The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-04-09
CHAPTER v.
The Girl From Radcliffe.

ceiver.
By Jove, he had just caught ne as
was about to leave.
Hello! That you, Lightnut?" came
his voice. Say, old chap, you remem-
Der you said you wouldn't mind put
ting up the kid overnight on the way
home from college. Remember? Wants
to rest over and come up the river on
the day line"
Yes, remembered, and said so.
"All right, then! it's tonight. Be
there about nine from Boston. Don't
go to any trouble, now, nor alter any
plans. The kid will probably be dead
tired and of to bed before you get
home from your dinner"
That's all right, old chap; jenkins
will look after the young one"
I heard Billings chuckle-I remem-
bered that chuckle afterward.
''Not much OF the young one there.
Eighteen, you know. Never OF to
school, though, until last year-and by
George, it was time! Between my
mother and my sister the kid was be-
ing absolutely ruined-petted, molycod-
died, and was getting soft and silly
oh, something to make you sick. Well,
SO much obliged, Dicky. You know
what these hotels are. Good-by."
I explained to Jenkins. "All right,
sir" he said. 81 won't go out until
after nine. It'll be time enough
And so went off,, 1 returned early,
about ten, and sat reading, jenkins
was still away, and the door OF my
guest room was open,
Good evening""
The voice behind me was soft, mu-
sical, delicious.
whirled about, and there, within
the door, leaning against the frame,
was the most beautiful creature 1
ever saw in all my life.
A girl! But oh, by Jove, such a
girl! A lovely, rosy blonde, dash it!
Golden-haired angel-long, droopy
kind Of lashes, don't you know-eyes
like dreamy sapphire seas-oh, that
sort OF CQ1nS-a peach!
The leap that brought me to my
feet sent my chair thudding back
ward.
,''Why-er-good evening"" I man
aged to stammer. Just managed, you
know, for, give you my word, never
was so bowled over in my life
never! And on the instant 1 guessed
what it meant The kid that Bill
ings referred to wasn't a kid brother
at all, but kid sister-girl, by Jove!
care you busy?" saw the flash Of
her perfect little teeth as her lips
parted in smile. "If not, may talk
to you while?"
mumbled something designed to
be pleasant-dash me if I know what
and managed to summon sense
enough to lift toward her a wicker
armchair. Then I dashed into my
bedroom to chuck the smoking-jacke
and get into a coat. And all the while
I was thinking harder than ever had
thought it possible.
Just the thing to have expected OF
an ass like Billings-a fellow with no
sense Of the proprieties! His kind Of
mind had never got any further than
the fact that I had guest-room and
a quiet apartment. The further fact
that it was in bachelor apartment
house and / a bachelor-and not yet
out of my twenties, dash it-would
never have presented itself to chumr
like Billings as having any bearing OF
the matter.
"Of course, I must get right over to
the club and leave her in possession
it's the only thing left to do" This
was my thought as 1 slipped into my
coat and gave my hair touch-just
a touch, don't you know. The thing
to do was to carry it off as naturally
as possible for few minutes, and
then slip away. Probably she hadn't
counted upon my being in town at all
had taken it for granted it was
some sort of family apartment-with
housekeeper, servant maids, all that
sort Of thing.
''Now, just few minutes of con-
versation to put her at her ease," 1
reflected, "and then I'm off. I'll get
the janitor's wife to come up and
stay near her.
And dashed back, murmuring some
jolly rubbish Of apology. And then ]
Just brought up speechless-almost
fell over backward. For as she stood
cnere under the light, 1 saw that wnaS
l had taken for dress Of black silk
was not a dress at all, but a suit OF
pajamas-black, flmy pajamas, whose
loose elegance concealed but could
not wholly deny the goddess-like fig
ure within.
"Pd have known you anywhere, Mr..
Lightnut." And then I found that we
were shaking hands, my fingers
crushed in a grasp 1 never could have
thought possible from that tiny hand.