The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-12-29
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
Copyright, 1905, By RubU Douglas

manccs about that castle than you can
count"
CASTER / repeated, following her to
the cast porch. Il don't know of any
castle in this town."
In obedience to her pointing finger I
looked across the hollow to the hill be-
You'd. red of soil and green with cult
walton, having background Of pines
and bearing on it's breast ruins of gray
stone.
''Oh, that" 1 said; that is Deacon's
Folly. 1t is"-
wait. Don't tell me till we are there.
We shall see the sun go down while I
listen to the story"
So we went through the streets of
through vcritable lovers lane, with
the twitter of birds somewhere beyond
the willows on either side, with the
purling of a little stream at our feet
and the tinkle of bells behind us. We
halted on rude bridge.
Halle, dear, let's stay here in the
peace and quiet forever" l whispered.
She put her hand on my arm. Il have
decided that l will marry you, Dan,"
she said softly.
"Oh, Halliew l cried and captured
the little hand. "Oh, Hallie"'
I've been thinking 1t over since l
said no, and / am sure it needn't inter-
fere with my work. l can't bear to so
away and leave you, and you would as
soon live in the east as the west,
wouldn't you, DAM"
The expression of her face was eager
and sweet and shy all ut once, but
frowning. 1 released her hand and
started on.
You were criticising this town the
other day." l began slowly. You said
your uncle owned only half his home
because he has title to only the surface
right, while Mr. Brown owns the min
ing right. You said that if you owned
a piece of property you should want to
own halfway down to China; that 1t
must be all or nothing with you"
Halle flushed, but made no reply.
1T is SO with me. l want you, Hal
lie, but l want all Of you-your mind
as well as your beautiful body. If you
are to be my wife you must not give
the Benton Clarion or any other news
paper Il mining right to take the gold
of your brightest thoughts away from
me-"
But l am the best girl reporter In
the state. They said So" she protested,
can't give UP my work, Dan. love it."
mo one can serve two masters, Hal
lie."
We walked 4 little while in silence.
When turned to assist her up the hill
1 saw that her eyes were wet, but she
was brave and proud, was Halle. She
looked up at me, laughing.
'4Thus endeth the first chapter" she
said mockingly.
80 be it," 1 answered, holding open
the great gate that she might pass
through.
We went through pear orchard, and
presently we stood among the gray
stone ruins. In the Enclosure were pine
trees and naples waving their great
leaves mournfully; near the front en-
trance some stones had fallen from out
the wall, and among them grew poison
oak: in one corner masses Of blooming
catchfly and IN the center six dande-
lan stems.
Rich man, poor man, beggar man,
chief; doctor, lawyer chanted Hal
lie, bending over them. Tell my for
tune, dandelions, l pray you" She
puffed out her pretty red lips and blew
desperately at each one, but their time
was not yet ended. They refused to be
blown away. Laughing, she went over
to the catchfiy corner and sat down on
a stone.
'Tell me about 1t, DAN" she COM
manded, beginning to gather the scar
let blossoms.
MANY years ago a good deacon own
I'd gold NINE" began, looking down
1T her gloomily, land in the foolishness
of his heart he thought the yield would
never grow less. He said: L will not
live i'll houses like other men. l will
build me Il castle such as this country
has never beheld.' So his workers laid
these foundations and built these walls.
Then one day the deacon went to his
mine, but there was no more gold. His
castle was never completed; his foun-
tains never splashed in the sunlight
nor did his electric lights ever shine
down on the town below. He died, but
his folly remains. 1t has many appli-
cations. You, Halle, are squandering
the gold of an honest mans love. You
are building for yourself a castle Of
fame. Beware, lest it crumble In ruins
about your feet"
You are tragic tonight, Dan," she
remarked as she finished her bright
hued crown and placed it ON her dark
hair.
The sun is setting" l said, turning
angrily away from her beauty. You
have no business to be working among
men anyway. You are too pretty"
1t was scornful glance she threw
back ut me as she climbed the rock pile
to look toward the west.
Il didn't think that of you," she said
quietly, but her tone made me flush
with shame.
Forgive me, Halle" l cried, spring
ing up beside her. Il don't know what
I'm saying"
Dear old Dam" she whispered, with
u half sob. don't forget me quite when
I'm gone
Forget her! The sun disappeared be-
hind the fringe of pines. and the ca
tha1r1l lnu bnrln tn rinp slowly oo oh
chime knell to my dead hopes. Hal
lie shivcrcd.
I'VE had better go. 1t will be dark
now when we get back"
/ pleaded for five minutes more SO
that ! might say my real goodby to
scarlet crowned. red Tipped, misty eyed
Halle: then, hand in hand. we went
Gown the hill, along the country road,
through lovers laEe and back to the
town again.
1t was summer when Halle went
away. and it was summer again when
she came back. One evening l was
passing the house which she had glorl-
fed for SO short time, when her aunt
bcckOned to me.
$50 to the east porch" she whispered
as | went up the walk.
| thought of the time Halle had
shown me her castle from the east
porch, and my heart was like lead as l
went round the house and looked up to
gee-Hallie! Not round and rosy as she
had been, but white, with great eyes
unnaturally bright; Halle, with her