Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1906-07-03

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Broderick swung off the 4:35 ex
press, walked quickly up the step!
leading from the railroad platform ant
took his first look at Pineville. Thos,
who lived In Pineville proper were con
tent to call it Pineviile. Gerald ha(
written that they did not live in Pine
vile proper. but in Pineyille- by the-Sea
otherwise Pineyille improper.
All that Broderick saw were pines
plenty of them, fiat white ribbon o.
roadway and bit of postoffice
roughly shingled, in the midst of tbs
nearest clump of pines. He stepped
into the postoffice as the central spo
of civilization. Some one was stamp
ing letters behind the glass Enclosure
a girl with smooth dark hair. Beatrice
: had smooth dark hair.
He watched the girl stamping letters
with interest and wondered why some
one did not tell her to wear her smooth
dark hair in two soft braids around hel
head, crown fashion, as Beatrice did.
"Where do the vaughans live
pleasef' he asked finally, when the
stamping ceased.
"The vaughans? Oh, Mr.. Gerald
Vaughan and his wife? It's brown
house down near the shore, with Q
wide veranda and funny roof. About
mile straight down the road"
A wide veranda and a funny roof
That sounded like Gerald. He won
dered how Gerald's wife liked it. Bea
trice was artistic, but not artistically
eccentric. She had horror of things
odd, bizarre, so called bohemian, and
yet she had married Gerald. And Ger
AIDS brother knew that Gerald was
utterly odd, bizarre and bohemian, sc
called.
He walked on down the fat white
ribboned roadway and wondered
whether he would find her like the
girls Gerald had always admired. A
lithesome, limp, blessed damozel type
with close silky gowns and loose fioppy
hair. Last summer she had not beer
that type. He thought of the trim CIR
figure holding the rudder of the Water
Lily that last day. She had been more
than the sort Of girl to fall In love
with. She had been a good fellow, 9
stanch friend And as he watched bel
he had stopped rowing, and they ha6
drifted slowly in the sunset glow thai
flooded the lake while he told her.
There had been no actual engage
ment. lie had nothing to reproach hel
with. He had not been in position tt
ask her to be his wife then, but he had
thought girl like Beatrice had meant
more by a kiss, hand clasp, few
vague words of understanding. than
other girls. He had thought she might
wait until next summer. And now, In
April, he had returned to New Yorh
to learn that Gerald was in disgrace
had married ON nothing, eloped to Pine
viIle-by-the-Sea n. c., and his wife
was Beatrice Stafford.
Gerald's mother had said they were
penniless. Gerald's father had remark
ed that he didn't give rap. They
could exist upon love and art.
More or less for Beatrice's sake and
a little for Gerald's, Gerald's brother
had taken it upon himself to visit the
bridal couple and help Gerald. Smoth
ering his own love, he had made up his
mind that as long as Beatrice had
married Vaughan she should not suf
fer from it.
There was no bell at the door Of the
little brown house with the funny roof
It was merely a bungalow in weather
ed shingles, and he pounded on the
door Justify until it opened and Bea
trice stood before him.
She was not the blessed damozel
type yet. Her smooth dark hair was
wound about her head in just the same
crown fashion, and she wore a Short
dark blue linen skirt and a white shirt
waist. The sleeves were rolled to heI
elbows, and from her finger tips to Ell
bow dimples there was -four sprinkled
He had not expected to see her face
to face so soon or alone. Neither bad
he expected her to act as she did. The
color rose in her cheeks, tipping even
her ears with pink. 1t was an old hab
it. He remembered it.
II thought you were in London she
said.
you don't give fellow a very de
cent welcome after he's travelled from
London to this wilderness to say con
gratula lions"
He stepped into the hall after her
She hesitated and laughed, looking al
her Toured hands.
Il can't shake hands with you, and
and the biscuits are in the oven.
shall have to watch them. Do yoJ
mind coming out to the kitchen?"
He didn't mind There appeared Il
be only three rooms-the studio-sittine
room, the dining room and the kitchen
Collapsible ready minute studio di
vans were in the sitting room and din
ing room in lieu of bedrooms. 1t was
all charmingly, most uncomfortably
odd, bizarre and bohemian.
Where's Gerald:y he asked when hs
had found chair in the kitchen.
Beatrice knelt beside the stove tt
look at the biscuit. He could not SEE
her face.
HE went to the postoffice for tht
last mail. You must have missed
him.
"well, what ever made him come t.
this lost corner?"
"Oh, because it was the chance Of
something definite. you know! Dom
you known she added quickly, seeing
the puzzled look on his face well
Gerald's chum, Netherby Ames, broks
all to pieces last fall from overvorI
and SO on, and he was ordered 1ow-