The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1907-11-08

-s.-AS you alive again, "
exclaimed t h e
young woman in the lavender dress
and with the deliberately coiled hair.
you simply don't know"
ooh, wasn't much hurt" broke In
the young man in a beautifully off
hand way as one to whom the sings
and arrows Of outrageous fortune
counted little.
Nov, you say that just because
you are so brave" the young woman
declared. "You wouldn't notice what
would simply crush an ordinary man.
/ know you were almost killed. Tell
me all about it"
"Well, l don't want to boast" said
the young man, "but really | don't
think many men would have got off
as l did. l have presence of mind II
I haven't much else worth while"
"The ideal" said the young woman,
as she opened the box of candy.
"Why, l could name heaps of fine
qualities you have. You shouldn't
talk so about yourself"
The young man waved a depreciat
ing hand, but he beamed with salts
faction.
ut was so brave of you to fight off
that huge, desperate robber," went
on the young woman. Il am dying
to hear about it."
The young man hitched around in
his chair and then honesty won out.
II can't say that he was so very big"
he confessed. Il was a head taller
than he was and he didn't seem very
strong. But then, on the other hand,
think I'd have done just as l did
if he'd been a Samson!"
"Of course you would" cried the
young woman. you are the most
reckless creatures"
The young man tried to look reck-
less, but nearly choked because his
collar was so tight. He stepped out
from behind the shelter of tree and
l could see the glitter of his revolver"
he said, by way of beginning his
story
The young woman shrieked. Good
ness" she cried. you simply scare
me to death. Why, know I'd have
expired on the spot! You don't sup
pose there's a robber looking in at
the window now, do you? My I'm
glad you're here! 1t makes me feel
perfectly safe!"
The young man crossed over and
sat beside her on the davenport.
There isn't thing to be afarid of,
Sadie" he said, soothingly. Well,
then he ordered me to hand over my
money and my watch"
Think Of it," cried the young
woman. "Then you just doubled up
your fist and knocked him away out
into the street, didn't your she
asked, eagerly. Il can see you doing
it! If there is one thing more than
another that l adore it is a brave,
brave mani"
The young man shifted ons foot
across the other and seemed to find
difficulty in speaking. "N-no, l didn't
quite do that" he said, slowly e
you see, that revolver looked mighty
businesslike. l told him l had no
watch and only SO cents in my peck
ct, and when he found out it was true
it seemed to irritate him. That was
when he knocked me down"
You poor boy!" murmured the girl
in a voice full of emotion. ITO think
of you suffering as you did! You
don't know how | felt when l heard
it,"
Did you really?" asked the young
man. We'll, made up my mind that
when / got up Pd~Deat him within an
inch of his life"
81 should say you did perfectly
right" cried the girl 1T was noble
OF you not to have done so before, but
after he treated you as he did am SO
glad you punished him.
There certainly wouldn't have
been much left of the fellow!" said
the young man, fiercely. Il had fully
made up my mind"
did he beg for mercy" asked the
girl, "or didn't you give him timer"
The young man looked indignant.
"What could you expect of rascal |
like that" he demanded What do
you think lie did? Ran away from
me! And by the time I was on my
feet he had Disappeared
what coward" said the girl. II
suppose your bravery alarmed him
dreadfully. And it was lucky for him
that he did run because there is no !