Milford chronicle., 1909-01-15

NNRUe
and strobe away through ting long shad
ows of the garden They heard The
gate click after him as he passed int
the Claiborne grounds. and then they
glanced at each other with such a
glance as may pass between Two mem
bers of peace commission sitting on
the same side of the table who will not
admit to each other that the latest
proposition Of the enemy has been in
the nature Of surprise They did
not. however, suffer themselves to
watch Armitage but automatically re-
filed their glasses.
Through the green walls went Armi-
tage. He had not been out of the
barons ground before since he was
carried thence from the bungalow, and
It was pleasant 10 be free once more
and able to stir without a nurse at his
heels. and he swung along with his
head and shoulders erect, walking
with the confident stride Of a man who
has no doubt whatever Of his immedi-
ate aim.
At the pergola he paused to recon
hotter, finding on the bench certain
vestigia that interested him deeply-a
pink parasOl. a contrivance of straw,
lace and pink roses that seemed to be
a hat and a June magazine. He jump
ed upon the bench where once he had
sat an exile. a refugee. a person dis
cussed in disagreeable terms by the
newspapers. and studied the landscape
Then he went on up the gradual slope
Of the meadow until he came TO the
pasture wall II was under the trees
beneath which Oscar had waited for
Zmai that he found her
They told me you wouldn't dare
venture out for week" she said, ad-
vancine toward him and giving him
her hand
THAT was what they told me-" he
said. laughing, but escaped from my
keepers"
You will undoubtedly take cold
without your hat"
Yes; l shall undoubtedly have pneu
monia from exposure to the Virginia
sunshine. take my chances"
You may sit on the wall for three
minutes; then you must 90 back.
cannot be responsible for the life Of
wounded hero"
please" He held up his hand
THAT'S what l came to talk to you
about"
About being a hero? You have tax
en- an unfair advantage was going
to send for the latest designs in laurel
wreaths tomorrow"
She SAT- down beside him on the wall
The sheep were a grayish blur against
the green. A little negro boy was
shepherdmg them. and they scampered
before him toward the farther end Of
the pasture. The faint and vanishing
tinkle of a bell and the boys whistle
gave emphasis 10 the country quiet Of
the late afternoon. They spoke rapidly
and impersonally OF his adventures in
the hills and Of his illness.
Il didn't know. Miss Claiborne. that
was going TO lose my mind that morn
ing at the bungalow or / should have
asked your brother TO conduct you to
the conservatory while tainted. From
what they told me ! must have been a
little light headed for a day or two. If
[ had been in my right mind | should
not have let Captain Dick mix up in
my business and run the risk of getting
killed in a nasty little row. Dear old /
Dick! / made a mess Of that whole |
business. l ought to have telegraphed /
e,r ~. Cstorr, Crrft,re constable I'm tho Z
and told him that if he
wasn't careful the noble house of |
would totter and fall"
Yes. and just imagine the effect ON /
our constable Of telling him that the |
fate Of an empire lay in his hands. It's /
lard enough to get a man arrested who /
beats his horse. But you must go back
o your keepers. You haven't your
lat"-
"Neither have you. You shan't outdO
ne in recklessness. ] inspected your
lat as I came through the pergola
liked it immensely. / came near seiz-
ng it as spoil Of war-the loot Of the
,ergola"'
There would be cause for another
var. ! have rarely liked any hat so
much. But the baron will be after you
u a moment. can't be responsible
or you"
"The baron annoys me. He has
-iven me a lot Of worry. And that's
What / have come to ask you about
"Then | should say that you oughm't
o quarrel with dear old man like
'aron won Marhof Besides, he's your
ncle"
NO. no. don't want him TO be my
nclel don't need any unclew
He glanced about with an anxiety
hat made her laugh.
Il understand perfectly! Ny father I
I'D me that the events Of April ih /
lese hills were not TO be mentioned a
ut don't worry. The sheep won't tell Z
and ! won't" Z
He was silent for a moment as he
fought out the words Of what he
ished to say 10 her. The sun was
ippng down into the hills; the mel
w air was still; the voice Of a negro :
nging as he crossed a distant field r
ole sweetly upon them. &