Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-02-27

tude u frozen hush where
a 1 the wonder bearing youth
| pursued his course along its white
straight way. None was there in
| Whom impcrtinence overmastered as.
| tonishment or who recovered from the
sight in time to jeer with effect. No
"Trab's hoy" gathered courage to en-
| net in the thoroughfare scene of
mockery and OF joy.
And now that expression he wore
the indulgent amusement of man of
the world-began to disintegrate and
show signs of change. 1t became fine
ly grave, as of Il high conventionality,
lofty, assured and hammered, as he ap-
preached the Pike mansion"
1t was big, smooth stone faced
house, productof the seventies, frowning
under an outrageously insistent man.
sard, capped by a cupola and staring
out of long windows overtopped with
ornamental slabs. Two cast iron deer,
painted death gray, twins of the same
mold, stood on opposite sides of the
front walk, their backs toward it
and each other, their bodies in pro-
file to the street. their necks bent, how
ever. so that they gaZed upon the pass
erby, yet gaZed without emotion. Two
large calm dogs guarded the top of the
steps leading to the front door. They
also We're twins and of the same in
teresting metal, though honored be-
yond the deer by coats of black paint
and shellac. 1t was to be remarked
that these dogs were OF no distinguish
able species or breed, yet they were
Enthusiastically dogs. The dullest must
have recognized them rs such Mt n
glance, which was perhaps enough 1t
was a hideous house, important look
ing, cold, yet harshly aggressive, and
1t sat in the middle of its fiat acre of
snowy lawn like rich, fat man en-
ragged and sitting straight up in bed
to swear.
And yet there was one charming
thing about this ugly house. Some
workmen were inclosing large side
porch with heavy canvas, evidently for
+, festal purposes. Looking out from be-
tween two strips of the canvas was
the rosy and delicate face of pretty
girl, smiling upon Eugene Bantry as
he passed. 1t was an obviously pref.
ty face, all the youth and prettincss
there for your very first glance, elab.
orately pretty, like the splendid pro
| fusion of hair about and above it, am.
Der colored hair, Upon which so much
time had been spent that a circle of
| large, round curls rose above the mass
of it like golden bubbles tipping q
coronet.
! The girls fingers were pressed
thoughtfully against her chin as Eu
gene strobe into view. lmmediately
her eyes widened and frightened. He
swung along the fence with the hand
soonest appearance of Inconsistencies
until he reached a point nearly oppo
site her. Then lie turned his head as
If haphazardly and met her eyes. Al
once she threw out her hand toward
him. waving MIN a greeting, gesture
which rs her fingers liaI been near
her lips was little like throwing q
kiss. He crooked an elbow and with
one. two. three military movement
removed his small brimmed hat, ex.
tending It to full arms length at the
shoulder level, returned it to his head
with life guard precision. This was
also new to Canaan. He was letting
hiamie Pike have it all ut once
The Impression was as large as he
could have desired. She remained at
the opening in the canvas and watch.
cd him until lie wagged his shoulders
round the next corner and disappeared
into cross street. AS for Eugene, he
was calm with a great calm and very
red.
lie had not covered great distance,
however, before his gravity was re.
placed by his former smiling look OF
.he landed gentleman amused by the
| Innocent pastimes of the peasants,
though there was no one in sight ex-
cept a woman sweeping some snow
from the front steps of Il cottage, and
she, not perceivins him, retired in.
doors without knowing her loss. lie
had come to o thinly built part of the
town, the perfect quiet of which made
the sound lie heard rs he opened the
picket gate of his own home all the
more startling. 1t was n scream, loud,
frantic and terror stricken.
Eugene stopped, with the gate half
open.
Out of the winter skeleton of grape
arbor at one side of the four square
brick house Il brown faced girl Of sew
enteen precipitated herself through the
air in the midst of n shower of torn
cardboard which she threw before her
as she leaped. She III upon her toes
and headed for the gate at top speed.
pursued by pale young man whose
thin arms strove spasmodically to
reach her. Scattering snow behind
them, hair flying, the pair sped on like
two tattercd branches before Il high
wind, for, as they came nearer Eugene
of whom, in the tensity of their flight,
they took no note, it was to be seen
that both were so shabbily dressed as
TO be almost ragged.
Tile girl ran beautifully, but ficeter
foot was behind her and, though she