The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-03
MAN OR MOUSE?
Lorena Had Her Pretty Eyes
Opened.
By MARTHA MIC. WILLIAMS.


the invited Soung Lorena. moreover.
owned all the folly normal to nine
teen. So altogether it would have been
miracle if things had gone exactly
as they should. \ proper young wom-
an of course would have reckoned
chances before barring her feet and
dancing ioyously in midsueam. where
the pebbles lay smoothly bedded in
dne sand and cleaning jewel-wise
wherever a sun ray struck through
the ripples.
| Lorena did not let herself remember
that the ford was but fifty yards high
er up or that this special shallow reach
of the creek lay between the two lakes
that gave the finest fishing. They were
not true lakes. of course-only water
mirrors. still and deep. impounded by
dams of the winter foods building.
Lorena did not love them. They were
so placid they reminded her somehow
of Johnny, and whatever did that put
her out Of temper.
She loved glitter, motion, excitement
I 1t was ecstasy to her to dance all day
long and half the night after, footing
! it as lightly as wind blown thistle
seed If only she could dance alone!
But since that was out of the question
she naturally preferred partners who
kept step and were nimble Johnny
was neither. yet all the tine she had
| been engaged TO him he had felt II his
right to say IL she did not dance with
him she must dance with hardly any
body else
And not at all with Granville Gore.
the very prince OF partners. who was
handsome and slender and light heart
| ed, with money In both pockets and
trick OF spending it with both hands.
Johnny hated him. without reason so
| far as Lorena could see-at least he
| gave her no reason-only said. "If you
are goin' ever to belong to me. Lolie.
you must be barely civil to that fell
| low"
Somehow the emphasis on the last
word always made Lorena shiver when
she recalled it, How could she help
1t when Johnny was toward other folk
the soul OF kindly justice? Still she had
felt that he was unfair. II he really
new anything he might let her know
it likewise
If Johnny could have brought himself
to tell her the break might not have
come But he was too proud and mas
terfu for that His wife must believe
I'm him enough TO understand that he
had reasons for any and every thing
Besides, he was afraid of seeming en-.
vious and jealous of a man so much
richer and better looking. Moreover
he did not really know much that could
be told categOrically. II was Cores gen
I eral air and manner. conjolned to.
words dropped here and there, that
made Johnny certain he had no real
reverence for anything feminine.
girl, any girl. was fair game to him. II
she hadn't sense enough TO look out for
herself he was not bound to look ont
for her. Yet Gore was not distinctly
vicious-rather. Unfortunately vain He
did not mean worse by womankind and
| girlkind than TO make love TO them.
then ride away Marry Not he-not
the finest girl alive,
II Lorena had known that! Unknow-
ing 1t. she had thought great many
times and great many things OF
the fascinating Granville in the three
months since the break. lie had been
away for two OF them, and since he
came home she had seen him only in
crowds. But he had used his eyes SO
eloquently as to set her heart wildly
hutterlng. But. oddly enough, It had
futtered even more when by chance
she had encountered Johnny in his
working clothes. driving his wagon to
the mill
They had barely nodded to each 9th
err and she had ridden fast afterward
but not fast enough to get away from
sense that Johnny, old Johnny. al
though his face was impassive, had
turned TO look after her as long as she
was In sight
Today she was not thinking Of him
hardly even of Granville. Wadlng was
such pure joy. The water came above
her ankles. She lifted her skirts light.
ly in both hands and balanced TO her
shadow upon the ripping stream, such
a funny shadow, dancing grotesquely
even when she stood still.
Rapt in contemplation OF IL. she did
not hear footsteps or anything until
a throaty, chuckllng voice cried: "Oh.
hol A mermaid Gore, II the variety,
is Indigenous. understand. | shall settle
in your neighborhood just as soon as
I can buy a place"
Lorena flushed scarlet. She let fall
her skirts, needless Of water-heedless.
indeed. of anything bat escape. There
were men on either bank; also one IN
wadlng approaching her midstream
Gore was the farthest Of them-a Gore
she had never seen. He looked her
over rs though she were a part, curl
Gus part, OF the landscape with which
he had no sort Of Acquaintance.
II was the man In wadlng who bad
spoken He was striding on toward
her. his rod over his shoulder. a broad
grin upon his fat. red face Her sun
bonnet her faded print frock, above
all her present case, had nearly made
him believe her some hoydenish milk.
maid rather than mermaid.