The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-14
CHAPTER Iv-contnucd

| A gardener. In noble. leisureiy
manner. was sweeping the smoothly
rolled gravel Of Sir Johns carriage
drive; the broad grass border had been
iassage to and fro OF the pony-drawn
moving machine; rhododendrons In
bloom were flaming red patches be-
/ tween big conifers--those tall and
stately sentinels guarding the approach
to the white house which. though so
near. was hidden from the prying eyes
of the public. A peep into the outer
splendor. and no more. could be OBJ
tained here by respectful townsfolk
They must wait for one OF Lady Vim.
cents charitable fetes, or church-fund
garden parties. before they would be
able to pry any further. Then for a
Ishllling In advance. or eighteen pence
on the day, they might go In boldly
land see all that there was to be seen.
AS Lizzie. pausing. took her peep.
there came the sound of four Iron
shoes upon the gravel. A horse coming
down the drive! She turned abruptly.
hurried. almost ran. along tho foot
/ path; and then paused again. and from
the shadow beneath the garden wall
looked bnck to the sunlit road.
| a little girl trotted from the lodge
| or gardeners cottage, held the gate
| open. and Lizzie. GREATNESS after her
| short flight. pressing a hand on her
side to still the beating of her heart.
saw Mr.. Jack Vincent, In white
| brooches and brown boots, ride out
on beautiful grey horse.
LanSuidly she strolled on. and then.
| once again pausing, gazed across the
meadows at the sacred precincts OF the
1 vv,t, ~ 1t. =
| wire fences to hold in the bouncing
tennis balls; the sunshine glittered on
the red tiles and golden vane OF the
club pavilion; men and girls were
! lounging in the cool veranda; voices
| OF energetic tennis players rang out
cheerily as they called the game:
there were wicker chairs with red
cushions. there were tent umbrellas.
furled and unfurled; there was
sunlight. laughter. fun-it seemed
n happy meeting ground for gay.
| light-hearted people. Presently. while
she watched. the white breaches
and brown boots OF Mr.. Vincent
reappeared. He had come riding
| gate. and, sitting at case upon his
horse, was observing the skill or
btunders of some ardent croquet
| players.
The club ground was, OF course. open
to members only. But the woods were
open to all the world; and to-day the
woods were lovely. The understanding
hawthorns were like trees after snow
storm: beneath the slender beeches the
| ground was q carpet OF lowers; prinl-
roses. vlolets. bluebells. drove one back
to the grass tracks for fear one should
thread on them. Butterflies lowered
about shafts OF rainbow light; birds
sang, and from q distance came the
flowing OF cattle in thu fields by the
river.
Lizzie sat on dry bank. and read
and unused and dreamed. The woods
might have belonged to- her, or to the
birds, instead OF to the sovereign. No
one came to disturb her. When she
reused herself and looked at her new
watch. she was surprised. The glver
of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. be expect
ing her at the tea-table.
| AS she reached the stile, she put her
hand to her side and drew long. deep
ibreaths. All the afternoon she had
been weaving her silly dreams, and
now she was dreaming still OF quite
Impossible things.
| Meanwhile, Mr.. Crunden walking
about the town as was his wont, had
contrved to fill in the hours without
suffering from ennui. He looked at the
same objects every day. and yet they
always interested him.
There was the town hall which had
cost him his seat on the Council, 1t
was monstrously pretent'ous edifce:
fine example OF that style OF archi-
lecture which Is technically known as
"streaky bacon"-red brick to repre-
sent the lean, white stone for .the fat
land Hedgehog Crunden" looked at It
lalmost every day with unutterable,
understanding contempt Sevenpence
I'm the pound added to the rates for
4 that!
There We're all the housos-scattered
land in comract rows-which he had
4 built for others. or for himself as a
speculation. to be sold as soon as fin.
lished to any one who would buy. He
looked at them long and hard. and
each onet had Its story-lts Intensely
interesting storv-to tell him. He had
been lucky In nearly all his ventures:
bit some houses had gone Off Quickly
while others had hung m hand KEEN
Ing him awake at night before he got
rid OF them, Now he was clear or
@brick and mortar Investments. all hts
I, money safe out of such precarioils
trronerty. with only good well-secured
4 ground rents and sound stocks and
Eshares tn lilo thinking about when he
could not sleep.
He used to stand at corners steadily
examining the state of .rennir of build
|ines In which he had never held a
Istake-estlmating rentals or framing
schcdules Of d'nnidations and sneciti.
cations for putting 'the same" In a
tenantable condition Thus mentally
busy. he would 'olter at the end Of a
terrace that might well serve as a les
snn to all ambitious builders, This
4 orol 1nI13 In \ 1,aa ~,