The San Francisco call., 1905-01-01
IN RE ETREAT I
By Troy Allison


eff you wouldn't mind,.' he spoke.
hesitatingly,. will ask permission 70
fish here. in fact have heen DREAM
ing about this very spot since my vaca-
tion last summer. BY Jove, I've caught
some beauties here"
In less than an hour she had dropped
her novel on the grass by the side or
the now placidly sleeping Billie and
was taking her first lesson in the art OF
bass fishing.
When she finally took up her novel
and hat preparatory to leaving he
looked at. her with frank friendliness.
I'm going to be here a month. i
hope l will have the pleasure of seeing
you again?''
Billie and 1 spend hours in this
spos every day. If you do much fish
ing you will probably meet up with
us occasionally"
Next day Ferroll had been ineluck
and half filled his basket when she
reached the creek.
Good morning, Billie" he called
out. II hope we. are ON friendly terms
to-day?"
'The dog shifted at the basket of
fish, then s,yy5oy lay down on the coat Fer
That's right, old fellow. make your
self at home. hope he doesn't OBJ
ject to smoker He looked at Miss
Winchester inquiringly, carefully
placed hiserod in the forks Of con-
venient push, ana lis=nzudgar prepara-
tory to a few minutes chat:
You are rather pluclsy woman"
he looked at her admiringly. but why
did you come absolutely alone?"
That's the nice part" she fastened
a wreath of green leaves around the
neck of the slumbering Billie. II was
tired of everybody and. If you must
1< II n
keep from Being. married for my
money / had an idea that match
making friend was concocting a
scheme to deprive me of my liberty.
Ferroll showed a sudden interest.
I'VE have a bond of sympathy" he
said, watching his creditable perform
ance at making smoke rings In the
calm summer air. Il have. an aunt in.
Newport who was absolutely deter
mined / should visit her this summer.
She had picked out a rich old maid who
owned a lovely cottage, and had II all
planned that I was to go. to see and to
conquer said spinster. So, you see, 1
came down here to keep from peing
forced into marrying for money.
II used to know some people in New
port. What's your aunt's manner" she
asked with a pretense of idle curiosity.
Mrs. Fenlon. She's been there for
the last three years only" And his
observation being concentrated 9on his
newest smoke ring, he failed to see the
crimson that flushed her face when he
mentioned the name or her own next
door neighbor at Newport.
R;lie,s mistress sat under the tree by
the creek one day until she had finish
ed her book, and still Ferrol had not
appeared.
head.
cts the first time in three weeks
that he has not been here first, Ellie.
she said. :.
pressed ridicule for the anxiety In her
voice. or disapproval of having his ears
rubbed the wrong way. Then he sud
denly sat up to listen, and in a Few
minutes Ferroll came down the path.
For the first time he came Without
his fishing tackle. He threw nimseI
down on the ground beside them ana
scowled into the dogs welcoming eyes
.s.Billie / want you to know that I'm
an egregious idiot. Perhaps you Will
be somewhat at sea as to the meaning
of egregious but l assure you It's the
very worst kind of idiot.
Miss Winchester raised her EYEBROWS
Elm sympathetic surprise.
! Suppose you tell us how you became
aware of your mental defects. she
suggested.
He pulled the dogs head over on his
knee.
"Billie. I dare not tell her how I dis
covered the fact of my idiocy. Last
night when / left the creek was
hanpy man. / had determined to come
down here this morning and ask you
how you would like to live In mouse
with a doctors sign on it. had rant
hone that your mistress would hate TO
nd
look after you, you know. But. Billie.
that hope is as dead as doornall
had a letter from my aunt this morn
ing. and she mentioned casually-on.
YES. darn casually-that she was giad
/ had postponed my visit. as MISS Juila
winchester was not at home, and sne
would not have me miss having tr,ai
at winning her money for anytnlng.
The woman sat perfectly quiet wnile
he continued his condolences.
"Now she would always think l. was
after her money, you unsympatnetic
brute. and to make matters worse 1
have kept her amused Tor three week
n'ith iokes about the old maid at
Newport. Billie. do you think there Is
a living woman that would overlook
being called an old maid?
She reached over and took hold OF
one of the dogs maltreated ears.
"Iend me an ear, Billie. You ought
to be a well-trained dog, LOT nav
spent hours on your education. Get
up and express nicely to the genu.e-
man your overwhelming desire to iive
in q house ornamented by a doctors
sign"
Then she managed to force her head
away from. Ferrolls shoulder ions
enough to add another sentence.
.You might state that your mistress
has a fondness for egregious idlots'
Billie" .,..