Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-13
CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE


fun here. know"
And urged on as much by good -natured
wish to relieve the terrible dullness of his
young neighbor's life as from any spice of boy
ish mischief, Ralph scrambled up the walnut
tree, at the risk of his neck and Jacket, until
he reached the topmost branches, where he
paused, like wise general, to take in the sit
uation.
All the windows of his neighbor's house were
closed but one, and by that stood Aunt Prues
prisoner, for it was the second day of Trixs
disgrace.
Her face was very pale, and there was a
troubled look in her eyes. for, proud and will.
ful though she was. Trix felt the injustice of
her punishment keenly.
No one had been near her since morning.
She did not know that DR.. Groot had come,
and ilnding Tessie fretting herself into n fever,
had insisted upon taking her off to spend the
day with his little daughters. Greta and Lima.
Ella had been sent down town on an errand
IRON Aunt Prue, who was going through the
solemn yearly business of picking and preserv-
ing, in the good old-fashioned way
1he house was still as grave. when voice
that seemed to come from the sky startled our
heroine out of her bitter reveres
II say" it called, "1ook out here Bricksl'
Irix did look out in no little bewilderment
1t didn't sound like a ghostly greeting, but
there certainly was no mortal near.
"Bricks!" repeated the voice, in a louder
key. II say, Bricks"
ut must mean me-" said Trix, a vague feel
ing OF alarm creeping over her; for her nerves
had been little shaken by the passionate out
burst of the preceding day. as well as by the
long hours of silence and loneliness she had
passed since.
"Bricks! Bricks! Bricks!" repeated the un-
seen visitant, impatienty
DO you mean me? for my name isn't
Rricks," said Trix, rather tartly, as she leaned
out of the window for another look around
her
A bough of the old walnut tree gave sud
den twitch as Ralph landed on it with a
spring from above.
"Oh, it's you!'' said Trix, recognizing her
neighbor with evident relief
"Yes, it's me-" answered Ralph, swinging
cautiously on his perch. "You are not sick,
are you?"
NO" replied Trix, 'I am not sick"
"You look like it," said Ralph. who was at
a frank and uncomplimentary age You're
awful pale. Come out, can't you? I've got
something to tell you
81 can't" replied Trix. her pale face flush
ing with sudden crimson. "Aunt Prue won't
let me-"
''You don't mean that you are a prsoner?"
SAID ralph, IN great amazemcnt.
Trix nodded assent
"And the other one, too?" asked Ralpb. all
his chivalry aroused.
mo I'm alone" said Trix, grimly: for Tes-
sie's seeming desertion was the hardest thing
of all.
'It's shame!" declared Ralph. Indignantly.
'T wouldn't stand it. II isn't as if she was
your mother. Mothers don't manage things
that way. Mine locked me up once or twice
when | was little chap, but she only kept
me in ten minutes. and listened at the keyhole
all the time for fear I might have fit And
then she'd cry over me, because my father
was dead, and I'd have crackers and jam for
tea"
"I haven't any mother. OF father either, to
bother about me-" said Trix, in hard, cold
voice.
'T wouldn't stand any nonsense from an
aunt, I know" said Ralph grandly. "Aunt
Alice is as good a as boy could get,
reckon; but she had better not try making
prisoner of me. I'd run away, if I were you,
and give old Tabby scare that she won't for
get Will Bottoms going out sailing this even
ing, and we want you to come along and help
to manage the boat. / don't know much
about steering. and I'm sure you do. You're
not locked up really, are you?"
NO." said Trix; "Pm not locked up at
all"
"Then slip out" advised Ralph, eagerly.
"There's a stiff breeze blowing, and the