The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-11-10


on your father"
Phil looked steadily at Mr.. Ludovic
Morris, gently unmoved but with the
slightest curve of contempt on his short
upper lip. His face was always pale,
and now no more than usual.
You are right he answered. shifting
a little round in his chair 50 as to rest
his eyes deliberately on the broad Shout
ders or the engineer. Mr.. Morris. of the
Pits. / think, All am right. Well, Mr.
Morris. ] am Obliged 10 you for the In
terest you show in my affairs. My po-
sitlon l admit. you state very truly The
alternative you are probably ignorant OF
AS ignorant as ] am myself
This aroused Vic Morris He stood in
the freight vehement and energetic. He
Gesticulated. He even raised his voice
so that he could be heard out on the
high road, forty rods away.
What are you to dO?" he cried. Why
man, work-work-wo When ! was
half your age / was learning TO run an
engine In the daytime-Out OF school
hours. that is-teaehing IN night school.
feeding on the higher mathematics. TIL /
dropped brow on my book with pure
sleepiness Well. why did ] do IL? so
that to-day there is no place on the face
OF the earth where l could not make a
livelihood"
"Ah!" said Phil very quietly. II would
that my lines had fallen TO me in such
pleasant places. But enc must just do as
one can. have not been so fortunate
as YOU Mr.. Morris / have always had
other people TO consider"
Your own idleness. you mean, Master
Philip Calmont." cried Vic Morris. quite
forgetting his manners you like the
do-nothing life You are content 10 live
on the hooks OF your father-tO render
him half bankrupt. you and your brood.
making him the talk OF the place"
AZ the first word of his father. Phil
Caimont had risen. pale. slender, and
very stern. What would have happened
In the next half-minute cannot be imag-
ined. For OF course. the lad was no
match for Vie Morris. who could have
crushed him between his hands. Though
II Is doubtful whether. even in his own
opinion, he could have yanquished him.
But just then the inner door swung
back. the one which led from the little
back lobby which opened out upon the
woods. the nearer shrubberies, and Dick
Finnan's woodpile. Vida had entered
quietly, without either Of the men hear
ing her, and in a moment the TAT was
in the fire
She was dressed in a plain gown Of
blue serge. which nodded her figure like
some natural leaf-sheathing OF the
spring. 1t was, however merely her
second best" dress-that which she put
on in the weekday evenings. She mo-
toned Vic Morris to a seat. For a mo-
ment he did not obey-caught, as q were.
In loud. empty echo OF his own words
He realized for the first time that he
had been speaking in that quiet kitchen
as he would have done in the galleries OF
the mine
He sat down. Vida waited a little,
Sun in the twilight. standing near the
door By which she had entered. her
foot tapping impatiently and angrily.
The freight. having caught a nest OF
pine knots, blazed up and while the
flame lasted neither OF the men could
take his eyes OF her.
At last she spoke.
MIR. Norris she said. you permit
yourself &c storm in this house as you
might ar the horses in some stableyard.
Is Dick Finnan under any obligations 10
you, that you assume such a right2''
Certainly not" said honest Vic. hang
ing his head.
"Or am To-
"Still less, faltered Vic Morris: 1.-THE
truth is that l ought 20 ask your par
don And do Mr. Calmont and ] were
having a little politics. you
know, Miss Bryan-and we may have
got rather warm
Il only know. AIR. Morris that you
have no rght 10 shout in this house SO
that YOU can be heard In the public
road. And now, Phil. what have you
20 say?"
She turned upon Philip Calmout. who
had acquired the conviction that she had
heard every wOTd-Which conviction. new
ertheless. he kept severely 20 himself
1t is "A true BILL he said lightly. con
sinuing TO stand Up because Vida had
not sat down Mr.. Morris and / were
discussing problems OF political economy.
with personal applications"
How dare you tell me such a story,
Philip Calmont," cried Vida. taking a
step nearer 20 him. Il heard every
word. He grossly insulted your father
and your family II il had been me
and mine. II should have had his
bloodv'
The words. reproduced instinctively
from some siXpenny romance, sobered
the unliterarv engineer. But Phil Cal
mont only laughed Ii seemed 10 him
an echo OF the daily speech OF the twins.
Willie and Wilhelmina. They were al
ways on the warpath. thirstinE for
somebody's blood.
phil Calmont." said Vida sternly,
frownlng upon his laughter. Il thought
you had more sense. And you, Mr. Nor
ris. be good enough 10 take your politics
and political economy outside. and do not
either OF you come back here till you
have learned how 70 behave yourselves.
Il beg your pardonr' said Vic Morris.
stir as poker.
har~
ing with his accustomed grace. the straw
hat In his hand bowling also. and so low
that Vida could see the light OF the pine
knots shining on HIS boyish cUrls. As
he passed the woodbox he threw on the
FIRE a double handful Of firecones. as if
he had been fulfilling automatically a
lOng-aCCustOmed duty
Then the two men went out together.