The Washington herald., 1908-07-12


laughed. and then, blushing. said abrupt
"; "Of course you know how it ig
with meg"
! YES"
i could lie all night upon the doormat
outside her room"
| believe you could and would"
hugo spoke calmly, but he was think
ing with passion: MY God! How I
envy you! To be as you are-fresh. ar
dent. clean-and 90 fan In love with such
a creature" Then aloud in the sane
quiet tone, he continued: You're for
tunate. Burgess: you're keen about your
work, and you've fallen in love- with
the right woman"
! win that he got up, and, bidding Bur
CESS goodnight. went out OF the room.
Next morning, when they met at
/ breakfast Hugo spoke OF nothing but
'helr prospects for a days sport. Ii
censees are allowed 10 hunt IN couples
Two men Joining forces, each contribut-
ing Deater and dog. are not only like
" 10 XIII more game. but to kin time
ihuch more amuslngly. Moreover. Bur
CESS mad discovered that Hugo had an
astonishing knowledge OF the habits and
hapitat or Wild things and a willingness
10 impart that knowledge TO a pupil. The
long tramps, the good and IN fortune Of
the day. the intimate hours spent I'm dis
cussing their sport-these had ripened ac-
quaintance into friendship in less than
a fortnight
Al 10 o'clock they met Tom Henbest
and Jaspar Mowland, Burgess beater. at
the Gibbet. Years before. the gibbet
mad been cut down by a drunken sailor.
but the hole In which II had stood still
remained. Upon II had swung the skele-
ton OF the last Englishman hanged I'm
cnalns. Toms grandfather. II seemed.
had known this scoundrel who had rob
bed an old woman and then set fire 10
her cottage.
Granfer used 10 tap the skull. he did.
and allus he'd say: How bee'st Jin9'
And then the lite 'ud fly out o. the eye
sockets. Never no more than that:
How bee'st JimY"
'Ugh," said Burgess
There's a many wouldn't come niEh
mere, now. said Tom. "Jaspar wouldn't
would ZEE. Jaspar?"
I'd as lief go round tother wav." ad-
mltted Mr Mowland He also. like Hen
best. was n true forester. a gatherer OF
bracken, taker Of odd Jobs. with gvpsv
blood In his veins, and gypsy superstitions
Ia his long. melancholy head. Mowland
refused to soap his face on Good Friday
possibly on other days also) because
there Is a legend among Forest gypsies
Lhat christ upon the day OF His cruel
nNion. had some soapsuds thrown in His
facet
1t was a still December morning. The
Forest, so much as could be seen OF n
wore It's beautiful winter livery OF blua
and silver. Against the pale amber ~
the southern sky the tops OF the scotch
mrs looked Ike exquisite point lace. Dis
tant woods were OF palest cobalt the
yews and hollies In the foreground stood
out In solid indigo. Between these two
UNITS were revealed the subtlest grqda-
uous OF color Much rain had fallen dur-
Ing the preceding week. and ont OF the
alders In the bottoms a wOodcock would
surely be flushed; farther on one was
likely to get shot at jack-snipe.
They passed through a noble wood OF
oaks planted by William III for the p,,r-
pose or making battle ships. Not very
Iar away, the first clump OF frs. set out
about 100 years later stood boldly against
the sky. Burgess was familiar viii 80
history OF the Forest Of Us; and Hugo
Tor bis part. pointed out a hen-harriar
beating the ground like setter provided
with wings. Henbest now and again
contributed some curious item. He called
HugoS attention 20 the innumerabIe
thorn bushes growing beside the Young
oaks
They thorn keep the deer and cattle
from the tender trees" he said ''Rut
when the oaks big enough to look after
hisself the thorn. seeminIy, dies"
The fittest survive"
When they be left alone" said Hon
best There used 10 he a beautiful wood
o yews near here. They cut 'um down