The Press., 1907-01-02
$ No $ Trespassing
By IZOLA FORESTER
Copyright, 1908. by Ruby Douglas

Sue Varian pulled up the bay mare stared at the objects in the shade of the naples. There were two-that is two as main points of interest. One was a large red automobile. The other was young man lying comfortably on the front seat of the red automo- bile, fast asleep. Incidentally, even to the lay eye of inexperience, there was unmistakably something the matter with the red automobile. It was lop- sided, and the front part-Sue didn't know the technical term-but the main front part appeared to be dislocated. It 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 slum= bering brave in eff1gy on bis breast, and Sue laughed softly to herself and looked up and down the road. It was deserted. Between 6 and ' hardly any one ever passed along the shore road. It 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. It was a short cut of course, to the inn, but primarily-and legally 1t was a private road leading to the Yarian 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 lessly. Mosquitoes were plentiful iA the shade of the naples. He sighed, opened his eyes, caught sight of the bay mare and neat black road cart and sat up.
 "Has he got backY'
 The question was one of dazed con cern. Sue returned his stare with grave interest
 'I don't know what you mean. You have had some accidentY'
 "Some accidentv' The young man became troubled and explosive. we came mighty near killing ourselves and smashing the machine to splinters over -that-rope. Didn't you see the roper
 "A roper" Miss varian's tone was mild and sympathetic.
 Stretched 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 few miles hack"
 "Were you hurt?'
 "Just little jolted. presume the owner of the rope hoped for funerals''-
 ""There was a funeral here few days ago." interposed Miss Varian gently. "That is why the rope was put up, I believe, to turn back any stray autos and prevent any more fu- nerals. A red one ran over calf''-
 "CalfY b
 Ut was a pet calf," resumed Miss varian firmly, land 1t was with its mother. It had a perfect right to ram- ble along this road and automobiles haven't. It's a private road. Didn't, you read the sign on the stone gate posts as you came in?" s
 ''The sign said simply: No Trespass- B. neither a tramp nor a dog, so 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 strode over to the cart and looked up at the girl in it. She was young, abou. 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 knewsit 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 am?"
 Seven 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 want to gow ex- claimed the young man. T thought Wilson was making for the inn. am bound for Varian's place."
 'Then why did you come in an auto mobile? Don't you know MT. Varian personality . .-. .
 Haven't seen him for years He must be jolly old beggar to judge from the rope-real sweet, neighborly disposition, hasn't hep
 ''I think he was perfectly right and | justified" said Miss Varian, with sud den naughty defiance. "It was the dearest little calf, and it belonged to me-"
 The young man began to smile, smile in gradual dominance of the situa- ton. It was a smile to resent, becaus1 it showed premeditated triumph and foreknowledge. But 1t improved him. Even with the dust of the road overlay- ing the tan of his face and the general disheveled condition of his makeup the smile was frank and friendly and alto gether desirable.
 'I'll bet forty dollars and two cenIs Inac Jou ie ousAe' ne saAo nap pily.
 Miss Varian tucked in her side locks deftly, loftily They were darling side locks. curly. tantalizing wisps of loose sunshine that knew their business and escaped from the side comb whenever there was propitious moment.
 My first name is Suzanne" she said.
 ''No, sir, it isn't; it's Susie, and your hair used to be red Remember the day you climbed our wall and tried to get up in the big apple tree after black birds nest I told you was there? And your foot caught, and you tumbled down, and had to climb up and take your shoe off before you could get your foot out of the cleft in the trunk. Do you remember Miss Susie Freshie?"