The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-27
EVE OF THE ORCHARD
BY izoLA

copyright, 1910, by Associated Literary Press)
y may say Just what you please. mother, but the
= next boy catch climbing over that orchard wall
: Anai either throw water on or throw stones at. IT'S
O shame They're running off with all the sweet apples
the fruit"
isa0e STOOD out on the lawn, a beligerent figure, in
"e1 nor hnen skirt, and tucked up sleeves of her MILDLY
head for the n y y blonde hair was pinned high on her
aeyly f ~ .e gay mad been extremely warm even for
arIs ran and her pretty tanned neck was bare.
= az sundown, the hour when the summer dwelIers
OF orange Valley came out from behind their venetian
santas and trellsed verandas, and turned %neighborly
ton on each other. AS sole daughter OF the house.
IsaDel manipulated the garden hose at the sunset hour.
fruit orchard at the back of the house had been raided.
It was enough to make any suburhanita desnerate IN
se n summer spotls taken from under her very
Don't do it tonight. anyway. Bell" her mother said
Iaaghlnsiy from the eeraHds, where she sat at a low
Weher table arranging some fresh cut flowers for the
aolV wet through, and the Bristows are coming to din
Not Terry Bristow?' The color rose quickly In
lsabefs face. and she turned away from her mothers
Was that the eldest boy. Terry? I forget. there
are so many of them. It's the one who went down 10
rngtnaor,n or Panama or some such place; on a eivl!
some valuable concessions too from the government.
was that the red haired one, Bell
NO, dear. Terry never had red hair. lists rather
shestnet IN color and Way, only he wears it cut so
snort IL hardly shows the curl
4 didn't know you ever were well acquainted with
him"
$3.50 "h~ ASd3St > |hlf wa fHteG AT a most
engaging angle. Her tone was clear and disinterested.
! met him a good deal last summer at Glen Allyn.
Aunt Natlca liked him aNfafiy well, and Included him
IN her house party later, with his two sisters"
South"
IT was" A lot of inference lay behind the lacontc
words but Mrs. orviile said nothing She smiled COM
fortahly TO herself. and went on clipping the stems
Of the flowers. Bob had said casually that he would
bring Terry Bristow back TO dine with them that even
Ing. and had given her "a brief commendatory sketch
Of bis prospects in life. for Bob knew his mother.
Hair unconsciousIy, she let the flowers slip from her
I lnserS-atta watched tnr slender figure out on me fawH.
The oryifles were not rich. They were not even well
to do. Bob worked in a bank. and Mrs. orvile spoke
sometimes Of her income, which sounded most satis-
factory in the abstract. but amounted to precious little
heFd cash when the dividend DAY came round Isabel
was their one tangible asset. Bob said. and even on
that point there was Il chance for divided opinion. for
she was nor a beauty There was an eager. animated
expression TO her face that gave 1t special charm. and
were not large, but rather long. with a little rick of half
closing, when she laughed, and that was often But
these things do not make a beauty. and Isabel lacked
distinction, the family had long since agreed.
Therefore-and in that short Ave minutes after
Isahels last statement Mrs. Orville summed up the
situation ntsntaIy-therefcre if Terry nrtstow had the
absence abroad-if he had-hut Mrs. orviile stopped
short and sighed. as she went back to her flower snip
ping, It was simply terrible the way the decent. eligible
young fellows of to-day were actually lodging mairi-
There's the train. dear. Hadn't you better stop
watering the lawn, and go and fix up a nttlee"
Isabel had heard the train whistle as it pulled out
for the north shore, but she went on with the hose
4 want to finish this while II Is light" she said. The
from the station. and half were gone. when ali at once
Isabel gave a cry Of alarm, and started Tor ths
orchard.
Isabel. don't" called Mira. Orvilie, but in vain, In
the soft bloom of the afterglow. forms could he seen
down In the orchard, and they were Enthusiastically
climbing trees after apples.
The hose WAS a long one. Isabel unreeled 1t quietly.
and dragged II toward the fence. and then let il GO.
Straight out over the trees II went. In a beautiful
stream of silver white. Tilted a bit higher. it obeycd
the hand that held II ard made straight for the figures
In the trees. Isabel caught the sound of voices, but the
words were unintelligihle. She didn't want to hear ex-
cuses. she wanted revenge. swift and sweet. And she
get il
Suddenly Il form slipped down from the tree, and
made for her on a run. Somewhere behind II was Bob,
good old brother Bob, who had common sense az well
7 TN nTn0F. xnd the garden hose dropped 10 the ground
as Isabel was caught bodily in the grasp Of two mus
cutar arms and held close to Terry Brisiows heart.
Terry, let me go. Somebody will see you. Terry. my
hairs tumbl!ng down. How dare yout'
rHaven't I n right" Terry nut her down, and held
her squarely before him, compelling her tn meet his
eyes.
Why haven't you written"
! Because you yourself told me not 10 write until l
had won out. Aud nov I've won. and I've come back,
and isn't that all@"
II know / told you not to. but"-her lashes lifted to
his with the old swift laughing look-"i thought you
were brave enough not to mind"
Il don't mind anything you do. except turning the
hose on me for a welcome home" said Terry, as he
slipped his arm around her. and they turned TO face
Bob, with his summer fannels soaked, and his broad
boyish face beaning with smiles of eongratulatfon-