Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-12-24
CHAPTER V.

" tItt' huSSu StSA
rs, dressed in Overalls and
with his hair grotesquely
- plastered down with Abe
Morningstar's pomatum, he strolled
about at dusk that evening under the
trees Of the orchard. smoking his after
supper cigar. lis the renowned Miss
Georgiana Ellery, the beautiful. the
accomplished! Sentimental" he pro-
nounced, from the crown Of her head
to the soles of her shoes! And intel
lectual! 1t would take pretty brave
man to 60 in for her! Well" he con-
cluded, bending back his head md
blowing out puffs Of smoke. shes a
fair type Of what the woman's college
turns out nowadays. But, by Jupiter,
a more stunningly beautiful girl !
never saw
In spite however, Of this conclusion,
he patted himself on the head for his
cleyerneSs in having devised so excel
lent scheme for the preservation OF
his liberty. What boredom 1t spared
him!
There was one phase Of his escapade
which was not so pleasant to contem-
plate-the discovery Of his deception
when he should be obliged to meet
these two young ladies in his true char
acter upon his return to college in the
fall.
His stroll had brought him to tie
fence which separated the orchard from
the lane, and suddenly he stopped short
and took his cigar from his mouth.
There, few feet away, leaning
against the fence, stood Eunice. In the
deepening twilight he had not seen her
until nearly at her side.
Her relaxed attitude betrayed tie
WEAKNESS Of her young body ut the end
of the days toll, and the droop OF her
head against her hand suggested the
pensiveness Of her Elint.
He felt glad that he had come upon
her; he was SO curious to know how
his disguise affected her. She hau
actually been surprised into faint
SIllle Ol dHluStultHt dt thS N''''>' ~
ble 1t had fairly startled him.
In the lane outside the fence four
little boys were playing, children from
neighboring farm laborcrs cottages.
and Eunice was watching them idly.
The dialogue of the little cubs was
diverting, so he, too, rested against
the fence and listened to them. He
thought she must surely have heard
his approach, but she did not stir.
"I used to be towner-l lived nj
Lebanon" one boy was boastinG.
"Aw," scorned the other, IL Hvei
furder'n that-I used to live ou; west
yet"
"Aw, why, you couldn't" The first
gave him the lie without ceremony
0The Indians would kill you If you
lived out west!
81 did too. Say, Reddy, didn't used
to live out west!"
"Yes. YOU did" Reddy championed
him.
"But there's $50 Indians out west.
exclaimed the first boy statisticaliy'
"a body couldn't live out there"
"Aww sneered Reddy. "come OIL.
You're thick. 4 body can't hardly
learn you nothin'! The Indians amt
wild no more-they're tanned now
The dispute ended in fist tight
which led the combatants further
down the road and out Of earshot.
Kinross took his cigar from his
mouth and spoke to Eunice across the
space between them.
"Boys are queer animals. aren't
they?'
She did not turn to look ut him.
For an instant she did not answer
Then, low and soft. her voice fell
upon the still evening.
"Queer animalsY But they are EN-
bryo men"
His cigar almost fell from his hand
He stared at her averted profile In stu
pid astOnishment.
"Are we pair of cynics" he ut
last found his voice to remark.
But the words were not uttered be-
fore he realized that the space where
she had stood was empty. She had
turned and fled like frightened bird.
He stared after her retreating figure.
his sense Of the mystery which hung
about her affecting him strangely.
"Was that the girl Eunice to whom
| spoke and who answered me In such
wise? They are embryo men! EN-
bryo. A girl who asks me who this
Andrew Carnegie is anyway"
He turned back to lean upon the
fence again. put his cigar to his lips,
and meditatively blew a long cloud
| OF smoke into the air.
"By gosh"
It expressed. as no other comment
| ao,I1 I,oya dono tho state Of his mind