Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-11

mace 10 shame, but lie turned his eyes
from her because he feared that II he
looked longer he might blurt out some
speech about her loneliness. His
glance rested on the bank, but its
diameter included the edge of her white
skirt and the tip of little white, high
heeled slipper that peeped out from
beneath and he had to look away from
that, too, to keep from telling her that
he meant to advocate law compelling
all women to wear crisp white gowns
and white kid slippers on moonlight
nights.
She picked long spear of grass
from the turf before her. twisted It
absently in her fingers, then turned to
him slowly. Her lips parted as II to
speak. Then she turned away again.
The action was so odd, somehow, as
she did IT, so adorable, and the pre-.
served silence was such bond be-
tween them, that for his life he could
not have helped moving half way up
the bench toward her.
"What is it?" he asked, and he spoke
In whisper such as he might have
used at the bedside Of dying friend.
He would not have laughed IL he had
known he did so. She twisted the spear
Of grass into little ball and threw II
at stone in the water before she an.
swered
do you know. Mr.. Harkless, you
and have not met have we? Didn't
we forget TO be presented to eacl.
other"
II beg your pardon, Miss Sherwood.
In the perturbation of comedy l for
got"
ut was melodrama, wasn't it?" she
said. He laughed, but she shook her
head
"Purcst comedy" he said gnyly, tex
ccpt your part Of it. You shouldn't have
done it. This evening was not arranged
in honor of visiting ladies' But you
mustn't think me comedian. Truly, l
didn't plan it. My friend from Six
Crossroads must be given the credit of
devising the scene. though you OWNED
it,
at was a little too picturesque
think. l know about Six Crossroads.
Please tell me what you mean to do"
Nothing. What should II"
"You mean that you will keep on let.
ting them shoot at you until they-until
with her hand.
There's no summer thcater in Six
Crossroads. There's not even a church.
Why shouldn't they?' he asked grave
!y. During the long and tedious even
ings it cheers the poor Crossroader's
soul to drop over here and take shot
at me. 1t whites away dull care for
him, and he has the additional exercise
of running all the way home"
"Ah." she cried Indignantly. "They
told me you always answered like this"
"Well you see. the Crossroads efforts
have proved so thoroughly hygienic for
me. AS a patriot have sometimes felt
craftsmanship should exist in the coun-
ty. but console myself with the
thought that their best shots are. un-
happily, in the penitentiary."
There are many left. Can't you I'm.
derstand that they will organize again
and come in body, as they did before
you broke them up? And then, il they
come on a night when they know you
are wandering out of town.
You have not had the advantage Of
an intimate study of the most exclusive
people Of the Crossroads, Miss Sher-
wood. There are about thirty gentle
men who remain In that neighborhood
while their relatives sojourn under dis
cipline. II you had the entree over
there, you would understand that these
thirty could not gather themselves into
company and march the seven miles
withoO physical debate in the ranks.
They are not precisely amiable people,
even among themselves. They would
quarrel and shoot one another TO pieces
long before they got here"
But they worked in company
once"
Never for seven miles. Four miles
was their radius. Five would see them
all dead"
She struck the bench again. "Oh, you
lhuSu al Hic. 1ou u1ihc u J'ht VI sout
own life and death and laugh at every
thing. Have Ave years Of Plattvllle
taught you to do that
II laugh only at taking the poor
Crossroaders too seriously. ! don't laugh
at your running into fire to help fell
low mortal"
II knew there wasn't any risk. l
knew he had to stop to load before he
shot again"
"He did shoot again. If l had known
you before tonight, r. His tone
changed, md he spoke gravely. Il am
at your feet in worship of your divine
philanthropy. It's so much finer to risk
your life for stranger than for Il
friend
That is a mans point Of view, isn't
it,"
You riskcd yours for n man you had
never seen before"
"Oh. no. saw you at the lecture.
heard you introduce the Hon. Mr.. Hal
loway."
Then l don't understand your wish
ing to save me"
She smiled unwillingly aud turned her
gray eyes upon him with troubled sun
niness, and under the sweetness of her
regard he set watch upon his lips.
though lie knew it would not avail him
long. He had driveled along respect
ably 80 far, lie thought, but he had the
continental lOpuiupa Of vpnrS. starved