Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-02-16


derbrush marked flight and pursuit.
] crouched down on the wall and wait
ed. In moment a man plunged
through the wood and stumbled over
a low hanging vine and FELL not 20 feet
away from me. To my great surprise
it was Morgan, my acquaintance Of the
morning He rose, cursed his i'll luck
and hugging the wall close. ran
toward the lake. Instantly the pursuer
broke into view 1t was Bates, evil
IDENTIFY much excited and with an ugly
cut across his forehead He carried
a heavy club. and, after listening for
a moment for sounds Of the enemy, he
hurried after the caretaker.
1t was not my row, though / must
say IT wakened my curiosity.
Strengthened myself out, threw my
legs over the school side of the wall
and lighted cigar. feeling cheered
by the opportunity the stone barricade
offered for observing the world.
AS | looked off toward the little
church | found two other actors APP
pearing on the scene. girl stood in
a lI+tle opening of the wood talking
TO a man Her hands were thrust into
the pockets of her covert coat; she
wore a red tam-o -shanter, that made
a bright bit of color in the wood. They
were not more than dozen yards
away. but a wild growth of young
naples lay between us. Their profiles
were toward me, and the tones of the
girls voice reached me clearly as she
addressed her companion. He wore a
clergyman's high waIsteoat, and | as
sumed that he was the chaplain whom
Bates had mentioned | am not by
nature an eavesdropper. but the girl
was clearly making a plea of some
kind, and the chaplain's stalwart fig
ure awake in me an antagonism that
held me to the wall.
IF he comes here | shall go away,
so you may as well understand 1t and
tell him. ! shan't see him under any
circumstances. and I'm not going to
Florida or California or anywhere else
on a private car, no matter who chap
erones it,
Certainly not unless you want to
certainly not" said the chaplain.
You understand that I'm only giving
you his message. He thought it
best"
Not to write to me or to Sister
Theresa" broke in the girl contemp-
tuously What a clever person he u.s."
And how unclever ! ann" said the
clergyman, laughing. Well. at any
10 I To- -
opportunity to present his message
She smiled, nodded and turned swift
y toward the school The chaplain
looked after her for a few moments.
then walked soberly away toward the
lake. He was a young fellow, clean
shaven and dark, and with a pair of
shoulders that gave me IL twinge of
envy. | could not guess how great a
factor that vigorous figure was to be
in my own affairs. AS swung down
from the wall and walked toward
Glenarm House, my thoughts were not
with the athletic chaplain. but with
the girl, whose youth was, | reflected,
marked by her short skirt. the uncon-
Germ with which her hands were thrust
into the pockets of her coat and the
irresponsible tilt of the tam-o -shanter.
There is something jaunty. a sugges-
ton of spirit and independence, in a
tam-o' shanter, particularly red one.
If the red tam-o'-shanter expressed. so
to speak the keynote of St, Agatha's,
the proximity of the school was not so
bad a thing after all.
In a high good-humor and with a
sharp appetite | went in to luncheon.