Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-08-17

! smote the Table With NY cienehed
Hand.
20 drT--- yuTuE you can scare me
away from here. you've walked ND the
wrong man. and IN tell you another
thing.-and you may repeat II 20 your
school teachers and 90 Mr Pickering
who pays you. and TO Morgan. whom
somebody has hired 90 kin me.-that
I'm going 60 keep faith with my dead
grandfather. and that when I've spent
my year here and done what that old
man wished me To- do Tu give Thorn
this house and every acre OF ground
and every damned dollar the estate
carries with &c. And now one other
( thing, 1 suppose there's % sheriff or
some kind 90 q constable with iurisdIc-
ton over this place. and ] could have
/ the whole LOT ~ you put into JAN FOR
/ conspiracy. but Tm going Co stand out
against you alone-do you understand
me-. you hypocrito YOU stupid. Sinking
spy Answer me- quick. before I
I throw you out OF the room"
had worked myself into a great
/ passion and fairly roared my chal-
! lcngo. pounding the tabio Ca my rage
Yes. sir. 7 quito understand you.
, sir, Bat I'm afraid. sir"
"Of course you're atraidi" shouted.
I enraged anew by his hating speech
You have every reason in tho world
20 be- afraid You've probably heard
that I'm a bad lot and a worthless ad-
venturer, but you can tell Sister The
resa or Pickering or anybody YOU
please that I'm ton times ass bad as
. I've ever been painted Now clear out
Of here"
: 7 Knocked about tho library an morn
Ing without easing nay spirit and
after luncheon 7 went on for q tramp.
Winter had indeed como and pos
sessed the earth. and 80 had given me
new landscape The snow continued
10 fan in great heavy flakes. and the
ground was whitening fast
a rabbits track caught nay eye and
I followed it. hardly conscious that 7
did So Then the clear print ot two
small shoes mingled with the rabbits
trail few moments later I picked
up an ovcrshoe. probably lost IN the
chase 10y one OF Sister Theresas girls.
. 7 reflected. remembered that while
az Tech I had collected "a diversity OF
memorabilia from school girl acquaint-
ances. and here was beginning a
new series with a string OF beads and
an ovcrshoei
A rabbit IS always an attractive
quarry. Few things besides riches are
so elusive. and the little fellows have.
l am sure. q shrewd humor peculiar 10
themselves. I rather envled the school
girl who had ventured forth for a walk
IN the first snow storm OF the season.
and recalled Aldrich's turn on eau
tiers lines as I followed the double
trail:
However you tread. "a tiny mould
! Betrays that Nght foot an the same:
Upon this glisteulug. snowy fold
At every step 10 signs your name"
a pretty autograph, indeed The
snow fell steadily and I tramped on
over tho joint signature OF the girl and
( the rabbit. Near the lake they parted
company, the rabbit leading of at a
I tangent, on "A line parallel with the
. lake, while his pursuer's steps pointed
toward the boat house.
There was, 50 far as I knew. only
/ ono student of adventurous blood at
I st Agatha's. and I was not IN the least
I surprised 10 see, on the little sheltered
+ balcony OF the boat house. the red tam
! 0-shanter. She wore. too. the covert
coat remembered nom the day saw
her first from the wall Her back was
! toward me as ] drew near: her hands
were thrust into her pockets. She
was evidently enjoying the SOFT ming.
ling OF the snow with the still. blue
waters OF the lake; and a girl and a
snow storm are. II you ask my opin-
! ion, pretty combination. The fact OF
a girls facing winter storm argues
nightly in her favor, -testifies. II you
viii allow me. to a serene and daunt-
less spirit for one thing. and a sound
constitution for another.
ran up the steps, my cap In one
hand, her overshoe in the other. She
drew back tribe. tust enough TO bring
my conscience to its knees.
Il didn't mean 10 listen that day. I
just happened 10 be on the wall, and
II was thoroughly underlined trick
my INVITING you about it-and should
have told you before IL I'd known how
TO see you"
May l trouble you for that shoe?"
she said with tremendous dignity.
They taught that cold dlsdain OF
man, suppose. as a required study at
St. Agatha's
"oh. certainly Won't you allow
me?'
Thank you. no!-
She took the damp bit OF rubber-a
wet overshoe. even II sman and hal
lowed by associations. isn't pretty-as
Venus might have received soft
shell crab from the hand OF a fresh
young norman. l was between her
and the steps to which her eyes TUNED
longinsly.