Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-20
: THE SIEGE OF THE SEVEN SUIT0RS !
By MEREDITH NICHOLSON. {
y M.redth


of whom I had never heard before. to
calm herself before touching upon the
cause of her wild ride or her wish to
speak to me- She pinned on her hat and
drew on her riding gloves while helped
! to make conversation, and soon regained
her composure. The haste with which
| she had withdrawn into the wood. and
the imperative wave OF her crop by which
she had hidden me follow her. indicated
| that something of Importance had hap
| pened and that she wished to confide In
me.
Il was walking my horse in the road
beyond Bedford. just after I left Aunt
Octavia. when who should ride up beside
me but Mr.. Virgins. He had evidently
been following me-
She expected me to express surprise,
| and with the information that Hezekiah
had just impaired fresh in my mind
dare say she was not disappointed in the
effect of her words. / was thinking rap
\ idly and fearfully. If my friend had
sought her in the highway and offered
| himself In some fresh accession OF ardor.
he might even now be rejected and
| hopeless man: but was unwilling to be-
lieve that this had happened.
Hartley is fond OF riding. and nothing
could be more natural than for him to
have his horse sent out from town.
| "Oh. it's natural enough she cried.
but was greatly taken aback when he
rode up beside me-"
| AN old friend joining you in the high
way, on bright October morning, I
| can't for the life Of me see anything sur
prisng or alarming In that. Miss Hol-
lister
But only yesterday. YOU remember. I
told you | had seen him walking with my
sister
| Its perfectly easy to talk to Heze-
kiah. 1t seems to me that that only
shows a friendly attitude toward all the
family. Let us deal with facts If l am
to help you. | understand perfectly that
Hartley Virgins wishes to marry you.
and that being the case | see no reason
why he shouldn't be courteous to your
sister I've always heard that it's the
proper thing to he polite to the sisters,
cousins and aunts of ones prospective
wife. / know of no more delightful oc-
cupation than listening to Hezekiah. Just
now. for an hour or SO, have been en-
joying her conversation myself. Nothing
could be more refreshing or stimulating
She Is an unusual young woman and
most amazingly wise
You have seen Hezekiah this morn
ing" she exclaimed.
/ Il have, indeed. l hope I may say
| that she and l are becoming good friends
| am learning to understand her, though,
| believe me. l don't speak boastingly
However, this morning We got on famous
1y together. But won't you continue and
tell me what happened in the road when
Hartley rode up beside you?
'Oh. nothing happened: really nothing!
Nothing could have happened. for the
| excellent reason that I ran away from
him. 1t wasn't what he did or said: it
was the fear of what he might say"
| IF il had been Mr.. Dick who had
joined YOU III exactly the same way in
the highway, you would not have minded
in the least. Miss HOLSTER. Isn't that
the truth?''
Her hand that had rested on the pom
mel of her saddle dropped to her side,
and she stood erect. her eyes wide with
wonder.
| what do you mean?' she gasped.
II mean exactly what have said; that
IL it had been that strutting young phi.
losopher from the west you would-weil,
you would have allowed him to say what
was in his mind. no matter whether it
had been his latest thought on Kantian.
ism. the weather. or his admiration fo1
yourself Am | not right"
(To be continued tomorrow)