The Somerset reporter., 1904-06-30

work this thing out. This letter was
the cause of Miss Purvis' feeling bad
1t must be taken nway-that was all
about it.
The room was quiet; the fire died to
a little glow of winking embers; Miss
purvis was asleep. Charles Augustus
got up and got the letter. Then he hid
it under the mattress and went to
sleep with n lighter heart Now Miss
Purvis would be happy again. and she
would not go away.
But the next day Miss Purvis was
not happy. True, she did not cry, nor
did she read the letter which Charles
Augustus had craftily tucked inside
his blouse, but yet she was not the
Miss PurYis of aforetime, who laughed
and sang and romped on the lawn with
him. 1t was not the mere possession
of the letter then. What was it?
"IIe must not come" II must leave
here" Charles Augustus remembered
those words. Some one was coming
then; some one who would carry Miss
Purvis, the beloved. away. Charles
Augustus thought of giants and gypsies
and grew horribly alive to the eXigen-
cies Of the occasion. His father and
mother We're away, so he could not go
to them for advice.
There was only one man In Charles
Augustus confidence, and he was very
big and strong and knew everything
Next to the goat who was manifestly
Inadequate under the circumstances
Charles Augustus adored this man.
BE lived in house by himself, a long
long way on beyond the most distant
trees.
Charles Augustus saw the man that
afternoon. He had come to call, but
Miss Purvls had excused herself. She
had Il heado che, she said Now. the
man, whose name was Mr.. Houghton
was going down the drive with great
strides and so intent on ais own
thoughts that he did not hear Charles
Augustus call to him. 1t took him a
long time to catch up with the man
Indeed it did not happen until the lat
ter had turned off into the woods and
Charles Augustus hat had been lost
on the road and his legs much scratch
ed with briers. Then Charles Angus
tus told his story-about the letter and
low she had kissed it and yet cried
and was going away.
And she said / can't | can'tn like
that" ended Charles Augustus. " He
mustn't never know she said, and he
mustn't never come here
What wasn't he to know, and who
was he, and did Mr. Houghton think 1t
was a giant that was coming to carry
Miss Puryis Off? Then Charles Angus
tus took the letter from his blouse
and then the man knew.
I'm afraid it is IA giant" said Mr.
Houghton gravely, and it's lucky
heard of 1t In time, because | WAS go
ing away tomorrow But now
but nowf7 said Charles Augustus
anXiously.
"Now l think I'll go right back to
the house with you"
"And you won't let her be tooken-I
mean taxed uwayf said Charles Au-
gustus.
mo, she isn't going away" the man
replied-"at least not very far"
They got out into the road and start
ed back Charles Augustus hand In
that of his friend and his small shoes
blowing through the dust. And then,
at turn in the road, they came sud
denly on Miss Purvis, very white and
scared looking and carrying Charles
Augustus hat. Charlie" she cried
Il thought you were lostl'
Charles Augustus plunged toward
her II folded him" he cried trium-
phantly. I've told him all about the
letter and how you cried because the
giant was going to carry you Off, and
he says the giant shan't and that you
are going to live here happily ever aft
er. amen, like people do In fairy sto-
ries. And you are, amt your
Miss Puryls looked at the man a sec
ond. and then her face came all pink
and then she said Yes.
1t was very happy walk back home
to Charles Augustus, except that he
for some reason could not manage to
walk between his two friends and hold
both their hands at the same time.
thing which Charles Augustus partic-
ularly wished