Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-14

Get you away, lest I forget your age,
and strike YOU.
What is it, sr?" says the girl Joan.
coming down a step into the room. why
speak you SO roughly to my father?'
At that a notion came to me- seeing her
there in her beauty the more enhanced
by her nocturnal habit; and so said |
with a sharp cunning to old hunks
Get you away. fool. l would have
some talk with her.
Eyes, yes said he eagerly. as If seeing
his wishes carried forth, and the gold re-
claimed. and he made off But l was wise
enough to see him locked safely in a
further room. Then | came back to
miss
"Oh, what is all this, SIR she demand
ed fearfuIly.
MY angel It's a clear case of rum
padding said ] briskly with a long
congee to her But l swear you shall
sit in Paradise. and be worse for it a
whit--only old stingy sobersides yonder-"
Il do not understand. sir says she,
looking puzzled. Have you robbed my
father"
YOU may call it that" / answered.
.All that he hath is mine But It's you
| want" | said. You with your pretty
eyes and little smiles, and cajoling
humors.''
Sir she drew back alright Il do
not know-I-'tis but a jest. on, you
cannot mean it,"
why, tits all agreed 'twixt old hunks
and me- I said, encouraging her to lose
her fears.
in a faint. But / am promised, sir. to-
OH" she wrung her hands. Il cannot I'M
derstand this. I fear you. And |
thought you had so generous Il face.
Now this touched me on the raw. and
twas plain also that had mistook her,
hnr laC
and glances would prove her Lord, It's
as hard to know women as tits to win a
battle But / have sharper eyes than
most men, and l soon spied what was
wrong She was indeed the innocent
her miserable father had proclaimed her.
And, faith, she loved young Sheep-face
and was true to him. But that's the silly
way of women So said I. in whimsi-
cal voice:
We'll, maybe 1 know when bargain
should be dropped. and I'll keep that race
you speak of. Mistress JOAN
What bargaino' she asked. opening
her eyes.
gold and well worth it; SO you can keep
that for smiles in your mirror"
With my father? You? bargain"
she exclaimed, her face moving with Won
silent, she flushed red, and buried her
face in her hands. .'Oh. he hath out
ragged me-" she cried. ''Oh, tbs the last.
the very last and worst that | could
bear"
1t was like the cry Of a child that is hurt
and hath no refuge from hurt.
He is a dung fork not worth tears.
said l, consol:ngly. But she wept on
Look you here. mistress" l said, there
is this schoolmaster of yours, and damme
l will set you up with your fathers gold
He has lost his all to me, and will exact
it from him to the uttermost fartling."
My fathers goId,' she said. and stared.
There was change on her face, and she
drew back. 1.-The gold you nave stolen
from him. she exclaimed
Rot me, it's better with you than with
him." l said. with some impotence at
such scruples.
She shook her head. Perhaps you mean
me WE'LL she said, dolefully. Il know
not. But may tftake that which Is
wickedly taken.
The girl put me out Of temper, and l
saw now pretty clearly that .e was not
such doXy as would have served me.
But she was handsome enough, and APP
pealing. too, like a helpless kitten. And
1 was come to an end of my endurance
ooh. WELL" said ], taking sudden reso-
luton TO he quit of all al blow, 'haye