Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-05-02
BY BOOTH HARRINGTON,
CHAPTER XJTI

III the DItutll, WHICH put aTlel
that afternoon In easy posses
sion of n coign OF vantage command
ing the front gate. The heavy Sunday
dinner was finished In silence Ton the
part OF Judge Pike deafennG) about 5
O'Clock, and soon after Mamie tossed
number OF cushions ont upon the
stOop between the cast iron dogs, Sam
Warden having previously covered the
steps with a rug and placed several
garden chairs near by on the grass
These simple preparations concluded.
Eugent sprawled comfortably upon the
rug and Mamie seated herself near
him, while Ariel wandered with appar-
ont aimleSsness about the lawn, fol
lowed by the gaze of Mr.. Bantry until
Miss Pike begged her a little petulant-
j. to join them.
She came. looking about her dream
J = and touching to her lips now and
I ~. with an absent ak" a clover bios
sol she had found in the longer grass
Ggainst the fence. She stopped to pat
: e neck Of one OF the cast iron deer
ID, with grave eyes. proffered the
cover top first for inspection. then as
! I'D. There We're those in the world
10, seeing her. might have wondered
~ the deer did not play Galatea and
, me to life.
she had put on her hat after dinner,
ii Mamie now inquired If she would
Vt prefer to remove it, offering to car
: it indoors for her, to Ariels room,
- insure its safety. You look so
: )rt of temporary, wearing It," she
cged; las If you were only here for n
tile while. It's the lovcliest hat I
ger saw. and SO fragile, too, but I'll
rake care
~ am wearing my hat" answered
lriel, "because at any moment I may
G'cide to go for long walk"
oh, I hope not" said Mamie.
There are sure to be people A few
still come, even though I'm an en-
gacod girl. | expect that's Just to con-
sole me, though" she added. smiling
over this worn quip of the betrothcd
h"d shaking her head ut Eugene. who
grew red and coughed. "Therell be
plenty today, but they won't be here
70 see me. It's You. Ariel. and they'll
be terribly disappointed if you weren't
here. I shouldn't wonder If the whole
town came. It's curious enough about
you.'
And now the young men OF the town.
1aboriouslv arranged az to apparel.
began to appear on the street in small
squads, making their Sunday rounds.
the youngest working in phalanxes OF
threeS and fours. those somewhat old
er inclining TO move in pairs. the
eldest, such as We're now beginning TO
be considered middle aged beaus or
(by the extremely youthful odd bach
clors," evidently considered it advan.
taCeous to travel alone OF all these
there We're few who did not before
evening fell turn in at the gate of the
Pike mansion. Consciously. shyly or
confidently. according to the condition
of their souls, they made their way
between the cast iron deer to be pre-
scented to the visitor.
Ariel sat at the top Of the steps and
looking amiably over their heads, talk
Ell with such as could get near her
There were many who could not, and
Mamie, occupying the bench below.
was surrounded by the overflow. The
difficulty of reaching and maintaining
position near Miss Tabor was in
creased by the attitude and behavior
OF Mr.. Flitcroft, who that day cooled
HE feeling Of friendship which several
OF his fellow townsmen had hitherto
entertained for him. He had been the
hrSt to arrive, coming alone. though
that was not his custom. and he es.
iablished himself at Arel's right. upon
Me step just below her, so disposing
the great body and the ponderous
arms and legs the gods had given him
that no one could mount above him
to sit beside her or approach her from
that direction within conversational
distance.
Norbert, not ordinarily laxative, had
nothing to say. He seemed to find suf-
hcient occupation in keeping the place
ne had gained, and from this close
vantage he fastened lis small eyes
immovably upon Ariel's profile. Eu-
gene, also apparently determined not
TO move, sat throughout the afternoon
at her left, but az he was thin others
who came and went were able to ap-
proach upon that side and hold speech
with her.
The conversation OF the gallants con-
sisted for the greater part Of witt
Cisms at one anothers expense. which,
though evoked for ArieFs benefit TALL
eyes furtively revertlns to her as each
shaft was loosed), she found more or
less enismatical. The young men, how
ever, laughed at each other loudly and
seemed content IL now and then she
smiled. you must be frightfully en-
nuied with all this" Eugene said to
her. you see how provincial we still
are"
she did not answer. She had not
heard him. The shadows were stretch
ing themselves over the grass long and
r.tenuated. The sunlight upon the trees
and houses was like thin, rosy pig
ment, blackbirds were calling each 9th
er home to beech and elm, and Arlels
eyes were fixed upon the western dis.
lance Of the street where gold dust was
beginning to culver in the air. She did
not hear Eugene, but she started a
moment later when the name Joe Lou