The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-12
THE SCALE
TURNED
BY ARTHUR GRlGSBY

seeking subjects for his brush In Spain,
left Madrid to go to the mountains OF
Toledo, some sixty miles from the cap
ital Arriving at an inn midway be-
! tween the plain and the summit of the
range, he concluded to make it his
headquarters, going about among the
mountains sketching. He arrived in
the evening and concluded to put off
any work till the morrow. The inn
being in lonely spot and at the time
apparently no other boarders in the
house, he seated himself on veranda,
where he could overlook the plain far
below. and called for supper.
| The cloth was laid by girl in a
short petticoat encircied with stripes
Of various gay colors. beneath which
appeared a dainty foot and ankle.
Hoxie was very young. and youth
is unthinking. He permitted himself
to gaze too admiringly on the senorita
and did not take the pains not to do 80
while she was looking He spoke some
! Spanish and began to chat with her,
but could get nothing except yes, Sc
nor" and mo, senor," for she was
diffident little thing, especially in the
presence Of one in the social scale SO
far above her.
There were many points In the vicin-
ty where attractive views were to be
obtained and Hoxie attended to his
work. not thinking about the girl when
doing So But In the evening between
supper and bedtime he needed COM
pany and after supper would invent
ways to keep her with him on the We
randa. The Inn was kept by her aunt,
and the two women were the only per
sons in the house besides the few way
farers wAo stopped there. The aunt
Hoxie addressed as sonora, the girl as
Pepita, which was her name. When
he was not out sketching he was con-
tinually calling on the one or the other
for something-either glass OF wine
or a bit of cheese or for Pepita to
bring her guitar and play for him.
"You are troubled about something,
Pepita," he said one evening to the
girl while she waited upon him at sup
per. what is It'll"
Nothing, senor," she said.
Eyes. there is something you fear.
Tell me-"
well. then. senior, there are bandits
in these mountains. You should not
go out sketching."
"You must be mistaken. asked
about that before coming here and
was told that l would be as safe here
as In Madrid"
This did not appear to relieve the
girls fears. There is something that
draws a man TO a woman who fears
for him. and Hoxie drew the girl to
him and kissed her.
1T is very lovely for you," he said,
ito be anxious for my safety. Don't
worry. think l can take care of
myself"
There was sound In some shrub
berry just beyond the veranda. Pepita
started, gasped and trembled. Hoxie
looked up at her, surprised, and was
about to ask her what had frightened
her when she ran into the house.
The next evening was very warm, |
and Hoxie lay smoking in hammock
in the yard. The moon was at the
full and In the rare atmosphere at |
such a height cast a bright light |
Hoxie dosed. Suddenly he reused him !
self and looked upon a shadow cast |
by the moon on the ground directly be- |
fore him. 1t was the shadow of man
with arm uplifted. The closed fist |
seemed to grasp something, for there /
was protrusion from II not clearly
enough Swallowed for Hoxie to discern
what II was. Hoxie OWNED that It |
was weapon of some sort. most
probably knife.
Whatever was done must be tnstan-
taneous. Hoxie's reasoning certainly |
was. He reasoned that some one was
about to kill him: that the murder
would be committed silently. The only 4
method Of escape seemed to be to call Il
to some one. This might frighten of
the murderer.
"Senorai" he called without display
ing any alarm In his voice.
what do you wish. senor7"
"a glass of wine''
At the first word the shadow with
drew so that he did not see it. His
enemy had sprung back.
Never mind" Hoxie said. rising as
he spoke. II will drink It in the
house."
Not daring to betray his knowledge
Of his danger by looking back, he
walked into the house without turning
his head. He had not seen his enemy
only his shadow. Nor did be see
him later. His GOODNESS had saved his
ife His enemy quite likely was in
such condition of mind that a word
spoken by the man be would kill was
momentarily at least, to deter
him. and before he had time to begin
lgain it was too late.
Hoxie was never In hurry about
anything. He said nothing to the
andlady about the matter. preferring
o think II over before doing so. He
remembered the sound in the bushes.
where the evening before he had kiss
ID Pepita. and her fright. Here was
In explanation.
"Pepita.' he said the next morning
when he was alone with her.
Yes. senior"
"You have lover one whom |