Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-26
CHAPTER VIII.
Elsie Goes in Search of &C. V"

| what she don't know she'll guess atF'
| But for once Elsie was completely at loss
| to account for the changes going on around
| her Why did Mr.. WINSTON forget her
| candy? Why did Mr. Haverford ride of
/ absent-mindedly without giving her the
| customary galIop down the street and back
| again? Who was ':the Sage Brush Parson"
| that did such dreadful things? Who was
| &C. w"
| Elsie was at her busiest trying to solve
| these mysteries. Her cousin Marguerite
| was of very little help In the matter. She
| was two years older. but did not know
| much of anything except books She mad
| lessons every day with Aunt Emmeline.
| Elsie was supposed to do something of the
| sort. but books made her head ache and
| they all said she was too little. so Elsie
studied people and learned much. She
| learned that one could manage Aunt
| Mabel by telling her how pretty she
/ was, whereas Elsie's mother only made
| you mind the more. She learned that
! Uncle Arthur liked little girls to saw yes
| sir and no, sir. and then to keep still
| whereas the other gentlemen who came to
| the house wanted you to tell them doings
| But you mustn't tell them too much then
| there was trouble. If they told you things
! that was different Aunt Mabel would pet
| you and laugh when you repeated what
they said; even Elsie's mother seemed to
| like to hear it, although she pretended she
| didn't and told Elsie little girls mustn't re-
| peat what they heard. She didn't mean to
! give Elsie chance to hear very much
| She shook her head at Aunt Mabel when
Aunt Mabel commenced talking about &c,
| V"
Who was &C. V" anyway? And who was
| 'the Sage Brush Parson?" She had an i'm
| preston, every day growing stronger that
the tall, kind man who took her away from
the cows was &C. V" At last she became
| practically sure of it. Where was he. any
| way? He had promised to come to see her
some day. Why didn't he Gomez Oh,
dear, ii was so hot
Mora Flynn" she called to the maid de-
tailed to watch her, Tn going down to
| black kitten
wait minute darlln'. and I'll take We.
answered the girl, hurriedly laying aside
her sewing
designs included more than the kitten
| Yer mariner wouldn't like it.
she would. If she got used to the idea &"
Nora threw back her head and laughed
Wherever do the child get her old-fash-
| Toned TALK" she queried Come along.
| Where's yer little kerridge?"
Il don't want my little carriage"
YES, you do. Come be a good girl to
| Nora, now; that's darlin"'
Elsie sighed and yielded After all, there
was nothing to be gained by holding out
and valuable time might be lost in sucll
a course. It was already long past lunch
| con, and dinner came so soonI
She suffered herself to be helped into the
| tricycle. and trundled away in the direction
of Mary Flynn's, followed by the indefat-
igable Nora.
On the back steps, with the black kitten
| cuddled up against her bare neck, she very
| nearly decided to give up her plan. The
| Kittens fur ucked so deliciously, and really
| IL was very pleasant on the back steps
among the vines. On the other hand she
| did want to ask the tall. kind man if he
was &C. v" She was quite sure he was.
| nom something Aunt Mabel said that
| morning. She said most men would have
| jumped at the chance to come again Now
who was there who had such chance and
! didn't jump at it, except the tall kind
man? Yes he was &c. v" he must be-
But why didn't he come again? He had
said he would, some day" She would ask
him that, among other things.
| Some one came down the street walking
| rapidly. 1t was. it he! She would run
| after him-What were they doing in the
kitchen? Bother, there came Nora. now!
Dye want to go home darlin' - Nora
| inquired, putting her head out at the door
| No" replied Elsie shaking her curls
| and clasSing the kitten till it miaowed.
| Don't hurt the kitty. dearie,' cautioned
| Nora.
| I'm not hurting her.
| When yere ready will ye shpake to me?"
| Elsie knew what that meant. They were
| going TO get out the cards and tell fortunes,
| and Nora knew that she wouldn't think OF
| anything else, then. Elsie knew 1t, too.
| As soon as she heard the scraping of the
| chairs drawn up to the kitchen table and
| the little thud of the cards, she danced out
of the yard and down the street.
Far. far ahead of her strobe that tall fig
| ure. Now it vanished around corner but
] Elsie knew which corner it was and fiut-
tered after. the black kitten Rugged up I'M
der her chin. Around Jackson's, past Jack
! Perry s-there he was going into the
1 church.
She followed as far as the door. then
| paused. irresolute. Within. she could hear
some one whistling. 1t was very wrong to
| whistled over at st. Stephens. Mr.. Haver-
! ford put him out. Perhaps it was different
! with grown-up men; they might whistle
| when boys couldnt-like smoking.
| She tiptoed over the threshold and adj
| vanced softly down the aisle. The whistling
| came from. some place in behind 1t
| stopped as she reached the door. She
| stopped too, and stood there, a picture of
| innocent confusion, her bright hair touched
| by the afternoon sun.
| ''Ah!" cried Clement with acute delight.
| and stretched out his arms to her.
She fluttered into them and allowed her
SET to be perched on his knee.
you went so fast. l had to run she
! faitered, as If that was the only reason her
| breath came and went so quickly.
But you see | didn't know you were
there" he pleaded; 81 should certainly have
| waited for you
| She smiled, and examined him covertly
| under her eyelashes. Yes. he just as
| delightful as she thought he was.
Are you &C. VIZ" she asked.
| Il suppose So he answered; those are
| my initials
There knew you were,' she exclaimed
| triumphantly, land they thought they were
fooling me!' She frowned. But who is
| the Sage Brush PaTson?
Il suppose I'm that. too" He had heard
| of Haverfords name for him.
! Now she was silent. troubled looking the
| other way.
| .Why, isn't the Sage Brush Parson' as
| good as &C. V.?' he inquired.
| No" she said sorrowfully And / don't
| see how you can be both.-You're not?' she
| declared suddenly; you said that to tease
me-"
| Her curious eyes royed about the room.
| DO you live here?" was the next question.
| Then the catechism went on without break
| Where did he sleep? Where did he eat and
| what? Did he like this and that? At last
she yawned prodigiousiy for such a dell
| cate creature and let her head sink to his
shoulder. A long sigh trembled through
her parted lips Her eyes closed
.sThis is nice" she whispered relaxing