Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-02-13

color to the latter episode-"you see,
they think over there that we're trash.
So they're bound TO let us alone. 1t
amt that they haven't good man
ners"-
| 1t was Iounsbury's turn to inter-
rupt. lie was tramping about. MAN
nersw he said violently. Manners.
| What's manners to do with it? There's
lot that's good manners-and cursed
bad hearth
She took up the scythe, brought
milestone from the depths Of pocket
and ran it down the blade thought
fully.
"1'm going to look into this whole
business from first TO last" he went
on more quietly. "1ll spend the next
few days investigating. You got my
| letter."
1--WE went TO Clarli's for you and got
1t there" She added that she had
feared Bradch and spoke of his slack
courtesy.
ooh. we'll" he said, partly in apol-
ogy for the real estate agent, "if a man
out here don't take off his hat to a
girl that means nothing"
ut wasn't the hat" she answered,
and described Bradens further con-
duct
Lounsbury blaZed up again. "Tll
see about that. too" he declared. "IIe
must be another sample Of imported
manners
They heard the CHEEKY grinding Of a
coffee mill. AS If struck by thought,
she looked toward the shack.
ITS about time for me to go in"
she said, little hurried. Then:
won't you come, too. and take a
snack with us? Marylyn d like to
see YOU"
"Marylyn" He had read her mean
ing. "Why, Dallas. you don't mean to
say that you-that she still
Yes" very low.
"Well"Lounsbury was determined
there's got to be some kind Of
an understanding. told you how 1
felt. and you ran away from me. You
shan't do It this time. I'll go to the
house, and I'll tell Margin just how
things are. l WILL"
ooh, my baby sister, she murmured.
Instantly he was all gentleness. "No,
no: I won't tell her." he said. but
I'm sick and tired Of being tied this
way. hand and foot. 1t was your ia
Their first, and now this again-Dal-
las"
She could not answer him.
Il won't tell her. I'll wait til-till
you do. But you see that l can't 80
to the house. And suppose l oughtn't
to stay here any longer for her to see.
But I'm coming back here tonight at
taps"
She shook her head. "Marylyn would
be alone" she said hastily, $3.50 |
can't
"You will; know you will. She'll
be asleep"
"NO-no"-
AT taps, Dallas" He touched the
hand that held the scythe upright.
She thought all at once how worn he
was and white. Another moment he
had mounted and was cantering of
Left alone, she dreaded going in to
breakfast, expecting q hurt silence or
passionate protests, perhaps tears. and
she tried to find it in her heart TO
blame Lounsbury for not accompany
ing her.
But Marylyn welcomed her with a
; question or two. exclaimed sOrrowfuly
. at the news of I.ounSburys mother
and when the elder girl explained that
!; the storekeeper had been too busy to
come 10 the shack returned faint
smile.
"The brave baby thought Dallas.
But Marylyn was puzZling over
Lounsbury's true reason for staying
away-now when their father was not
there to object He had told Dallas he
was busy. That, however, was only a
, pretext. Finally she concluded that
, Fraser, in spite of his promise. had
made contdant of the storekeepel
| and that the latter had seen the hope
! lessness of his affection for her.
a I'm glad she said to herself
"Now l won't have to tell him"
, Lounsbury pursued Il feverish in
, vestigatlon that day and found no one
who cared to bubble with him. Frou
, the captain. never Jealous of bis dig
nifty, to the rolly poly sutler there wal
. very outrush of facts. As they came
he received them with pitchfork sharp
Aess, examined them and tossed then
aside, which led a wag to remark tina
the storekeeper wns kin to Simon. Ye
when retreat sounded he admitted
himself hedged In by indisputable testi
mony. Lancaster's death was beyont
easy solving. If Matthews were guilt!
he was not the principal only an &c
eessory, to the crime. Nevertheless!
could the storekeeper have come face
to face with the interpreter that da!
scores would have been settled.
TO Dallas, laying the blue stem O
! the swale, the hours Of the morning
went slowly. Yet how warm and gold
EN- they seemed! How tuneful tn,
, birds! How cottony white the clouds
! that flecked the sky! How pleasan
, the long. hushing sound of the scythe
And all the while she thrilled with ex
4 pectancy, and the minutes hung upo
each other as If loath to pass.
] The very kecnness OF her Joy brougt
a swift revulsion. At dinner. with NJ;
) rylyn sitting across from her, she b,
!. gan to see more clearly. She realize
= she had been dreaming; that for he
:, there was only self denial. She al