The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-02-17
THE FORBIDDEN
PATH
Rn IZ0IA FORESTER
Copyright. 1905. BY IzOla Forester.
Blu IZoLA FORESTER

It's Il perfect shame. Look at that
lawn. Cut right straight across from
the lilacS TO the sidewalk, rs if we kept
little chain gang of elephants trotting
over it, l won't have it. Nell! I'll turn
the hose on those boys"
Don't jabber over it. Kit You'll
only get I'LL red and warm and fussy,
and some one may hear YOU
Kit scowled defiantly ut the broad
bay window of The house next door.
The shades were lowered and the
blinds half closed. On one window
sill Il plump tortoise shell eat doZed
comfortably. Peace evidently reigned
within, and it was the habitation of the
enemy.
Il don't care who hears me. Who
ever hears Kit raised her voice
ever so little, just enough to carry
over the tortoise shell cat. They
must know ali about it anyway. How
would they like it if we tramplcd paths
all over their lawn day and night
There comes one of them" Nell
paused in her sweeping on the little
vine covered porch and waited anxious
ly. Now. don't be huffy. sis
Kit sat immovable in the dandelion
starred grass and watched the coming
boy with disappearing. menacing eyes.
lie was rather a nice boy TO look at,
too, somewhere around fifteen. and he
whistled as he came along the side
walk in front of the Norton cottage.
There was Il break in the low box
hedge. made 10y vandals, but this VAN
dial diSGained it and added insult to
injury by jumping over the hedge and
boldly starting across the path.
How do, Miss NOrton!" he called
cheerily Pretty hot today, isn't it,
Say, Dick Mclean, we don't want
you three boys tramping over our
lawn" Kit spoke with dignity and
severity. 1T makes a regular beaten
path all the way to your lilacs, and l
think You could use your own lawn if
you want to make a checkerboard on
the grass"
Dick halted midway on the forbid
den way and looked at its undertaking
course Of barrenness with interest.
1T does look queer" he said. I'm
awfully sorry we did it. When old
Mrs. Tisdale lived here she didn't give
rap about it. 1t wasn't lawn then.
She just hung up her wash here. and
she kept chickens too
We'll, we don't" retorted Kit most
ungraciously. Ever since We moved
here I've been trying TO coax real
croquet lawn out of Il wilderness of
chickweed and plantain. We only had
the hedge put in as gentle hint to
our neighbors
You mean us, don't you:' Dick
smiled down on her good naturedly.
Yes, l do granted Kit, because it
really was all the fault of you boys,
and you don't care. You even jump
right over the hedge
Dick got over on his own side hasti-
ly. We'll, I'm sorry l jumped, Miss
tell the other boys TO keep off too.
Goodby"
Kits curly head nodded an unwilling
response as she bent over the pansy
bed again.
lie heard every word Nell sat
down on the top step and laughed.
How do you know
The cat went indoors, and she never
does unless he is at the desk"
There was a pause, and the pansies
suffered from too vigorous treatment.
We'll, l don't care if he did" said
Kit finally, but her tone was lower. IF
they don't stop it I'll put up barb
vine
1t was not an idle threat, though it
needed provocation to carry it out.
Two days later, just at noon, 4 happy,
leisurcly procession passed over the
lawn. Even Dick, the traitor, was lead
ing and whistling in sweet forgetful-
ness, with 4 baseball bat over his
shoulder Kit said nothing. The point
had arrived where mere wrath was fu-
tile. Early on Saturday morning she
superintendent the placing of her out
posts of defense, and by the time that
the boys appeared a neat array OF
| barb wire strands We're stretched along
beside the hedge.
Its all right for the boys said Nell
critically. But what if Mr.. Mclean
IF he can't make his little brothers
| behave. then we will. It's bad enough
living next door to perfect old crank,
| on your summer vacation anyway,
| without being on intimate terms with
him. Even mother says he's eccentric.
| and that means crank"
| Ina:rl't Inol- Ike ono ~
We'll, he is, all the same. All writers
are cranks, and the more successful
they get the crankier they arc, so Mr..
kirke Ross Mclean must be Il terror.
And he doesn't write books, either; moi
real books. He only travels and writes;
doesn't make up a thing out OF his own
| head
Nell did not answer. She was look
ing over ut the cool. darkened bay win
! dow and thinking of the figure beyond
! the tortoise shell cat, figure that.
! sitting at the broad, fiat top desk neal
the window, sometimes turned TO gaze
over the hedge where the pansics grew
and the crouuet balls clicked.
"Just you wait" said Kit, following
her glance. Some day those boys will
Soroo% and faka rim ovar that natl