The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-08-31


George Lee, civil engineer. had n
warm heart for his bluff old uncle. and
II was only natural that he should
eSpouSe his cause. He arrived AT the
house on Saturday evening and soon
after breakfast Sunday morning he set
OUT Tor the shrubbery with a cigar IN
his mouth and a cane in his hand to
look the ground over He found n belt
oI silruhS and trees about forty rods
Wlue ana extending from the highway
back to the shore. lie could walk tbere
ana almost imagine himself in a forest
me ground was clear of any tangIe
ana the whole thing was hanpv
thought carried out between neigbhors
Young Mr. Lee had left the house
feeling somewhat hellgerent, but he
lost 1t all soon after entering the CRATE.
tul shade. y rabbit ran away. SQUIRRELS
chattered at him, and he caught sight
OF DirdS' nests among the branches If
was a place Of good will and neace
ana he was feeling so when he heard n
suspicious noise on the other side of n
heap of brush lately cut and stacked
He thought lie heard the movements of
a man. If it was a man he was a Tres
passer. If he was Il trespasser he must
be sent about his business.
Hey, YOU, beyond the brush. what
are You doing there" called the younr
man.
There was no answer, but he heard
a movement He advanced and gave
the heap whacl with his cane and
shouted:
Come out and show yourself. YOU
skulkey."
III" Skulker made no response. The
silence aggravated Mr. Lee. and. draw
ing his cane up to his face like a gun.
he continued:
IF you don't come out of that before
l count ten I'll fire a charge of buck
shot into the brush
You'd better notw replied n voice
that jumped him foot high. and he
circled around the heap to find a young
lady standing there with a freshly
gathered bouquet in her hand. He
looked at her with open ewes and
mouth. She looked at him with her
chin stuck out and a CLINT of defiance
in her eyes.
Good Lord, but you really must ex-
cuse me-" gasped Mr. Lee after a lone
minute.
You can go ahead and shoot now"
replied the girl.
But II didn't think to find a wom-
ana girl-here"
"No. Neither did think to find
young man ready to do murder. Do
you know that you are a trespasser,
sir? You are on my uncles land. and
as his representative l warn you off.
The dividing line is two feet behind
you"
Mr.. Lee slowly moved over tie line,
and his face betrayed such astonish-
ment and perpleXity that the girl could
not prevent 4 smile.
"Can-can | say anything to explain
this unfortunate occurrence" he beg.
ged."
Nothing except that you wanted to
shoot me-"
But you know | didn't You know
that hadn't the slightest idea of your
presence. / came out here toto
ITO shoot my uncle. l infer that you
are stopping with the sailor and. hear
ing of the little dispute of a few days
ago, you volunteered your services as
assassin. Very kind of you, I'm sure"
Mr.. Lee looked at the cirl in a help
less way. He didn't believe there were
words enough in the English language
to set him right, and yet lie felt a great
longing to be forgiven. She maintain
ed saucy. accusing front for a minute
and then melted enough to say
81 see my uncle coming in search of
me, and if you don't STAY him you may
explain things to his satisfaction"
y track man would have made it a
100 to l shot against, but he would
have lost. 1t took 4 year and more to
do it, and there was Captain Golden to
placate as side issue, but the assassin"
has become Il devoted husband and the
'skulker'' loving wife. and the two
old men walk arm in arm through the
shrubbery and find no excuse for quar-
reling.