The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-03-23
BY
HOEDQrd
IdfnS

stance, and the ordinary habits or con-
cealment struggle with selfish desire
to relieve the mind. The result is that
fellow carries away from such an in
terview a remarkable mixed Shame for
having both lied and told the truth
when neither was necessary.
What | told Derringer did not do Ell
Their of us any good. AS for his story,
it was quantity vague. He was an open
hearted, practical fellow, who might
have presented the plain facts with ex-
cellent effect, but he stumbled in the
byways of evasion.
"The truth is" said he, that l
thought l was persona grata to the fin.
est woman in the world, and | wasn't.
So l came out here to forget about il"
Another fellow?' l suggested.
He seemed to ponder deeply, and in
the silence l heard the music more
plainly than before.
Hanged if | know" said he at last.
Beautiful voice, isn't it,"
81 heard it when L first came out"
said l, land had a vision of an angel
flying over the house. Who is it?'
THE girl in the orchard" said he.
"That's the extent of my information.
She was here when | came day before
yesterday. Wanted the place for my
SELF but it wouldn't work. | told Mrs.
Witherspoon that it wasn't safe for
girl to live out there all alone, and she
said 'M-m-mv or Well, nowv l forget
which She always says one or the
other. It's blamed sight easier to tell
Mrs Witherspoon something than it is
to get her to tell you anything"
1.-The girl isn't alone in the orchard"
said l. There's Miss Scott"
Speaking with all possible respect"
rejoined Derringer thoughtfully, ''it's
a simple fact that in an emergency
good dog is worth dozen old maids.
I've been tempted to send her one. Of
course she wouldn't accept him."
1T is customary to make the gentle
mans acquaintance first" said L, and
Derringer kicked the Stile softly, re-
fiectively, as if there might be another
view of the matter. "My own notion"
continued, twas to buy some blood
and thunder stories-some of these his
torical dime novels that sell for dol
lar and a half in cloth. An armful of
those things ought to drive her out of
that cabin in a hours. But, to be seri-
Gus, I'd rather she'd stay, though
really do want the place very much for
myself. The girl is perfect; she fits the
orchard even as the blossoms of the
trees. I've seen her at a distance,
and
Well" said Derringer, as if 1 had
hesitated, what did you Think"
why, nothing in particular" said
I, except what I've told you"
He had got down from the stile, and
as it seemed to be his intention to re-
turn to the house l fell in beside him.
His room was directly over mine, and
at my invitation he inspected my quar-
tiers before ascending to his own. When
/ struck a light, it happened that the
print Of Sibyl was lying on the table
beside the lamp, though / had sup
posed that l had put it away. l saw
Derringer glance at it and start.
ANY one you know?" 1 queried.
He took it up.
Charming girl said he, ''for as
much as one may see here
when a photographer takes the
back of girls head" said l, 1.-The cir
cumstance is suspicious"
I've seen her somewhere" said he.
"Would it be intrusive to inquire
mot the least in the world. She is
Miss Sibyl Wayne She has been my
fathers ward from her youth"
Derringer shook his head
81 can't have had the honor of meet
ing her" he said 81 always remember
names much better than faces. She's
not staying here? Well, that's odd"
L. ~,
ITS a matter of perfect certainty
he went on, that I've seen this young
lady recently-within a day or two,
should say, yet the times uncertain.
She hasn't been out here? L would
have said
He paused and stared up at the cell
ing.
Strange how one forgets''- he be-
gan.
'"The picture doesn't show much ex-
cept an ear" said l.
He tapped the print lightly with his
finger.
ITS the hat" he said Pretty bit
of millinery, isn't it? / have an eye
for such things, though you'd hardly
believe it. Yes, SIR he added slowly,
pve-Seen-that-hatY
He seemed to take a deeper interest
than the facts warranted. BY my way
of thinking the matter was of impor-
lance to me rather than to him. How
ever, he was not in possession of all
the facts. and could not know my mo-
tive for treasuring this picture | had
contented myself with explaining to
him that there was q young woman in
the world whom / wished to meet with
q perfectly free heart and mind, and
that therefore / had come to Mrs.
Witherspoon's for the purpose of shak-
ing off a certain fascination, a spell OF