed as he was, the editor
dashed for the treacherous elder bush
as fast as his long legs could carry
him, but before he had taken six
strides hand clutched his sleeve and
girls voice quayered from close be-
hind him: Don't run like that, Mr..
Harkless! I can't keep up"
He wheeled about and confronted q
vision, a dainty little figure about five
feet high, flushed and lovely face,
hair and draperies disarranged and
flying. He stamped his foot with rage
Get back in the house, he cried.
You mustn't gov' she painted. TITS
the only way to stop you."
"Go back to the house!" he shouted
savagely.
"Will you Gomez"
Fer Gods sake" cried William
Todd, 'come back! Keep out of the
roadv' He was emptying his revolver
at the clump Of bushes, the uproar Of
his firing blasting the night. Some one
from the house:
"Helen, Helenr'
John seized the girls wrists. Her
gray eyes flashed into his defant.y.
will you go?' he roared
"No!"
To nnH hnv, .s<,ke -
IN his arms as il she had been a kit
ten and leaped into the shadow OF the
.rees that leaned over the road from
he yard. The rifle rang out again,
md the little ball whistled venomous-
y overhead. Harkless ran along the
'ence and turned in at the gate. A
oose strand of the girls hair blew
lcross his cheek, and in the moon her
read shone with gold. She had light