Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-10-06
CHAPTER III.

another footStep sounds on the nara
path This time it is a lighter, more
hestating step, and it belongs to a
small, slight-looking young man, with
a bland. simple face. He is dressed
in the regulation long-skirted coat
which our carates have adopted, and
wears spectacles and a huge com
forter, which winds its apparently in
terminable length around his neck.
He carries a thick umbrella in one
hand and a book in the other, and At
sight Of Jeanne, standing bareheaded
and sprinkled with 81 ", he stops
short with establishment, drops his
book. and clutches neryously at his
gingham.
Miss Jeanne, is that your" he de
mands, in a weak, soft voice, which
struggles through the comforter; "outI
without your-your hat, and in all
this snow?"
"Good-evening, Mr.. Bell" says
Jeanne, demurely. Does it snow?"
It is showing fast.
Yes, Miss Jeanne, it does. You'll
catch your death
Then I had better go in" says
Jeanne, promptly. and darts off like
an arrow.
NJ. Bell looks after her blushingly
or a moment. then follows, and, en-
erinG the little, coy parlor, finds
Master Hal quietly seated at the Ia
bic, gravely porting over Euclid, as i,I
he had been sitting so for hours.
He looks up with an admirable start
Of surprise, ard says, as innocently:
Is that you. sir?' and, unusually
attentive, respectfully adds: Let me
help you with your comforter, sir.
Thank you Harry, thank youl
says the little man, cheerfuly, 50
cheerfully that Hal eyes him and han.
dies the comforter curiously.
There is no snow on his beloved tu
tors back the comforter is quite
dry Despair and disappointment
Jeanne's enowball must have missed
him! And it is with a decided
change Of voice that he replies TO Mr.
Bells usual auestion--'Have you pre-
pared your studies, Harry"
Meanwhile, the stranger strides
down the street, stops at a small cot
tage a little distance from the Gate
House, and knocks at the door, over
which rams the legend;
JOSIAH BROWN, CARRIER,
Mrs. Brown opens the door drops a !
courtesy, ana follows him into little
sitting-room, made comfortable by a |
glowing fire and table ready set for
tea
rs there anything you'd like, sir?"
she asks.
Yes, towel or cloth of some
sort" he says, taking OFF his coat
A lowell why, bless me, sir. you're
all over snow! Some Of those drefful |
boys have been snowballing."
Something of the sort, Mrs.
Brown" he assents, smiling grimly as
the vision of the 1.-the, graceful girl
whom he left leaning defantly against
the gate rises before him; ITS of lit
tie consequence. If you viii be good
enough to wipe the snow off my coat,
think ] can shake it out of my neck.
Thanks!'
The audacity Of them boys is
dreadful! calculates Mrs. Brown, as
she carefully wipes the coat. TO
think as they should have thrown at
you, sir a perfect stranger They
ought to have known better It's all
of now. sir-rd better air II, though.
Don't trouble" he says. rs this
the tea?" aud he eyes 1t gravely
Yes, sir" says Mrs. Brown. 81
hope you'n find it right: and. II You
please. sir, my husband has brought
your things, sir" nodding at the easel
which stands in the corner of the
room he's taken great care of them.
I'm quite sure Of that. he re
spouds, carelessly
Mrs Brown bustics about the table
for a moment and is about to leave
the N. when her BADGER looks ul,
and says, odjaereutly moueh
There is a large. oldfasboaoa
house behind wall just Dy the
street Who lives there2"
Tho Gate House, sir. do you
mean2'
He mods
That's MIR. DostreWs" says Mrs
Mrs. Brown air. Dostren and his
sister Miss nos'rell live there DO
you know them, sire"
Not al all" he answers. promptly.
Mrs. Brown looks around the room F..
and ler eyes rest on the easel. In
stantiy the good woman jumps to the
hat this ledger OF hers,
being an artist. is anxious to give les
sons, or why should he come to New.
ton Regis? And she smiles benevo,
lently
"A very nice gentleman is Mr.. Dos
trel, sir, and SO is his sister Quite !
the seholard A very quiet gentle
man, indeed he Is They do say as
he might do wonders in the chemistry
way. for he spends all his time in +
making experiments l don't know
what for. He's quite a scientific gen
tleman."
Her lodger mods, and takes up the I
teapot, but so clumslly that Mrs. /
Brown winces,
And does no one else live with +
them?" he asks.
only their nephew ana niece" re-
s.lf