The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-10-08


search OF idle pleasure, sent pretty
Phyllis awandering in her Aunt James
garden. Here she strayed and there
he strayed. ending by and by just
this side the hedge that separated
Aunt Gordon's garden from that Of
neighbor Carothers.
Now, in that se1f-same yard q most
interesting game of ball had been in
progress for some time. Phyllis loved
baseball, both as a spectator and as
q player, for at home with her broth
ers she had learned to play the game
and play 1t well.
But that was a long time ago, she
thought with a sigh, when she was
child Now she was young Wo-
man and, according to auntie's version
and Interpretation, those two words
entailed all sorts Of dreadful things.
One was that Phyllis must give no
thought whatever to stray young
men who happened to be spending
the summer in the neighborhood. es-
pecially those various nephews who
were visiting neighbor Carothers.
With the latter person Aunt Jane
was not on remarkably good terms al
the, present. Exact cause? Various
disagreements, plus occasional at
tempts at settlement, with Aunt
James Tabby and neighbor Carothers
Pete, of canine descent, as the
dramatis personae.
Tabby adored Phyllis. And Phyllis
She tolerated Tabby and fed her an
occasional tidbit from her plate.
Just at this point the man who
Phyllis had decided was the best
looking of her neighbors, and he 1t
was who looked oftenest at that fair
audience Of one, took his turn at the
bat. Determined to distinguished him
self, he gave a mighty swing to his
bat. Over the hedge came the ball
After it, with the skill of an athlete
who could do the high hurdles In nc
mean time. came the batter.
BEG pardon" he said as he
landed; have you seen my ba-'
and here he stopped short, with con
sternation writ large upon his coun
tenance.
What he saw was the girl, who but
a moment before had been an inter
ested watcher of the ball game, seat
ed on the ground and rubbing 8
much swollen instep. Beside her sal
the cat, evidently also a participant
considerable attention and much
licking on an injured paw.
Tabitha stopped In tn perform
ance long enough, however, to favor
the cause of all the trouble with e
splitting, spluttering address that, had
he been able to translate it, might
possibly have made the mans blood
run cold. AS it was, his chief con
Germ for the moment was for the girl
and the cat was unnoticed
There's your ball. said Phyllis
pointing to it., SHOULD say 1 did SEE
1t, also 1 felt IT, with an unsuccess
full attempt at laugh.
ooh, hang the ball." said the man
too anxious and worried to be polite
You're hurt, aren't you? And. b,
Jupiter, so is the cat" he added, a.
he looked at Tabby for the first time
That is a calamity"
Sir said the now enraged PhyI
lis, do you put that miserable ca
ahead Of me in importance? Evident
ly you do, and that being the case
presume I should feel highly honoreC
to think that you favor me with AM
attention at ALL"
Rising to her feet with difficulty
not designing to see the hands helC
out to her assistance, she ATTEMPTED
q hooking bow. But the attempt end
ed in moan of pain from Phyllis q.
ZSa 70
had not those despised arms caugh
and held her while the cause of al
the disturbance, now genuinely alarm
ed, bent over the girl.
You are more seriously hurt thar
thought" said the man. "You vii
have to let me carry you to the house
Miss Karlton."
do you really think I'm damaged
more than Tabby?" asked PhylIi.
with a wicked CLEAN in her eyes al
she looked down at the cat who wa!
limping along just ahead of them
and by the way" she continued
| name, Mr., Mr.-er-Carothers ism
it?'
John Carothers, at your service
he said, between puffs, for Phylli.
was not exactly a featherweight anC
Aunt James house was at the otheI
end of the garden GAS for your name
1 knew that before you had been here
a day. And please don't say anythin.
more about that wretched cat. 1t hai
already stirred up quite enough
|, trouble"
You mean Pete, your uncle's dog
has caused trouble enough" saiC
Miss Karlton def1antly from Caroth
ers' arms.
Il said, and 1 meant it, that you
aunt's cat has caused troubl'
enough" contradicted Mr.. Carother