The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-28
CHAPTER I.
n Chance gnoov vnter
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n Chance Encounter.
Don't you know. boy. you ought
not TO set In my wayr'
The tide was at its sbb; the boats
stranded afar, and 'ae lad addressed
hed started. with q hsh-his WACO
N one hand. to walk to shore. when,
passing into the shadow OF the ram
part Of the Governors Mount. from
the opposite direction Q white horse
swung suddenly around q corner OF
tAs stone masonry and bore directly
upon him. He had but time to step
aside: a. it Wa. the animal grased
Ms shoulder, and the boy. about 70
gfve uttsrance TO q natural rsmon-
strance. lffted his eyes To the offend.
sf. The words were not forthcoming:
surprised. he gased at . tiny giri, OF
about eleven. perchsd fairy.rks on the
broad back q the heavy stesd.
Don't you know you ought not 10
Get IN my wayr she repeated I'm
psriously.
The boy. tall dark. unksmpt % .
young savage. shifted awkwardly: his
black eyes. restless enough ordinarily.
expressed . sudden shynsss IN the
prsssncs Of this unexpected and
dainty creature.
Edidn't sss you.- hs half STAN
msred.
We'll. you should havs!" And again
the little lady frownsd. shook her dis
ordered golden curis disapprovingly
and gased at him. look Of censure
IN her brown eyes. But perhaps you
don't know who I am" she went on
with lift Of the patrician doillike
features. II don't think you do. or
you wouldn't stand there IKE q
BOBBY. without taking on your hat"
More embarrassed. he removed q
worn cap while she continued to re-
gard him with the reverse OF ap-
proval. II am the Comtesse Elise"
she observed: "the daughter OF the
Governor Of the Mount"
OH" said the boy. and his glance
shifted to the most important and in
sistent feature Of the landscape.
Carrying its clustered burden Of
houses and palaces. q great rock
reared itself from the mouotony Of
the bare and binding sands. Now an
oasis In the desert. ere niRht vaa
over he knew the in.rushing waters
would convert II into an island; claim
it Tor the sea! A. strange Kingdom.
yet mighty one, II belonged alter.
nately to the land and TO the ocean.
With the sky. however. II enjoyed
perpetual aailiation. for the heavens
were ever wooins II: now winding
pretty ribbons Of light about its air.
drawn castles: then Kissing Il with
the tender, soft rtd glow of celestial
fervor.
2 Yes: I live right on top among the
clouds. In castle, with dungeons un-
derneath. where nay father puts the
bed people who don't like the mobiles
and King Louis XVI. But WHERE"
categoricaliy. do you liver"
His gaze turned from the points
and turrets and the clouds she spoke
of--that seemed to linger about the
lofty summit--to the mainland, per
haps mile distant.
"There!" he said. and specifically
Indicated q dark fringe. like q cloud
ON the lowiands.
In the woods! How odd!" She
looked at him with faint interest.
And don't the bears bother you?
Once when ! wanted to see what tho
woods were like. my nurse told mo
they were filled with terrible bears
Who would eat up little girls. I don't
have . nurse any more" irrelevantiy,
only . governess who came from the
court Of Versailles. and peppo. Do
you know Beppo?"
No"
v u don't Hike him." abe coniided.
He 10 always listening. hut why DO
you live In the woods!"
'Because!" The reason failed him.
And didn't you ever live anywhere
else?"
shadow crossed the dark young
face. Once" he said.
Il suppose the bears know you"
she speculated. and that is the rea-
son they let you alone. Or, perhaps,
they are like the wolf In the fairy
tale. Did you ever hear OF the kind.
hearted woif?"
He shook his head.
MY nurse used to tell It to me.
Well. once there was boy who was
IN orphan and every body hated him.
30 he went to live In the forest and
there he met a wolf. Where arc you
going. little boyr said the wolf. No.
where. said the boy: I have no home. >
No home!' said the kind hearted
wdf; then come with me. and you
shall share my cave Isn't that q
nice story"
He looked at ner In a puzzled man.
ner. II don't know" he began. when