The Somerset reporter., 1906-11-22


Sue Varian pulled up the bay mare
short In the middle of the road and
stared at the objects In the shade of
the naples. There were two-that Is,
two as main points of interest. One
was large red automobile. The other
was a young man lying comfortably
Oh the front seat Of the red automo-
bile, fast asleep. incidentally, even to
the lay eye of inexperience there was
Enthusiastically something the matter
with the red automobile. 1t was lop-
sided, and the front part-Sue didn't
know the technical term-but the main
front part appeared to be dislocated.
1t looked like a toy tin auto that had
been stepped on.
But there was nothing the matter
with the young man. He was sleeping
peacefully, calmly, his knees elevated
tentwise, his arms folded like a SUM
bering brave in efiigy Oh his breast,
and Sue laughed softly to herself and
looked up and down the road.
1t was deserted. Between and :
hardly any one ever passed along the
shore road 1t was the dinner hour
up at the inn. And people who knew
what they were about never took the
shore road, anyway, not with red auto
mobiles. 1t was a short cut, of course
to the inn. but primarily-and legally
1t was Il private road leading to the
Varian estate, and to Hartley Varian's
mind the only blot on the fair face of
nature in the summer time were sum
mer boarders and red automobiles.
Suddenly the young man moved rest
les5ly. Mosquitoes were plentiful in
the shade of the naples. He sighed
opened his eyes, caught sight of the
bay mare and neat black road cart
and sat up.
"IIas he got backT
The question was one of dazed con
Germ. Sue returned his stare with
grave interest.
III don't know what you mean. You
have had some accidentW
"Some accident" The young man
became troubled and explosive. I'VE
came mighty near killing ourselves and
smashing the machine to splinters over
at-that-rope Didn't you see the
ropef"
"A roper Miss Varian's tone was
mild and sympathetic.
"Stretehed across the road on pur-
pose, and we rode bang into 1t. Will
son, that's the chauffeur, has gone
somewhere to get help. We missed the
road a few miles back"
"Were you hurt?"
Gust little jolted. l presume the
owner of the rope hoped for funerals
"There was funeral here few
days ago" interposed Miss Varian
gently THAT Is why the rope was
put up, | believe, to turn back any
stray autos and prevent any more fu-
nerals. A red one ran over a calf
"Calf2'
at was a pet calf" resumed Miss
Varian firmly, land it was with its
mother. 1t had a perfect right to ram
BILE along this road and automobiles
haven't. It's private road. Didn't
you read the sign on the stone gate
posts as you came in?"
THE sign said simply: no Trespass-
Ing. Tramps and Dogs Keep Out I'm
neither tramp nor dog, so l came
In"
"Well. the rope wasn't stretched for
a tramp or a dog"
The trespasser was silent for the first
time. Climbing out of his machine, he
strobe over to the cart and looked up
at the girl In It, She was young. about
seventeen. he thought Her waist was
a white linen boyish affair that very
young person might be expected to
wear, with plain turn down collar and
short sleeves The white linen skirt
was short, too-ankle length. He could
see the low heeled tan oxfords. And
her hair was braided and wound
around her head like misplaced aure
ole that had slipped down. Worse
than all, she was laughing at him. He
knew it when he saw her eyes.
When he spoke again 1t was with a
less obvious reference to his own
wrongs
"Can you tell me where I amp"
"Seyen and a half miles from Glen
more. You missed the main road about
two miles back. This leads to the Va
rian house"
'But that's where l want to go" ex.
claimed the young man. II thought
Wilson was making for the inn. I am
bound for Variants place"
'"Then why did you come In an auto
mobile? Don't you know Mr. yarian
personality
Haven't seen him for years. He
must be a Jolly old beggar to Judge
from the rope-real sweet nelghborly
disposition, hasn't he"
81 think he was perfectly right and
Justified" said Miss Varian, with sud
den naughty defiance. ut was the
dearest little calf, and 1t belonged to
Fnau