Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-12-26
Furious and red, he staggered round

Furious and red. be staggered round
to look at her.
You wretched little wildcat, what
do you mean by that?" he broke out.
Don't You touch Joel,' she painted.
Don't YOU Her breath caught and
there was break In her voice as she
faced him. She could not finish the
repetition of that cry, Don't you
touch Joe!'
But there was no break in the spirit,
that passion Of protection which had
dealt the blow. Both boys looked at
her, somewhat aghast.
Eugene recovered himself He swung
round upon his heel, restored his hat to.
his head with precision, picked up his
stick and touched his banjo case with
it.
Garry that into the house." he said
indifferently to his stepbrother.
Don't you do itr' said the girl hotIy
between her chattering teeth.
Eugene turned toward her, wearing
the sharp edge of a smile. Not re-
moving his eyes from her face, he pro-
duced with deliberation a fiat silver
box from pocket, took therefrom a
cigarette, replaced the box, extracted
a smaller silver box from another pock-
| ct, shook out of 1t fusee, slowly lit
| the cigarette-this in splendid ST.
lence, which he finally broke to say
languidly, but with particular distinct
ness:
1Ar.inl T,abor oa hornars
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 herp'
sStow it, you young cub" replied
Eugene, not turning to him. 'sDo you
think I'm trying to be amusing?"
81 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 mean that Ariel Tabor Is
to go home. Really we can't have this
| kind of thing occurring upon our front
! lawnl"
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
1 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 disheyeled 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 immobile. amused superiority of
| this proprietor of silver boxes, this
wearer of strange and brilliant gar
ments, became slightly Intensified as
he pointed to the fallen sleeve, a rag
of red and snow. lying near her feet.
s.You might take that with your" he
said interrogatively.
Her gaze had not wayered In meet
ing his, but at this her eyelashes bez
/ gan to wink uncontrollably, her chin
to tremble She bent over the sleeve
and picked it up before Joe Louden,
who had started toward her, could do
| it for her Then turning. her head still
bent so that her face was hidden from
both of them, she ran out of the gate.
Ariel ran along the fence until she
came to the next gate, which opened
upon walk leading to shabby, me-
andering old house of one story, with a
very long. low porch, once painted
white, running the full length of the
'front.' Ariel sprang upon the porch
and disappeared within the house.
Joe stood looking after her, his eye
lashes winking as had hers you
oughtn't to have treated her that way"
he said huskily.
"Pick up that banjo case again and
come on commanded Mr.. Bantry tart
| ~. where's the mater?'
| Joe stared at him. where's what?v
"The matery' was the frowning re-
ply
"0h, yes, knowr' said Joe, looking
at his stepbrother curiously. "I've seen