Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-02
stoy there" Flitcroft departed abrupt


afternoon
stoy there" Fitcroft departed abrupt
ly.
Ariel laughed, leaning forward, rest
ing her elbows on her knee aud her
chin in her hand, so that the shadow Of
her hat shielded her eyes from the
light. 81 thought you looked surpris-
ell when you saw me today"
81 reckon did," he exclaimed.
"Who wouldn't Of been?'
"Whyf"
wasn't the whole town the same
way?" he demanded. Did you meet
anybody that didn't look surprised?'
but why should they?"
Good gracious" lie broke out.
"Ain't you got any lookin glasses"
az think almost all have are still
In the customs warehouse"
"Then use Mamie Pixies" respond
ed the old man. 1.-THE town never
dreamed you We're goin' to turn out
pretty at all. let alone the way you've
turned out pretty. The Tocsin had a
good deal about your looks and so
forth in it once in a letter from Paris
but the folks that remembered you
kind of set that down to the way pa
pers talk about anybody with money,
and nobody was prepared for 1t when
they saw you. You don't need to drop
no courtesies to me-" He set his mouth
grimly in response to the bow she
made him. II think female beauty Is
like all other human furbelows and
as heller as heaven will be il only the
good people are let in. But yet l did
stop to hook Mt you when you went
past me today. and | kept on looliin'
long as you were in sight reckon
always will when git the chance. too
only shows what human nature is. But
that wasn't all that folks We're starin'
at today. 1t was your walkin' with
Joe Louden that really finished 'em.
and I can say it upset me more than
anything I've seen for good many
years"
Upset you. Mr.. Arp?' she cried. 81
don't quite See"
The old man shook his head deplor-
ingly. After what I'd written you
about that boy
"Ah," she said softly. touching his
sleeve with her fingers. II haven't
thanked you for that"
"You needn't" he returned sharply.
at was pleasure. Do you remem Der
how easy and quick promised you?'
81 remember that you were very
kind"
Kind" He gave forth an acid and
chilling laugh. ut was about two
months after Louden ran away and be-
fore you and Roger, left Canaan, and
you asked me to promise to write to
you whenever word of that outcast
came
81 didn't put it SO Mr.. Arp"
''No. but you'd ought Of, You asked
Inc to writ. you whatever news of him
should come and If he came back to
tell you how and when and all about It,
record ever since he landed here again.
Do you know why I've done it? DO
you know why promised SO quick and
easy would do it,"
"Out Of kindness of your heart I
think"
The acid laugh was repeated. mo,
ma'am! You couldn't of guessed cold
err. | promised, and / kept my promise
because l knew there would never be
anything good to tell. And there never
wasv'
Nothing at ala" she insisted grave
~.
Never! l leave it to you If I've writ.
ten one good word Of him"
you've written Of the treatment he
has received here" she began, land
I've been able to see what he has borne
and bears"
But have I written one word to
show that he didn't deserve it ALI
Haven't told you every thing, of his
associates, his
Indeed you have"
"Then do you wonder that was
more surprised than most when l saw
you walking with him today2 Because
I knew you did it in cold blood and
knowledge afOrethought! Other folks
thought it was because you hadn't been
| uCTc IOuS cHouSu W hCoi hio iSPuso'
ton, but knew"
Tell me-" she said, "if you were dis
appointed when you saw me with
him."
"Yes," he snapped. II was"
II thought SO. saw the consterna'
ton In your face. You approved
didn't your"
II don't know what you're talking
about"
Eyes, you do. know it bothers you
to have me read you between the lines
but for this once you must let me
You are so consistent that you are
never disappointed when things turn
out badly or people are wicked OF
foolish, are your"
mo, certainly not. expect It,"
"And you were disappointed in me
; today. Therefore, 1t must be that
was doing something you knew was
} right aud good. You seer" She lean
cd little closer to him, smiling an
| gelically. "Ah, Mr.. Arp" stG cried
II know your secret! You admire
mer
He rose, confused and incoherent, al
full Of denial As a detected pickpOcket
| Nv