Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-04


MS you are" she said, with rather en-
barrassing directness. IL wouldn't
have you any different for tho world.
But my friends don't mind. They are
used to It," She laughed again.
Thorpe crossed the pole trail and for
the first time found himself by her
side. The warm summer odors were
in the air; a dozen lively little birds
sang in the brush along the rail; the
sunlight danced and fllckercd through
the openings.
Then suddenly they were among the
pines. and the air was cool, the vista
dim and the birds songs inconccivaDly
far away
He said little ard that lanely. for
he dreaded to say too much. 10 her
playful salies he had no reposte. and
in consequence he fell mere silent with
another hoiing-that he was losing his
co use outright for lack Of Il ready
word
And so The last spoken exchange be
tween them meant nothing. but II each
could have read TIE unsHid words that
quvercd on the others heart Thnrp"
would have returned 10 The fGbtnc
Forty more Tranquility, whilc she would
probably not hive returned 10 the
cunping party at AL FOR Il numoer of
hours
II do not think you had better coma
with me" she said. IN Ssn your ri,H
ana be forgiven on your own account
don't want to drag you in al my
chariot Wheels
".,ll right. III come this Afternoon.
Thorpe bad replicG.
Il love Der: | mus, have her. | nC>,
goat once his soul cried. 'qu,,A
now before I Hiss her,.
How strong he is. she sad to her
self how brave looking. how homes.
Ie is different from the other :nen. He
Is IIla.nl ncent"
That afternoon Thorpe met the oth"r
members OF tbs party. offered bis anol-
oCies and explanations and was gra
ciously forgiven. He found the pprson-
nei to consist Of FRS Of all Mrs. Cary
the chapcron. Il ve"y younS marri"d
woman Of twenty-five" or tiicrcalnnt:
her husband. youth Of three years
older. cicau shsvcn. Eight haired quiet
hammered: Miss Elizabeth Carpenter.
who ressr, b!ed her brother in the char.
acteristicS OF good looks. vivacious G's
position ard curl! hair: an attendant
satellite Of the masculine petsln. Oh
called Morton. and last of all tho Erl
whom Thorpe had already so vsrions'y
encountered ard whom he now mot as
Miss Hilda Farrand. Besides these
were Ginger, squat negro QUILT to o.
the galley OF yacht. and three indian
guides. They inhabited teuts. which
made quite little encampment.
Thorpe was received with rnthusl-
nsm. Wallace Carpenters stories of his
woods partner. While never doing more
than justice 10 the truth. had beer
warm. one and all owned n lively curl
osity to see what n rehl woodsnau
might be ike. When he proved to be
handsome and well ulnnncrcd MS well
az picturesque his reception was no lon
ger in doubt.
Nothing could exceed his soicitIde ~
to their comfort and amusement. H
inspected personally the arrangement
of the tents and suggested one or two
changes conuucive y The hitler com
forts. Simple things enough they were
it was as though a city man We're to
direct a newcomer to Central rark-yct
lhorpo'5 new friends were profoundly
impressed with his knowledge of occult
things The forest was to them. as to
most. more or legs OF my Stery u;!fa'h
oIuable except Ia the favored Of genius.
A man who could interpret it even a
little into the speech OF everyday com
Yer, and eKped .ency possessed ii Ntrou1
claim to their imaginations. When ne
Lad finished these practical affairs thny
wanted Linn 10 sit down and tell them
more things to dine with them. to
smoke about their camp fire in the
evening. But here they encountered
decided check Thorpe became silent
almost morose. He talked in nIonosyl-
tables and soon went away. They did
not know what to make of him and 80
were OF course the more profoundly in
terestcd, The truth was his habiual
reticencc would not have permitted a
great degree of expansion in any &c So,
but now the presence of liiida made
any but an attitude Of hushed waiting
for her words utterly impossible to him
However. when he discovered that
Hilda had ceased visiting the clump
Of pines near the pole trail his desire
forced him back among these people
He used to walk in swiftly ut almost
anJ time of day. casting quick chances
/ here and there In search Of his divin-
ity.
How 10. Mrs. Cary" he would say
"Nicc weather Enjoying yoursplft"
On receiving the reply he would an
swer heartily, ~ hats good" and ,apse
into silence. Wien Iii!da was about
be followed every movement of hers
with his eyes, so thai his strange con-
duct lacked no explanation or inter
probation. In the minds OF the women
a. least. Thrice lie ret.e, med his repu-
tation for being an interesting char
acter by conducting the party on little
! expeditions here and there about the
country. Then his woudcraft and re-
sourcelulness spoke for him, ThoY
asked him about the numbering OPP
sratlons. bur he seemed Indifferent.
Nothing to interest you he affirm
ed. "Were Just cutting roads now.
You ought to be here for the drive
Once he took them over to see Camp
One They were Immensely pl-nscJ
and were corrceDnnduCly oUd in OK