The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-07-11


Furious ard red. he staggered round
to look at her. s1l3
You wretched little wildcat, what
do you mean by that?" he broke out.
"Don't you touch Joew 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 Joev'
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..
'tCarry that into the house," he said
indiferently to his stepbrother.
"Don't you do itv' said the girl holly
between her chattering teeth.
Eugene turned toward her, wearing
the sharp edge Of smile. Not re-
moving his eyes from her face, he pro-
duced with deliberation fat silver
box from a pocket, took therefrom a
cigarette, replaced the box, extracted
a smaller silver box from another pock-
ct, shook out Of it fusee, slowly lit
the cigarette-this in a splendid 81
lence, which he finally broke to say
languidly, but with particular distinct
ness:
"Ariel Tabor, go homer
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 her!"
''Stow it, you young cub" replied
Eugene, not turning to him. do you
think I'm trying to be amusing?"
II don't know what you mean by
stow it," Joe began, "but if''-
II mean," interrupted the other, not
relaxing his family smiling stare at
the girl-"I mean that Ariel Tabor is
to go home. Really we can't have this
kind Of thing occurring upon our front
lawnv'
| 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
bare arm, Of the strewn hair, Of the
fallen stocking, Of the ragged shoulder
Of her blouse, Of her patched short
ure. He was the master Of the house,
and he was sending her home as i'll 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, rag
Of red and snow, lying near her feet.
! "You might take that with you?" he
said interrogatively.
Her gaze had not wavered in meet
ing his, but at this her eyelashes be-
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
1t 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 a walk leading to a 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?'
'"The mater" was the frowning re,
ply.
"Oh, yes, knowv' said Joe, looking
at his stepbrother curiously. give seen