West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-10-04
Blind as a Bat
BY Moriha MeCulloch> williams
Copyright. 1896. 10y Euly Douglas

III Copyright. 1896. 10y Ruly Douglas
Miiii;iii#HIaiHHTl;l commandment
Eastbrook opened It's eyes very wide
and caught SIS breath over the Taun-
ton girl when she swept through e
riding cross saddle. To be sure. the
town had been reading this long time
about the divided skirt. but then the
town was also not exactly sure I'm It's
mind that riding its streets even upon
n proper sldesaddle was not rather
bold.
OF course In the country II was diff
ferent. The very best young women
rode there. Moreover, 1t had come 10
be sort OF proverb among the plan
tation folk that the hardest aud most
reckless riders were town girl visitors.
Very few OF them had any mercy upon
the beasts luckless enough 20 carry
them-thls not because thoy were hard
hearted, but from sheer Ignorance and
the pure animal delight of finding
themselves unfettered for time. They
fretted not n little. these town bred
riders, when the country folk checked
speed at hills or insisted that horse
should have chance 10 blow bit
after hard gallop
Possibly envy, the least touch. gave
edge to their disapproyal Of Edith
Taunton. Edith had fortune and
three fine saddle horses As II that
We're not enough. Billy Drayton fell
into way OF sharing her early gallops.
Until she came back to the old
homestead Billy had not seen sun
rise once a year. II was proyokingly
significant, this change in him. He
had been the despair OF the town
matchmaker. He was governors
grandson, rich, good looking, good hui
mored. Further, he was a squire OF
dimes so nobly impartial nobody ever
yet had been able 10 establish
claim TO him. The people he regarded
most and was readiest to servo were
meek old ladies who had known his
mother and very little girls.
Edith was, he insisted. only n big lit
tie girl. very lone and lorn in her big
empty house. what he did not say was
that he thought her coming back to it
eNe~ANN@A@A=
bent on helping her fight down the
loneliness and mako her own social
place
This in the beginnlng-until the town
gossips took TO cranlng the neck, shak-
ing the head and drawing aside the
least bit when the girl came among
them. Billy saw the head shaking the
drawing back, a long time before she
did. She was open and unsuspicious as
daylight and had no thought OF tread
ing on the Corns Of town propriety in
anything she did. But. being also fun
of quick intuitions, after awhile she
understood
And then? Then only she really dsd
set out 10 hOrrlfy the good gentlewOm-
en-. She drove tandem through the
middle OF the square, sitting Up very
straight, looking neither 10 right nor
left, but pulling up at the corner By
the bank 10 pick Up Billy and take him
away with her Next week il was a
card party-wholly masculine In com
position, except for Edith herself and
the eolorless cousin who served as her
companion. There We're wine and cl-
gars and a supper afterward-a very
late supper.
The town thrilled with the horror OF
It. But lot as # did little later. when
everybody knew that thereafter, upon
Sunday evenings, Edith meant to be OF
home TO her friends.
If Billy had known IN time that nev.
er would have come 20 pass. But he
had gone away Tor a fortnight right
after the night az cards, first making
Edith promise TO have no more such
assemblies until he was there 10 give
her countenance and protection.
When he came back ana found the
mischief done, he was FL a sad taking.
Il see Just one way out Of it-you
have got TO marry me. else you won't
have rag Of reputation left" he said.
pretending to shake her hard.
Edith made o mutinous mouth al
him. Suppose we try some other SAGE
rifeial lamb. Aren't sou most too old
and tOughT' she asked, her eyes dane
ing wickedly.
Billy grinned cbeerfully. you can
have carloads OF 'em for the taking.
nice white ban lambs but I don't be-
heve they'd be the least eGectual." De
said. "You see. what you need really.
is not q sacrifice. but "a scaDerglt
I'm strong enough 20 have your sins
confessed over my head and thence.
forth imputed TO me"
"But scapegoats have to le eent
away. out into tie wilderncs- learn.
cd that much az Sunday school and 7
can't have you SO away" Elth pro-
tested. Besides ! am not doing ar--
thing horrid. ] shall g0 % church
afn.