Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-15
THE HOUSE OF THE
BLACK RING.
BY FRED LEWIS PATTEE.
Copyright. 1905. by Henry Holt & Coz

I kitchen door The old mans wrath, gath
cred easily and It made no distinctions.
I've heard all about it," he burst out
before he was fairly in the room. Every
mans that struck the store this morning
s been full of 1t. It's towns talk And
now KarFs 'phoned up. raving made
never knew him so mad. It's damnable
damnab le." His face was fairly liyid
why. Ira, what do you mean?-what s
happened?" Mrs. Hartswick dropped her
dish and spoon and futtered over to him
| in tremor.
ooh, it's nothing. Come, pap. it isn't SC
up at him with a twinkle in her eyes.
There wouldn't have been a bit of trouble
II Karl hadn't lost his head. Really, that
man gets ratified as easy as an old woman"
She laughed up into his face, but the old
man, when he was angry was wholly ami
NAL in his rage.
Stop" he roared. Don't you talk to
me like that, Don't-you-do-it!'
oh, don't Ira, don't-please" The moth
er came pleadingly between the two as if
to avert a tragedy.
You don't ..now anything about it! Stand
out of the way!' he beloved.
But, Ira, Rose didn't mean any,
thing; she meant it all right, ira" There
was tired, pleading tone In
the woman's voice that was almost like a
WHINE. She was a gentle, laughing little
body' but her husband had dominated her
until she was cowed and shrinking. OF
all things she detested controversy She
bent helplessiy before the squire's frequent
storms of wrath; they depressed and wor-
ried her. and now she was mere creature
or winning protest. never standing against
him for moment. but advising ever the
line OF least resistance. Forty years with
the eholeric old man had changed her into
a mere helpless voice of protest
Il tell you It's scandalousr' he stormed
paying no heed to his wife's entreaties
TITS the towns talk, Here you go with
a man who's Invited you to ride, and then
you sneak off home with perfect stranger,
and race him against the man who took
yehv'
And beat him." Rose laughed up saucfly.
Beat his great crack racer with little
nine hundred mare. and handicapped at
that Oh, I take after my dad-I never
could ride after a slow horse" She wrink-
led up her nose at him playfuliy, but he
was implacatle.
Stop, Rose! Stop right where you are"
Don't anger your father. Rosie. He
knows best Mrs. Hartswick Joined in with
soothing tone.
ITS an outrage TO Karl and me and
all OF u.s." he roared drawing nearer to
Rose and swinging his arm up and down
Ike pump handle
But II was clean race pap" she went
on serenely. ut was fair and square. and
the best horse won Say. I'd give ten dol
lars In minute. pap, If you could have
seen 1t. II was a thriller. That little mare
certainly beats anything that ever stepped
In this valley. Say. I want you to buy
her for me. VIII you. pap7" Somehow the
old mans wrath began to wilt iittle II
was Impossible 10 withstand her sunny en-
thusiasm.
But that's not The question at all. Rose.
IL was disgraceful thing. You'd no bust
ness riding with that Farthing You'd
promised Karl
oh, pshaw. pap. What had / promised
him? He asked me IL would go with him,
and ] did, didn't 70. She laughed up at
hiG. again. then turned lightly to her pie
making.
:. Twas a contemplate trick; you know
liberately. he united that hoss on purpose;
and it's prison offense"
he didn't unite the horse, father" There
was confidence in her voice. THE horse
wasn't tied right. and Ii got loose" g'he
reply seemed to come to the man like a
blow across The eyes"
SO you stand up for him. do yeh?, He
wheeled upon her instantly. Think he's
about right. do yeh7 And Karl.s all wrong?
So that's the way things are riinI,inri--so
that's II. Is it2 Heigh? WelI-we' liI-seel
We'll find, what the law is on that point;
We'll put him where he belongs mighty
quick. and his whole damned family with
himr'
.oh. Ira, don't.' protested Mrs. Harts-
wick In half-frightened voice.
But how are you going to prove any
thing. fatber?" Rose turned to him with,
a trace of gathering anger. There was no
Prove IL? Provo III Look here. Rose.
you're going too far. And so you're going
to stand up for that low-lfvcd scamp are
yehr'
Mr.. FsrthinKs no such man. father"
BY curious 2erverssty she said nothing