Charlevoix county herald., 1910-01-15

less where ne ID ana Soile one 10 suiS
to be passing before dark. Isn't 1t
nearly time for supper"
Her pretense at courage shamed
Margaret
Its all but ready" she said. cycling
the firm young figure with some adj
miration. "Will l make you coffee or
chocolate, Miss Kate?"
II should not presume to dictate
it was the voice of the tramp, and
Kate and Margaret seized hold or
each other-"but my personal prefer
ence would be for coffee"
"Where is it?" said Margaret, wild
ly. She was rapidly coming to the
conclusion that there was something
uncanny about their visitor.
at is on the roof of the porch" ex-
planned the voice, politely. my win
dow opens on to it, and nothing was
said about not getting out OF win
dow. But If it is against the regle-
ment de pension I'll crawl back"
sadly.
The two below looked at each other
aghast.
81 think I've sprained my ankle,
continued the man overhead, who
seemed to appreciate an opportunity
for conversation. "You need have no
fear of my jumping" at which sug-
gestion the two women retreated TO
the back of the porch.
"Howly-" began Margaret, In
voice that was all but inaudible.
Ssh! Don't do anything to make
him angry. Keep quiet and he won't
know we are here
Ladies'"
A breathless hush, while mistress
and maid looked at each other for
courage.
Fascinated, they gazed.
do you think he'll jump" whls-
pered Kate. maybe he's hungry
"He ct seven doughnuts," snorted
Margaret
"Only four" corrected the voice.
IF the servant could hand up some
thing, I'd agree not to keep the
spoons"
1--WE had better, Margaret Come. y
Together they fled to the kitchen. To
gether they returned with tray hast
ilN laden with what they deemed most
likely to propitiate a hungry burglar.
Then Kate, her courage screwed to
possible sticking-point, and herself
balanced on the back of a garden
chair, while Margaret held her hand
and the chair steady, leaned out and
lifted the tray bravely up. A hand
took it from her, whereat her cour-
age slipped down several notches and
she slipped too, and would have fall
en-, but that another hand seized her
wrist. The tramp bent over the edge
of the roof and smiled at her.
Leave her go. we villain roared
Margaret from below.
THANK you," said Kate, GREATNESS
| ly. 81 can get down now"
praise the saints There's team, y
cried Margaret.
"Where?" demanded Kate and the
| tramp together.
"Now you'll get what's comm to ye
we ould marauder!" Margaret apostro
phized the piazza roof. Come, Miss
Kate, it's turning in," and together
they flew through the house and out
of the back door to greet the welcome
conner.
| A young man it was; young man
with a perturbed and anxious face.
"Halloo, Kate" he said, briefly. u
want to water the beast. l can't stay
I am looking for a friend-Robert
Graham; you've heard me speak OF
him. He came out from town yester
day and we had bet up that he
couldn't ride that bay of Flint's.
ought to have known better, but
well, anyway, he started Off this
morning on a dead run and the brute
came back this afternoon without
him" He was getting pail of water
for the horse as he talked.
Kate, with the skill of one prac
ticed in strategy, grasped the situa
ton.
"Wait until / come back, Bob" she
said hurriedly, and then she flew IL
the back stairs and confronteS tht
astonished but still affable prisoner
who had just returned from the piazzf
roof and was carefully selecting
place on the floor for his tray.
Kate went close up to him with
mixture of shamefacedness and con
fiding trust that struck him as sur
prisingly agreeable. She even, in he
earnestness, put her small, white hant
on his dusty sleeve. She looked
straight into his attentive eyes.
"You won't tell Bob?" she said.
Certainly not" he assured her
promptly. II wouldn't think OF It,
ooh, thank you," cried Kate.
"May l ask" he said, with anxious
Difference, what it is that / am no
to tell Bob?"
Redder grew Kate. Her eyes sough
the floor and fell upon the tray, which
did not materially relieve her embar
rassment.>
| III cton "a mo