Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-03-18


hesitation size tor ION her little oxfords
ana then her stoe ings, which she stuff
ed into the She = In her bare feet
she climbed easil up her platform and
INTO the tree. he disposed herself
carefully upon a ..rge, almost horizon
tai limb, with y # back to the trunk
and again attack 4 the novel.
The sun was mixing. and it began
to grow cool. yarroll stole quietly
away rev rods and then came strid-
ing noisily bac,e whistling joyfully
ana looking stra ight ahead of him In
seeming unconsc iousness of ANYTHING
but the distant andscape. He saun-
tered nonchalan' under the tree, APP
parently not SCI az NelPs scaffolding.
Then he sat lei irely down upon the
grassland her .s,noes. He pulled out
his pipe. lit Il and pulled serenely,
while the evening deepened into twi-
light and then into soft and indistin-
guishable gloons
Meanwhile Helen sat breathless, with
her bare feet pulled up beneath her
short skirt, in iDlminent danger of fall
ing if she made the slightest move
ment. She thought he had not seen
her and would 20 away soon.
1t had been too dark to read for
some time, and it seemed ages before
he rose. Helen oreathed sigh of re-
lief, and then, as he thought better of
1t and lay down again, she realized
how very dark it was and that she
was afraid to be left alone She set
her teeth and resolved to conquer aer
terror. Not for worlds would she have
him catch her in her present plight,
especially after. her bad treatment of
him that very afternoon She regret
ted the folly of having told him she
was afraid of the dark and only hoped
he took it forSa joke. If ne found
her here he would do something to
get even, and, besides, she knew that
in her present softened mood she al.
most wanted to stop teasing him and
let him sweep her into the strong,
sweet current of his love. Nervous at
the thought, she dropped her book. On
ITS way to the grass it Knocked Car
rolls hat from his head and his pipe
from his mouth.
"Hellor' be exclaimed as if to him
self and in apparent surprise. "a book
descending like the gentle rain from
heavenl Bertha NJ Clay too! A girl
who would wear such ridiculous little
shoes"-here he picked up and whim-
sically examined her oxfords-"would
be just the sort of girl who reads
Bertha Clay. Guess I'll take 'em home
and advertise EN- He put them in
mis- coat pocket
-'She was kind enough to leave me
her canoe too. Guess I'll CO.,
Nell can't rear screaming after him.
Her cancel -ov dared hei She could
never walk alone, and in her bare feet,
along that horrible, lonely river road.
With q gasp of terror she saw him
actually launch the little shell, but
when he leaped in and began to push
Off all the terror OF the night seemed
to descend Modify upon her. Like
fash she d. ,rmtned to brave out the
situation. ~
'Ilsas-s. - ~r~~-.i, Bring back
my boat this 1ninu'ep
"Hellor' he returned, padding to
shore again "Who's there, 1 should like
to knowf"
shell Benton"
where are your Wait till get this
thing ashore" He leaped out. where
in the world are you, NellT'
I'm the tree" she called carelessly.
where did you think was?"
AT home, naturally, after what you
said this afternoon"
'I changed my mind. Hand me my
shoes, please" she said sweetly, tuck
ing her toes farther up under her
skirt
what for?" he demanded.
ITO put on, so can go home"
II don't see it that way. The shoes
are in my pocket; you saw me put them
there. i saw you climb up there and
waited to watch you trap yourself
You've had me up a tree a year now;
now I've got you up one. Guess I'll
keep you there till you promise better
manners"
"Oh, never mind! 1 can come down
without shoes. You will please go away
now. Only don't take my boat" She
made motion as IL to swing herself
down.
Well" he commanded, zone move
ment and I'll kick down this little ia
cob's ladder of yours and go home
shoes. stockings, boat and all. It's my
innings. You have played with me long
enough. Nell do you love me?"
Il couldn't love any one but a-gen-
tleman,' she answered sweetly.
We'll waive that point. Do you love
meT He waited, then went on in a
stern tone, I'll give you four minutes
to decide"
1t is astonishing how many things
can happen out of doors In four min
utes. The moon came up over the hills;
quick breeze stirred everything into
motion; the birds walked and twittered.
Nells blood surged holly to her cheeks,
and the tide of her unacknowledged
love swelled to her lips. Still she was
hardly ready to give up. Henry struck
match for another look at his watch.
Three minutes gone. Nell, 1 love
you. There is just another minute.
shall never ask Won again Daar, ha