Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16

turning to Van Brunt, IT want to thank
you. on behalf Of the children. for your
kindness in sending them the fruit. 1t is
delicious. You should see the dears every
day when the expressman comes with the
basket"
Van looked puzzled. ''Fruit?" he says.
II don't understand. Do you know any
thing about fruit. skipper?'
pleaded not guilty. Hartley didn't
seem to hear. He was busy talking with
Miss Talford.
"Why!" says Agnes. Doesn't it come
loveliest basket of fruit from Boston
every morning. I thought, of course,
you had ordered 1t for us. Didn't you.
really?'
Van shook his head 'It takes a man
with the ordinary amount of brains and
he says. I'm miles below the average
in such things. In all but carelessness
and general idiocy I'm a bear on the
market. Here, Martin! Miss Talford
please excuse him for a moment, will
fruit?" ~ -Ni ''''-
Hartley was SO sunburned that you
couldn't have told if he did blush. But
he acted nervous and uneasy.
cit was nothing" he said. IT knew the
youngsters liked such things. and the
stuff you get here isn't eatable. Then
James is a success, Miss Talford, you
say"
But he didn't get off quite as easy as
that. Agnes looked up surprised and,
thought. pleased.
Thank you. Mr.. Hartley" she said. 1T
was kind Of you. and very thoughtful"
OF course the Talford girl thanked him.
too. He acted good deal like he wished
he hadn't come.
But guess that feeling wore off after
n mo Po o.,
was considerable pleasanter to him than
I'd seen her yet. She talked to him NOR
and there want SO much of that chilly
''hands-off'' kind of manner in her voice.
Two or three times they seemed almost
friendly, as you might say. and toward
the end of the day Hartley's blueness.
that was always with him when she was
in sight, had pretty nigh disappeared. He
seemed quite happy. for him-not his
usual careless. don't-care kind of jollity,
either.
One thing that think Agnes noticed
was the way the boy. Redny. stuck to
him You could see that the little chaps
idea Of a first-class brick was Martin
that Redny was the Page girls favorite.
She was always running after him to see
what he was doing, that he didn't get
hurt. or such like. One time when She d
gone on this kind of an errand, and the
Twins and Miss Talford and me was left
together, spoke up and says
THAT small fire top Is considerable on
Miss Agnes mind, amt hep
Margaret Talford laughed. Hes the
apple Of her eye" says she. 'She fairly
why. for he's the worst mischief maker
in the school. But Agnes sympathy
seems to run to the black sheep. Were
you a black sheep. Mr.. Van Brunt?''
Van shook his head. very solemn: II
ence of the natural life has removed the
doesn't find it necessaryto run after me-
I hatter myself that I'm rapidly becom-
ing-what is it that our new cook sings
Do you notice my alabaster purity. Miss
Talford?"
IT hadn't as yet" she says. "rn call
Agnes attention to IT.
PRAY don't" says he. I'm not alto
gether certain of its lasting qualities
Suppose you keep an eye on me instead
until I'm sure that 1t Is enamel and not
whitewash.''
That was a sample of the talk OF them
two. Just nonsense. but they seemed to
enjoy it first rate.
At dinner Van entertained the crowd
as usual. with stories about the island
and our doings on 1t. He told how the
ark upset, and twas wild enough any
how but when he'd finished embroidering
it twas a regular crazy quilt. Then he
begun with Eureka. He didn't know
much about Washy, except from the
girls talk, for Hartley nor me hadn't
told much of our experience. So all h
said was that the old man was sick
Agnes Page seemed a good deal inter
ested.
After they'd finished eating she asked
me considerable many questions.
rs he all alone there, the poor sick
man." she asked.
mo. MOI" says I. There's children
enough to help out whole hospital He's
all right"
But those children ought not to have
to stay at home" says she. They need
the air and exercise and schooling
(To be continued tomorrow.)