The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-04-13
(Continued.)
Copyright. 1901. by Charles W. Hooke

sponded. Its not for the fun that j
should go, brit just to travel"
ITO get away from old surround
ings?'
1T is so beautiful herer' she cried
"Who could wish TO so away? No, no; |
want to take the surroundings with me
and leave myself at home. Can you dis
entangle that nonsense?"
Easily" | replied. And really it
isn't nonsense 1t is always possible to
go away and leave yourself at home.
The train starts every minute, and as
much of you as you please gets aboard.
The trouble is that most of us are dead
ly careful that our regrets and our
anxieties shall not miss the train.
Shake 'em, Lucy Ann. leave 'em on the
platform like a lot of bad actors wait
ing to receive their tickets from a
business manager who is already in the
next county"
She pressed her lips together prettily
and nodded half dozen times as if
marking the points i'll an unspoken ar
gument.
Its not honest of the business man
ager," said she. He should have staid
and seen them through. And | haven't
much respect for a person who is dis
honest with himself about his trou-
bles. Mine shall go with me, but they
shall be my maids and lackeys."
Discharge them all" said /, pay
them their wages and let them go.
They are not worth their keep"
Yes, they are" she insisted. Il can
make them work. Yet, on second
thought, it occurs to me that | haven't
any. It was a mere fancy. | am really
very happy"
l gave her my hand as she seemed
about to rise, and / did not let go
when she was upon her feet. She
smiled at me in the cheeriest fashion
and gave me a little shake of the hand
as if we were great friends. Looking
down into the sunbonnet, | perceived
that Trask had been right about her
looks, confound him! She was as pref
ty as a picture.
My thinking of him seemed to par
take of the nature of a psychic sugges-
ton, for | turned about Immediately
and looked straight at him as he came
walking through the field. Miss Jones
was with him, and they bore the Gus
tomary burden of sketching material.
[ had - wish to meet the man at that
moment, for my sentiments toward
him were not cordial, so | made a lame
excuse to Lucy Ann and slipped into
the path by which had come
At dinner that evening I was surpris-
ed to see Miss Jones in ScovePs place.
1t was the first time to my knowledge,
that she had appeared thus with Trask,
and it struck me that this tete-a-tete
dinner was a trif1e pronounced. 1t was
strange that this girl, obviously bred
to all the conventionaIities, should con-
tent herself with so little chaperonage.
There was no longer any mystery about
her so far as | was concerned. She was
the original Miss Jones. and she shar-
ed with Sibyl a half of the apple tree
lodge. Probably Miss Scott was some
one whom they knew and who occu-
pied her present quarters upon their
| could not see, however, that
she was of any particular use.
Miss Jones must have returned to the
orchard directly, for when, after q
rather warm debate with myself, / de-
cided to go down to the lake / found
Trask and Miss Witherspoon upon the
path.
There are strange tricks of sound on
a still night Those two" people were
talking when / first saw them-both at
once, to Judge by their attitude. Yet
[ heard only a faint murmur Then,
when had taken not more than three
steps toward them, Lucy AIMS voice
became perfectly audible, though l am
sure she spoke no louder than before.
Il am so glad for you; so gladr' she |
said Il know that you will be very
happy"
| stopped short, and at that moment |
they both saw me and began to walk |
toward me. Trask had nervous air, |
and when he came close he looked at
me with a singular embarrassment. |
Then he turned an eye on Lucy Ann,
almost as if asking her advice.
II don't see any objection" said she,
with a queer little laugh. Suppose
tell him?" And, as he made no sign of /
negation, she continued: There were /
two people who lived in a free country
q long time without finding out about /
1t. They imagined themselves to be
chained in separate cells in the wilds of I
Siberia or some place like that. Their
jailer's name was the Opposition of the /
Young Lady's Family, and he looked |
nerce, but in reality he was a paper I
dummy. So at last, encouraged by |
some of their friends, they decided to /
walk out, leaving the poor dummy to
guard an empty prison. They decided
to walk out into the beautiful world,
where love is the sun by day and the
moon by night Her voice shook just |
the least bit, but she steadied it. 1.-THE
man was fine fellow, take him for all /