Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-25

He had expected her to ask this. Tor
the subject seemed to have an mex.
haustible charm for her She would
fit rapt and motionless as long as he
cared to tnlls Of his sister, IN her wide,
mcditntive eyes the shsdow Of great
unveiled longing. he told her Of his
father. the crotchety old soldier whose
absurd sense Of duty and whose elab.
crate southern courtesy bad become a
bywOrd In the south. He told her
household tales that were priced like
pieces of the Burrell plate. beautfui
heirlooms OF sentiment that mark thu
honor Of high bloodcd houses, follow.
ing which there was much to recount
Of the Meades, from the admiral who
fought as n boy in the bay Of Tripoli
down TO the cousin who was Mt An
napolis, the while his listener hung
upon his words hungrily, her mind so
quick In pursuit of his that it spurred
him unconsr!o-ciy. her great, dark
eyes har closed in silent laughter or
wide with wonder, and In them al
ways the warmth of the leaping fire
light. blended with the trust of n new.
born virginia. love.
Then he began to laugh silently.
"What is it?' she SAID curlously.
ooh, nothing. was just wondering
what my straitaced ancestors would
say II they could see me now"
"What do you mean?' the girl asked
in open eyed wonderment.
x1on's ,,o ro 1, = ,ro,,k ,,chooX1
ing her question. "They did worse
things in their time. from what hear"
He leaned forward to draw her to
him.
Worse things, But we are doing
nothing bad" said Necia. holding him
Off. There's no wrong in loving"
"Of course not" he assured her.
Il am proud of IT," she declared cit
Is the finest thing, the greatest thing,
that has ever come into my life Why.
l simply can't hold it. want to sing
It to the stars and cry It out to the
whole world. Don't you"
81 hardly think we'd better adver-
tise." he said dryly.
"Why not?"
"Well, l shouldn't care to publish the
tale Of this excursion Of ours. Would
your"
II don't see any reason against It,
have often taken trips with Poleon
and been gone with him for days and
days at time"
But you were not a woman then,
he said softly.
mo, not until today. that's true
Dear. dear. how did grow all Of Z
sudden! And yet I'm just the same a.
l was yesterday. and I'll always bt
. the same, just wild little. Pleas,
don't ever let me be a big tame.
don't want to be commonplace and or
binary. want to be natural-ant
good"
"You couldn't be like other women.
he declared. and there was more ten
derness than hunger in his tone now
as she looked up at him trustinsly
from the shelter of bis arms. II
would spoil you to grow up"
ut is so good to be alive and to low
you like this" she continued dreamily
staring into the fire. II seem to hav'
? come out Of 4 gloomy house into thu
, glory OF warm spring day. for NJ.
eyes are blinded, and I can't see hal
the beautifuls l want to. there are 81
many about me-"
, ''Those are my arms" interj ected thu
, soldier lightly In an effort to ward OF
, her growing seriousness.
T've never beensafraid Of anything
!, and yet | feel so safe inside them
Isn't it queer?'
The young man became conscious O
that for hours now he had been smoth
erng with words and caresses a some
, thing that had striven with him to b.
heard. something that instead o
dying grew stronger the more utterl.
, this innocent maid yielded to him. I
WIS as II he had ridden impulse will
, rough spurs in fierce desire to dis
, lance certain voices and in the frs
, mad gallop had lost them, but now ia
bacl; heard them calling again NOR
: strongly every moment A mans hon
, or II old may travel feebly, but 1t
E pursuit IS persistent 1t was the tall
, about his people that had raised thi
uneasiness and indecision, he thought
n Why had he ever started it?
I 1.-THE marvellous part OF 1t ALL" con
!. tinued the girl, rs that 1t will neve
r end. know | shall love you always
DO you suppose am really differen
, from other girls?"
q "Everything is different tonight-th'
whole world" he declared impauently
, give had 4 big handicap" she said
but you must help me TO overcome II
, ( want to be like your sister"
He rose and piled more wood upol
q the Gre What possessed the glrlf ]
, was ms II she knew each cunning Join
of his arnor MS II she had realized he
!. peril and had set about the awakening
!. II his conscience deliberately and Will
n 4 cautious wisdom beyond her years
. Well. she had done It, and he sworc t
himself, Then he melted at the sigh
y Of her. crouched there against tn
n shadows. following hts every move
n mcnt with her soul In her eyes, tn
y tendcrest trace Of smile upon he
:, lips.
= Whom she heheid him gazing at he
. she tllted her head sideways daintlly
o like little hird
n "Oh. my! What fierce you are al
Vt once!
!, Her smile flashed up as II tllumtne'
;. ~ the leapipa blaze and Ne crossed