Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-02

~ meant young folks don't remeln-
Der as well us older people do" con-
tnued the squire. 81 don't see what's
SO remarkable in her comm back and
walkin' up street with Joe Louden.
She used to 20 ktin' round with him
all the time before she left here. And
yet everybody talks as IL they never
heard OF sech a thing"
ut seems to me-" said Colonel Fit
croft hesltatingly, that she did right.
/ know it sounds kind Of queer thing
to say, and stirred up a good deal Of
| opposition at home yesterday evening
by sort of mentioning something of
the kind Nobody seemed to agree
with me except Norbert, and he didn't
say much, but
He was interrupted by an uncontrol-
liable cnckle which issued from the
mouth OF Mr. Arp. The colonel turned
upon him, with a frown, inouirlng the
cause of his mrth
at put me in mind" Mr.. Arp began
promptly, 'of something that happen
ed last night"
What was IT."
Tskew's mouth was open to tell, but
he remembered Just in time that the
grandfather of Norbert was not the
audience properly to he selected for
this recital, choked half born word.
withhold the story Of the Telling of
Martin Pike until the colonel had TAX
en- his departure. and replied.
"Nothin' to speak Of. Go on with
your argument"
"I've finished" sold the colonel 81
only wanted to say that it seems to
me n good action for a young lady like
that to come back here and stick to
her old friend and playmate"
"Stcl to him. echoed Mr.. Arp.
"She walked up Main street with him
yesterday. DO you call that stickin'
to him? She's been away good
while; she's forgotten what Canaan is.
You wait till she secs for herself jest
what his standing in this com
II agree with Eskew for once" in
terrupted Peter Bradbury. Il agree
BECAUSE
kew, allowing him to proceed no fur
ther. "till you hear what you're agree
In to! l say You take young lady
/ like that-pretty and rich aud all cul-
| tured up. and it stands to reason that
she WON'T.
! mo; it don'tr' exclaimed Buckalew
! ilnpatiently. Nothing of the sort!
| tell you
Eskew rose to his feet and pounded
the pavement with his stick. at
/ stands to reason that she won't stick
! to a man no other decent woman will
| speak to, a Teller that's been the mark
! for every stone throwed in the town
ever since he was a boy, an outcast
with reputation as black as q
preachers shoes on Sunday. l don't
care if he's her oldest friend on earth
| she won't stick to him. She walked
with him yesterday, but you can mark
my words, his goose is cooked" The
old mans voice rose shrll and high.
at amt in human nature fer her to
do IT, You hear what I say you'll
never see her with Joe Louden again
in this Twin world, and she rs good
as told me so herself last night. You
I can take your oath she's quit him al
ready. DON'T
/ Eskew paused abruptly, his eyes wild
enipg behind his spectncles His Jaw
| fell. His stick, raised to hammer the
pavement remained suspended In the
| air. A sudden color rushed over his
face. and he dropped speeches. in his
chair. The others after staring at
him in monentary alarm followed the
direction Of his gaze.
Just across Main street and in plain
view was the entrance to the stair
way which led TO Joe's office. Ariel
Tabor, all in cool gray, carrying a big
bunch of white roses in her white
goved hands, had just crossed the
sidewalk from a carriage and was as
cending the dark stairway. A mo-
meut later she came down again empty
handed, got into the carriage and drove
away.
"She missed him" said Squire Buck
aleW. Il saw him 20 out half an hour
dEO. fDul, ne dtlutu anu, tAtI Nlc'ii3 q
self restraint close upon the sanity. did
not even glance toward the heap which
was Mr.. Arp, Il notice she left her
flowers"
Ariel was not the only one who
climbed the dngy stairs that day and
read the penciled script upon Joe's
door: "Will not return until evening
]. Louden." Many others came, all ex-
ceedngly unlike the first visitor Some
We're quick and watchful lodging into
the narrow entrance furtively; some
smiled contemptuously as long as they
We're in view of the street, dropping
wanly as they reached the stairs; some
were braZen and amused, and some
We're thin and troubled. Not all or
them read the message, for not all
could read, but all looked curiously
through the half opened door mt the
many roses which lifted their heads
dclicately from water pitcher on
Joe's desk TO scent that dusty place
with their cool breath.
- =; :; 81 -