Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-17
CHAPTER XIV.
Uncle Richard Collides.

Bannington-Dick did not appear, the
count refused to be drawn into religious
discussion, Emil refused to be insulted
and Ivan fiinched from unkind remark
without striking back. This was really
the hardest blow. The old man prided
himself on his spirit of fair play he
made it rule not to take advantage of
his position. and to have one of his guests
meekly pocket an affront was to put him
into a situation from which there was no
honorable retreat, and he had left his
guests over their coffee and cigars and
had come into the library in highly irr
tated condition.
He had his chair drawn close to the
fireplace and sat down with discomfort
cd groan Il wish it was cool enough to
have a fire." he grumbled. "A human be-
ing is as uncertain as Sunday school pic
mic weather. Oh, wrath, l wish this foot
would get well,''
He looked at the headlines on the front
pages of three evening papers. rumpled
them up and cast them to the hoor IKE
spoiled child They're all alike, he
muttered: always the same proportion
of scandal accidents and crimes. Id just
as soon read a paper ten years Old as one
ten minutes old. Good land. to think that
| once subscribed to a clipping bureau 10
me! I must have been demented L
would not give two cents
He was interrupted by the butter. who
entered to report that the two keepers
had brought in woman whom they had
caught trespassing on his grounds. He
considered the matter a moment. lie had
felt perfectly justified in building the
hish-board fence. When the first TWO
keepers had made clear the impossibllity
of their thoroughly patroling so large an
No hod adda6 others. tnat
there could be night and day shifts. ana
had given them rigid instructions 10 bsing
the first trespasser directly to hlmseH.
But now that he was called on to assume
the role of Il feudal overload, it took on
an unexpected and bizarre appearance.
and he was impelled to bid them send the
woman on her way.
If he had not been in a bad temper he
would undoubtedly have done so. but as
it was. he hardened his face and SAID.
shortly. Bring her in.
With his well foot he kicked his chair
around until it was facing the door, ana
his face wore its most forbddlnG express
sion when the two guards entered. hold
ing by the arms Miss Burton, who strus-
gled Indignantly but futilcly.
She. looked Bennington fiercely in the
eyes. "Of all the outrageous acts when
YOU have done in a miserabiN mlSspent
lifetime. this is the worst 1t does not
seem possible that in any civilized land
at this period of the world s history
Never mind the worlds history" inter-
rupted the old man. dryly. Her appear
ance stimulated and soothed him. The
situation promised to be exactly the
safety valve which he needed. Tell me
what is the ma tier as briefly and as calm
~ as possible. My doctor has ordered
quiet and I insist on having it.
Il merely stepped into your grounds for
a moment. and these ignorant foreigners
pounced on me and
What did you step into my grounds
forc"
Don't think for one moment that
would set foot on your grounds for my
own pleasure" returned Miss Burton.
holding her head high and shaking 1t
vigorously. Il was i'm search OF young
girl. a hayward. headstrons creature,
who is under my supervision and who
makes my life burden by her
come and make my life burden. inter-
iected Bennington, who felt that the
boa offence investment was beginning 10
pay dividends Long training had given
him the power to enjoy things thoroughly
without altering the misanthropic express
sion of his face. From which direction
did you Gomez
II came from the eastern side Of
well Great Scott, how did you CLIMB
that fence" interrupted Bennington
"You are positively insulting' Do you
think that I should ever attempt to climb
a fence fifteen feet high, to say MOTH
ing"
1T is not fifteen, it is only ten. What
do YOU suppose it was put up 1or' any
way?"
II refuse to suppose anything about
either your fence or any other OF your
barbarous actions. l have told you that
l merely stepped on to your premises III
order to seek a young girl had no idea
that in my own dear America, the land
Of the free / should find armed guards
patrolling a division fence, which in it
self is eyeSore to the culture ana re-
finement of the twentieth century. | NEIL
toned the freedom OF this country, put.
of course. it means freedom to do right
and not
Il have heard about freedom before,
and YOU need not feel called on to denver
a lecture interrupted Bennington. on
don't suppose that | put up that fence
and hired these guards to trap a gov
crness. do you? For the last ten days
there hasn't a soul come near ME Wllhont
trying to add to my education know
all want to know-my Opinions SUIT me
exactly: and, a. far as freedom goes, my
land is my own, and if | want to buid a
fifty-foot wall around it and put a roof
over it and SOW it with bear traps am
going to do it. in spite of all the woman
suffragists and the socialists and the rest
of the cranks put together. Furthermore
YOU are guilty of trespass, ana lhlehd 10
make an example,
IF you do not permit me to leave at
once, i snail write UP llllS outl dSS ~
every newspaper in the country. | snail
have all the ministers preach against 1t,
i shall have it told in clubs and hotels
until you-
Good work. commended Bennington.
Go ahead. and if your pin money runs
out before You finish, just send in your
bills TO my advertising department. what
is Your name?"
II refuse to tell YOU" answered Miss
Burton. for the first time giving evidence
of faltering confidence.
"All right. Yop can tell the justice or
the peace if you prefer But you VIII
have to tell some one, so you mig just
as we'll tell me now and have II over
with.
Miss Burton's fingers worked conVui-
sively, and the motions they made sus-
gested scra tching: her expression was
composed of indignation and defiance but
as the old mans cold. gray eyes Kept
steadily on hers. from beneath his heaVv
brows look of nervous dread came to
Miss Burtons face. She felt. as ma
terial substance. the power or ms VIII
bending hers. and she would nave CHOSEN
torture rather than to appear al dls-
advantage before Bennington. Yet she
could feel the little lines about her eyes
weakening and Knew that the sooner she
surrendered the more graceful her SUD
mission would be. DO you mean that
you would be vulgar enough to force a
lady to divulge her name? she demand
ed scornfully.
Il don't know the meaning of divulge.'
returned Bennington, with wicked gray
ity. but I'm vulgar enough to do any
,tf,c