The Washington times., 1911-03-21
CHAPTER w.
been said concerning Mr.. Daniel
Haigh, # may be stated that train


ing and environment had made nih
gentleman. Therefore, whatever sur
prise he may have felt at the lady,
sudden apparance-and surely he had
reason to be surprtsed-he was MOI
round lacking in the customary cour'
tesy we accord the gentler sex when we
remove our hats. Indeed, he did more
however speechless he may have been
motion was not denied him, and il
the fraction of second he was out Of
the go-Cart and bowling deferentially
a. in tribute TO surprising beauty.
The woman who stood before him
outside the walls of BrookSide-dropped
suddenly from heaven, according to
Mr.. Haighs amazed idea-Was worthy
Of the tribute. She stood watching hin
with uplifted chin and sparkling eyes
the corners of her mouth still 0uiver-
ing with the mlrth which his Conceit
had stirred in her The grace of her
bearing was almost regal. In her he
saw the mystery of unfettered girlhood
Conlolned with the freedom of womaJ,-
MOOD as yet untried. unguessed at. She
Wore fluffy gown-chiffon, perhaps
az furbelowed. The flecked sunlight,
uttered throgh the leaves above. sery, d
nut to aCCentuate its splendid bar
baric hue of yelloN-a daring color, but
one contrasting well with her own
dark, compelling beauty. She was, In
short the girl whom Haigh had rea-
son TO remember as the vision of the
tunnel.
1t is doubtful If she recognized him.
IT Is possible that upon their previous
encounter she had had eyes for but one
man, and him Jimmy CuTtiCe. At any
rate, she showed no signs of recOllect-
ton' but stood waiting for him to Speak
not without pleased appreciation Of
the havoc her appearance had caused
IN Daniels wits.
AS for the young man, ne vainIy
1umbled his hat. but found there no ir-
spirauon TO break the dumb silence
that had fallen upon his tongue and
brain A commonplace upon the wca-
ther did falter upon his lips, but he
choked II back, cursing himself for
his stupidity.
The girl though she evidently en-
Joyed the comedy, was the first to
break the silence.
There she said softly, in Spanish.
. i've startled you. senOr, have I not,
srringing up so suddenly from nowhere
at all?"
That's Just it," he rejoined Selling
eagerly upon the opening. III there
were a plausible explanation of your
presence here, l think l might find my
tongue. But since YOU are most pal
pably a ghost, l must confess IL am
scared"
She laughed again. This time Haigh
" hich he had before imagined: indeed,
there was nothing but pure, infectious
nirth, ringing clear and true So he
Joined in her merrment.
''NOG are so absurd" she faltered at
length, with tears in her eyes. "Why
shouldn't be mere? Resides - She
glanced upward. The parrakeet Knocked
her voice with soft note and
there's Reauty in the tree, all this
time" she finished severely.
Haigh mumbled an inanity concern
ing greater beauty beneath it, but she
frowned at this.
Beauty, senor. is the name of my
pr. Come. Beauty. Beauty She
called to the bird, and it squawked Ind
chartered, teetering with outspread
wings, continually threatening to de-
scend, yet obstinately declining TO do
SO.
IF could be Of service -" Dan
iel volunteered gallantly.
oh. TO, sencr, I could not ask it.
But # 7 Insist - lnWardly he
hoped that she would positively pro-
hibit his risiinE his neck. ;
IF YOU irsist-if YOU would he 81
kind" she conceded, thanking him with
ffter this. many men would have
failed to prevent Daniel Haigh from
climbing that tree. notwithstanding. |
he groaned in spirit when he surveyed !
the task, and was thankful that the |
Valley Road was little travelled. That +
he should make an exhibition of him
self before this laughing girl alone was
not that the climb need be hard one,
for the gnarled and twisted trunk .
sloped easily, and foOthOlds need not be
lacking: but nature had fashioned him
such an unrOmantiC figure OF A man
that he did not like to invoke a men
tai picture Of himself shining along a
branch But there was no time for
hesita tion: he set his lips dotermincdly
apd ascended, greatly to the detriment
- his hannes
Below, the girl watched him with sus-
picious gravity. In front, Just beyond
his cropping finger-tips. tho parrakeet CO.
uuetted and danced and retreated ever,
meanwhile fluently CursinG him in
sra anish-sO Elihly that Daniel hlushed
that he had allowed the girl to know
he understood the language. Pushed to
extremes, the bird vaCillated between
further flight, a return to its mistress,
cr measures Of sclf-defense. Finally 1t
adopted the latter, and with a vicious
little peck removed section of cutfCle
from Daniels chubby finger. He Clapped
the injured member to his mouth. while
the bird capitulated, with all the honors
M war to the general commanding its
mistress below. She scolded it sharply,
Daniel remaining astride the limb, rue
fullv nursing his wound.
ooh I am so sorry! she exclaimed.
To Daniels relief her tone rang true,
With no note of hidden raillery: he
could not have borne to he made fun
n lust then. Does it hurt very much,
..0b not at all. \ mere trihe"' He
.vung himself down and dropped lightly
10 the ground. -. ,-,,.- .,
She secured the evil-dOer to her shoulder
With A little golden chain which she
,Iasped about his leg. Mr. Haigh was
" YiIIing to allow his hand TO be held
while the finger was examined.
1T is too bad" she announced; then.
addressing the parakeet: "Oh. you are
wicked, wicked"
THE bird assumed an air of injured
preentng its ruff1ed plumage
-erv precisefy. Daniel hated 1t for the
old malice of the soulless eye which it
asst upon him, yet forgave II for the
eIicious sensation of having his hand !
,ooed over by beautiful woman.
Rafnst his protests-or rather, before
's diytned her intention and could pro-
est-she shredded a delicate handker-
hief; finishing the operation with a
I'll nat upor the neat, fat knot. q
TThere, it's better now. isn't it?' she a
1ouired anXiously. c
dOh. ever so much" he hastened to c
eassure her. 1T was nothing at all 7
) begin with: you have cured 1t. That b
! I" he added, mot entirely. l think I
/
''The bandage is just a wee trihe q
rht. II you wouldn't mind" He q
1bnitted his hand gracefully.
There NAV have been an atom OF I
oubt in the glance she gave him. II
J, il was with cause; although Daniel