Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-27

SSsNNe' W AdttNlic. MISS BrlSeOp
was pretty, but not at all in the way
that Harkless dreamed For five years
the lover in him that had loved so Of
ten had been starved Of all but dreams
only at twilight and dusk in the sum-
mer, when strolling he caught si.sht of
woman's skirt far ND The VILLAGE
street half outlined in the darkness
under the cathedral arch of meeting
branches, this romancer of petticoats
could sigh true lovers sigh and if
ne Kept enough distance between. fIy n
yearning fancy that his lady wandered
there.
Ever since his university DAYS the
image OK her had been growing more
and more distinct. He had completely
settled his mind as to her appearances
and her voice. She was tall. almost too
tall, he was sure of that: and out of
his consciousness there had grown q
sweet and vivacious young face that he
knew was hers. Her hair was light
Drown, with gold lusters Che reveled in
the gold lusters on the proper theory
that when your fancy is painting a
picture you may as well go in for the
whole thing and make IL sJImptuousl,
ana her eyes were gray. They were
very earnest, and yet they sp.lrlllpd and
laughed to him compan;onahly. and
sometimes be smiled back upon her
The Undine danced before him through
the lonely years, on fair nights i'm his
walks and came to sit by his fire on
winter evenings when he stared alone
at the embers.
And tonight, here in Plattville. he
heard voice he had waited for long
one that his tickle memory told him be
had never heard before But, listening
be knew better-he had heard it long
ago, though when and how he did not
know, as rich and true and ineffably
tender as now. He threw a SOP to his
common sense. miss Sherwood is
little thing" (the image was so surely
talD, with bumpy forehead and spec
tacles," he said to himself, cor else a
provincial young lady with big eyes to
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 harmonies new to him. He
had come to Plattville before "Caval.
leria Rustcana" won the prize at Rome.
and now, entranced. be heard the I'm
termezzo' 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 soli-
tary apple tree standing like lone
ly ghost in the middle of the field
came the Wool of screech owl twice.
1t was answered twice from a clump
OF elder bushes that grew i'm a fence
corner fifty yards west of the pasture
bars. Then the barrel of u squirrel rifle |
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 "It will be
cooler out here" came the voice of the
singer clearly through the quiet. what
a nightr
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 a
rifle. There were two screams from
the veranda. Cne white figure ran into
the house. The other little one with
gauzy wrap streaming behind, came
lying out into the moonlight straight
to Harkless. There was n second re-
port. The rife shot was answered by
revolver. William Todd had risen
up, apparently from nowhere, and,
kneeling by the pasture bars, fired at
the flash of the rifle.
Jump fer the shadder, Mr.. Harg-
less!' he shouted. Hes In them ell
ders. Fer Gods sake. come backw
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 quavered from close be-
hind him: Don't run like that. Mr..
Harklessl 1 can't keep up"
He wheeled about and confronted a
vision, 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 houser' he cried
You mustn't gor' she painted. IT'S
the only way to stop you"
go back to the houser' he shouted
savagely.
"Will you conner"