The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-05-09

CHAPTER Ix.-contInued.

vi course YOU re aAid1u- 4 u
enraged anew by his hating speech.
@You have every reason in the world
to be afraid. You've probably heard
that I'm a bad lot and a worthless ad.
v%enturer; but you can tell Sister The
resa or Pickering or anybody you
please that I'm ten times rs bad as
I've ever been painted. Now clear out
OF herel"
/ knocked about the library all morn
ing without easing my spirit, and
after luncheon | went OF for a tramp.
Winter had indeed come and pos.
sessed the earth. and It had given me
a new landscape. The snow continued
to fall in great, heavy flakes. and the
ground was whitening fast
A rabbits track caught my eve and
I followed it, hardly conscious that I
did so. Then the clear print Of two
small shoes mingled with the rabbits
trail. A few moments later I picked
up an oversboe, probably lost IN the
chase by one Of Sister Theresa's girls,
I reflected. I remembered that while
at Tech I had collected a diversity Of
memorabilia from school girl acquaini.
ances. and here / was beginning a
new series with q string Of beads and
an o~vershoei
A rabbit Is ALWAYS an attractive
quarry. Few things besides riches are
SO elusive, and the little fellows have.
1 am sure, a shrewd humor peculiar to
themselves. / rather envied the school
girl who had ventured forth for a walk
in he first snow storm OF the season.
ard recalled Aldrich's turn on eau
tiers lines as 1 followed the double
tran:
Hpwe'er you tread. a tiny mould
Bstrays that light foot all the same.
Epnn this glisteninE. snowy fold
Az every step it signs your name
A pretty autograph. indeed. The
sncw fell steadily and tramped on
ever the joint signature OF the girl and
the rabbit. Near the lake they parted
company. the rabbit leading OF at a
tangent N a line parallel with the
lake, while his pursuer's steps pointed
toward the boat house.
There was. 50 far as I knew. only
q student Of adventurous blood at
ST. Agatha's. and I was not in the least
surprised to see, on the little sheltered
balcony Of the boat house. the red tam
o-shanter. She wore. too. the covert
coat l remembered from the day I saw
her first from the wall. Her back was
toward me as drew near; her hands
we're 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 aud a
snow storm are, II you ask my Opin.
Ion, a pretty combination. The fact.of
a girls facing a winter storm argues
nightly in her favor. -testihes. 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 "a one
hand, her overshoe IA the other. She
drew back a tribe, Just enough 20 bring
my conscience to It's knees.
\ didn't mean TO listen that day.
Just happened to be en- the wall. and
Il was a %thoronghly underlined trick
my taitting you about lt-and ] should
have told you before n I'd known how
60 see yon-
May / trouble you for that shoe?
she said with tremendous dignity.
They taught that cold disdain of
man, suppose, as a required study al
81. Agatha'a.
Oh certainly Won't YOU allow
NEE
Thank you, mol"
She took the damp BE of rubber
wet 0vershOe. even II small and hal
lowed BY associations, isn't pretty-as
Venus might have received a soft
she'll crab from the hand OF a fresh
young norman I was between her
and the steps 70 which her eyes turned
iongingly.
"of course. II you won't accept my
apology / cant do anything about g.
but | hope you understand that I'm
sincere and humble, and anxious 20 be
forgiven"
you seem TO be making a good deal
IF a small natter
i wasn't referring to the oyershoel
said.
She did not relent,
~ youn only go away
Che rested one hand against the
ome Of the boat house, while she
Rdixed the overshoe 20 her foot She
wore. I noticed, brown gloves with
cuffs.
How can / go q 5yi You children
arc always leavin things about for
mo 20 pick up. IL perfectly worn out
carrying some gili'a beads about with
me, and I spoiled q eood glove on
s0ar overshoe
eIu relieve you o. the beads. II you
please"
6he thrust her hands into the peck
eta az her coat and shook the tam-ot
shanter slightly 10 establish q 10 q
uer. comfortable spot "a her head