The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-03

.thflnutIl., l1E VAS liz = dlu SOIC
occupant OF the large stone house--a
widower OF some ycars' standing, al
though he was yet young. Ills parents
had died In his childhood.
He had been an officer in the army,
had served several years upon the from
Z tier, had suffered great priyations, had
married wife much older than hlnl-s
sled. had seen her die on the Plains
from sheer want, though he had more
money than he could get transportation
for; and finally. on the deatn Of his
grandfather, he had resigned. with re-
iuctance. a commission which mad
brought him nothing but suffering and
toll. and had returned to Butflund,
where he was born, to take charge OF
the great estate of which he was the
only heir. And even yet. in the midst
OF luxury and a comfort which anti
cipated every wnnl and gratifed every
taste, he otter looked longsngly back
upon the life he had left, until mis- nose
inhaled again the scent of the sage
bush and his eyes snarted with alkali
dust, He regretted the dcsolate prairles,
the wide reaches of barrenness $accursed
of the creator, the wild chaos OF the
mountain canons, the horror OF the Bad
Lands, the tinsling cold of winter IN the
Black Hills. But the republic holds SO
high tho privilege Of serving her, that
for the officer who once reslgns-with5
good character-therc is no return for
ever, though he seek 1t With hair Inc
lobby ut his heels. So Captain Farnham
sat. this fine May morning. reading
which gave the stations OF
his friends i'll the Tenth" with some
thing OF the feeling which assalls the
exile when he cons the court journal
CHI on ~
q e q
But while he is looking at the CLOCK
a servant enters.
..That same young person is here
saga!n.' 4,
What young persona
There was slight flavor of roproach
in the tone OF the grave Eng!shmhn as
he answered:
II told you last night; sir, she has
been hero three times already: she doesn't
give me her name nor yet her businessi
she is settin' in the DRAWN room. and
says she will walt till YOU are quite at
leisure wns about to tell her. nc
added, With still deeper solemnity, hat
Vol, were hout sir, but she Uninterrupted
of mo and said !: He Isn't gone; there's
his AT, which told her you 'ad several
#,ats, and would she walt In the drawn
room and I'd see"
Captain Farnham smiled,
Very WELL Budscy, you've done your
best--and perhaps she won't eat me ~ ter
all Is there a. fre In the drawing room Z.
mo, slr."5a 3i
.I.ct her come in here. then"
,1sl1 4 II
"A moment after the rustic OF fem
mine step made Fnrnham raise MS hchd
suddenly from his paper II was quick, Il
elastic step, accompanied by that crisp
rattle OF drapery which the close. cllnglhs
garments of ladies produced at that sea
son. The door opened, ana as the VISITOR
entered Farnham rose In surprise, he
had expected to see tho usual seml-men-
,dlcant. with sad-colored miment and
doleful whine. calling for a SUBSCRIPTION
for new centennial History, or the
confessed tgenteal beggnr, whose rent
would be due to- morrow. But there was
nothing, In any way usual IN INC youhh
person who stood before him. She was
4 tall and robust girl Of eighteen or nlho-
teen, OF slngnlarly fresh ana s,sof ,oa,s
beauty, Tho artists forbid us 70 looK
for. physical perfection in renl people,
but 1t would havo been hard for tho cool
est headed studio rat to find any fau!t
in the slender but powerful form OF TINS
young woman
Her color was deficient in delicacy,
and her dark hair was too luXurlant 70
he amenable TO the lmpeTect dlsclPHnu
to which It had been accustomed; nut
The eye of Andrea, sharpened by crit
losing Raphael, could hardly have found
a line to alter in her. Tho dress OF that
year was scarcely more retlcent In It's
revelations than the first wet cloth with
which Il sculptor swathes his kneaded
clay;s and pretty women walked IN y
with almost the same calm conscious
ness of power which Phryne displayed
before her judges, Tho girl who now
entered Tarnham's library had thrown
her shawl over ono arm, because Inc
shawl was neither especially ornamental
nor now, and she could not afford to lei
it conceal her dress, Of which she was
innocently proud; for It represented not
only her beautiful figure with few re-
serves, but also her skill and taste and
labor. she had cut the pattern out Of an
Illustrated newspaper, had fashioned ana
..sewed 1t with er own hands; she knew
That it fitted her almost as well as her
own skin; and although the material was
cheap ana rather fllmsy the style was
Very nearly the same MS thatfNworn the
same day OH the Boulevard OF the
Italians. Her costume was completed by