Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-04-05
CHAPTER v.
The Girl From Radcliffe.


Long distance call from Mr.. Bill
ings, sir" said Jenkins, lifting the re.
ceiver.
By Jove, he had j;.st caught me as
was about to leave.
Hello! That you, Lightnut?" came
his Voc. Say, ola chap, you remem-
Der You said you wouldn't mind put
ting up the Kid overnight on the way
home from COLI &c. 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 off to bed before you get
home from your dinner"
That's all right, old chap; jenkins
will look after the young one"
l heard Billings chuckle-I remem-
bered that chuckle afterward.
Not much Of the young one there.
Eighteen, you know. Never Off 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."
explained to Jenkins. "All right
sir" he said. II won't go out until
after nine. It'll be time enough
And so went off. l 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'
steal, delicious.
/ whirled about, and there, within
the door. leaning against the frame
was the most beautiful creature
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 thing-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 l guessed
what 1t meant. The kid" that Bill.
ings referred to wasn't a kid brother
at all, but kid sister-girl, by Jove!
Are you busy?" l saw the flash Of
her perfect little teeth as her lips
parted In a smile. IF not, may talk
to you a while?"
l 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 l dashed into my
bedroom to chuck the smoking jacket
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 l had a guest-room and
a quiet apartment. The further fact
that it was in bachelor apartment
house and l bachelor-and not yet
out of my twenties, dash it-wouId
never have presented itself to chump
like Billings as having any bearing on
the matter.
"Of course, 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 l slipped into my
coat and gave my hair touch-just
a touch, don't you know. The thing