The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-01
By JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.
1911, by Associated Lit
erary Press,)


erary Press.)
Miss Nellie Fayram. OF the city.
was visiting her chum. Miss Mollie
Blair, down at tho Elms. Miss Mollte
had 4 widowed mother and a brother
Fred. the latter q young man OF
When Miss Fayram ae-
cepted the invitation Fred was left
out OF her programme. except In an
indefinite way. They had met before.
ard each was CERTAIN that hey would
never be more than passahle good
friends. Fred had said to himself
that the young lady was q romp. and
she had said to herself that he was q
stick.
Tho two girls did romp. Why not.
whom there were hills to slide down,
skattng on the pond. rabbits to hunt
with an old gun that wouldn't shoot
and q pony to drive to cutter! In
fact. they were gigling and laugh
ing and romping from sunrise TO n
late hour In the evening. and then
planning more giggling and romping
for the next day. That stick OF a
Fred shook his head and told his
mother in private that something aw-
full must come Of such carvings on.
but was answered with:
Now, don't you get fntcky. Why
at theirages ! was jumping fences
and climbing apple trees. The girl
that never romps Is going to be an
| old maid
| And then came a winters after
noon when Fred had to drive his
rnonther over to the home of q rela-
tive. miles away. and he was to re-
turn alone In the evening. He must
| he
struction by those romping girls.
They would probably break all the
windows and wreck tho pony OF life
before he could get back. but he
would he In time To save the pieces.
/ Nothing serious happened during
| tn. afternoon. however. The girls
simply built up a snowman In front
of the gate and buttoned . coat
around his shoulders. and nut hat
| on his head and club in hts hand.
Further. they climbed up on the wag-
onshed and jumped down into
snoW-bank. 1t was only after the
little dinner they had by themselves
and night had come that Miss Nellie
Fayram started with giggle and
ended with a whoop. An Inspiration
had come. A slangy young man
would have said IL was a corker. She
gtggled and whooped, and an hour
later the Inspiration had become a
fact
| Behold two williams lurking beside
the highway, So far as can be made
out they are desperate men. They
seem to be armed to the eeth. 1t Is
rainful to b armed to the teeth. for
you must haze. a howie-knife tied to
! your lower jaw, but desperate men
idont't mind the pain. 1t Is rather
/ cold. but the Williams linger. A giggle
| is heard no wandthen. butitis
ie heard now and then, but 1t is
quickly suppressed. This desperate
state Of affairs has been going on
J for half an hour when the sound OF
sleigh bells is heard.
| TT is Fredl"
"Oh, DEAR"
| BE ready! II you don't go
through with this thing I'll never
speak to you again."
| Halt. Your money or your life."
Roger Foster had received his d.
ploma as as NJ. D. and had been
lucky to make q partnership with an
old doctor at Shore Acres. He was
driving across the country from
Little Faljs In his own rig to begin
his duties In his pocket he had q
pistol
No giggling now! Two stern and
/ bloodthirHts wretches. The sticks
/ they held pointed at them victim
might have wobhled a little. but the
doctor didn't notice 1t. He was after
that ristol. He wanted, to keen both
life and cash. He fully intended to
shoot. but in his fussing the weapon
was DISCHARGED and long wild
shrek followed.
!: you've shot her! You've shot
herl" exclaimed the voice Of WON.
lam IN she jumped up and down In
Thar Arrftement