The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-05-31

70 look ar her.
you wretched little wildcat. wha
do you mean by thatl~ he broke out.
Don't you touch joe she painted
Don't you''- Her breath caught an
there was a break in her voice as sh
faced him. She could not fnish III
repetition of that cry. Don't yOV
touch Joer'
But there was 10 break in the spirit
that passion of protection which hal
dealt the blow. Both boys looked n
her, somewhat aghast.
Eugene recovered himself. He swun:
round upon his heel, restored his hat L
his head with precision. picked up bis
stick and touched his banjo case witt
it.
carry that into the house" he said
indifferently TO his stepbrother.
Don't you do itr' said the girl hotly
between her chattering teeth.
Eugene turned toward her, wearing
the sharp edge of smile. Not re-
moving his eyes from her face, he pro
duced with deliberation a fat silver
box from a pocket, took therefrom a
cigarette. replaced the box, extracted
smaller silver box from another peck
ct. shook out of it a fusee. slowly lit
the cigarette-this i'm splendid ST.
lence. which he finally broke to say
languidly. but with particular distinct
ness
. "Ariel Tabor. go homer
The girls teeth stopped chattering,
her lips remaining parted; she shook
the hair out of her eyes and stared at
him as if she did not understand, but
Joe Louden, who had picked up the
banjo case obediently, burst into
cheerful laughter.
That's it. Gene" he cried gayly.
"That's the way to talk to her!"
"Stow 1t. you young cub" replied
Eugene, not turning to him. do you
think I'm trying to be amusingT
~ don't know what you mean by
stow it," Joe began, "but if
81 mean" interrupted the other, not
relaxing his family smiling stare at
the gIrl-''I mean that Ariel Tabor is
to go home. Really we can't have this
kind of thing occurring upon our front
lawn
The flush upon her wet cheeks deep
ened and became dark. Even her arm
grew redder as she gaZed back at him.
In his eyes was patent his complete
realization of the figure she cut, Of this
bare arm, of the strewn hair, of the
fallen stocking, of the ragged shoulder
of her blouse, Of her patched short
skirt, of the whole disheveled little fig
ure. He was the master of the house,
and he was sending her home as III be-
haved children are sent home by
neighbors.
The immobiie, amused superiority of
this proprietor of silver boxes, this
wearer OF strange and brilliant gar
ments, became slightly intensified as
be pointed to the fallen sleeve. a rag
Of red and snow. lying near her feet.
"You might take that with your" he
said interrogatively.
Her gaze had not wavered In meet
ing his, but at this her eyelashes be-
gan to wink uncontrollably, her chin
TO tremble She bent over the sleeve
and picked 1t up before Joe Louden,
who had started toward her, could do
t for her Then turning. her head still
)ent so that her face was hidden from |
both of them. she ran out of the gate
Ariel ran along the fence until she
anne to the next gate, which opened |
lpon walk leading to shabby me-
old house of one story, with
,ery long, low porch. once painted
white, running the full length of the |
ront. Ariel sprang upon the porch
nd disappeared within the house.
Joe stood looking after her. his eye
ashes winking as had hers. you
ughtn't to have treated her that way"
e said huSkily.
Pick up that banjo case again and
ONE on" commanded Mr.. Bantry tart
Y. where's the materY' +
Joe stared at him. where's whatY
1.-THE mater" was the frowning re-
ly.
"Oh, yes, know" said Joe. looking
his stepbrother curously. I've seen