The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-09-11

y
be ashamed Of yourself"
For losing my, slipper? l thought
\. Cinderella had made that respectable"
She placed her hand on my shoulder,
lifted her foot and drew the pump on
with single tug.
swell. what did Aunt Octavia say?"
"Oh, she had thoughts too dark to
express. You probably heard what we
said. 1t was she who found the slip.
PERI
Hezekiah laughed. The wind caught
up that laugh and whisked 1t away
| jealously.
4 "She found 1t and carried 1t to you,
| chimney man, and skipped just as
you began that beautiful story about
finding it in Beacon street. I'm not
supposed to see her, you know, until
Cecilia Is all fixed Hurry and tell
me how you got me out Of It,"
How did you know would try to
explain It? You did perfectly fool
hardy thing in roaming the house that
way, soaring Lord Arrowood nearly to
death, to say nothing Of me. Why
should help your
"Oh, you're man and was just q
, little girl who had lost her slipper"
she replied. II was sure you would
Ok 1t up"
She drew from behind bowlder by
which we stood pumpkin Of portable
size, which surmised had been carved
into the most hideous Of jack-o'-lan-
terms by the shrewd hand Of Hezekiah.
Gomez she cried. If you are good
and won't begin preaching about my
sins I'll show you the funniest thing
! you ever saw in your life"
In my Joy of seeing her was neg
lectlng Cecilia's commission. Very
!, likely Hezekiah had forgotten all
about her theft. Hers. reasoned,
was nature that delighted in the
nearest pleasure. would follow her
jack o'-lantern around the world for
the chance of seeing the fun brighten
in her brown eyes. but had made a
promise to Cecilia, and meant to full
I'll 1t.
She led me now across the meadow.
, over a stone wall up a, steep slope
and by devious ways through strip
of woodland. bore the Jack
tern. She had hidden me do it with
some notion did not question Of
making me a party In whatever mis-
: chief was afoot. f4
Also, she demanded that I repeat
fully the story had told her aunt Of
the finding of the slipper.
, "You are better than I thought you
. were, Chimney Man." she declared,
! when l had concluded and added her
> aunts comment. you may be sure
that tickled Aunt Octavia. You can
lie almost as well AS an architect.
, Aunt Octavia says architects are bet
! ter liars than dressmakers."
1T was my weakness for the truth
that caused me to abandon architec'
ture.. For heavens sake, what ere you
> up to?
D I, bad. kept little account, Of the d.
( rection Of our fight, and was sur
( prtsed that we had now reached the
= stile over which ! had watched the
t passing Of the suitors on the afternoon
! of my meeting with Hezekiah In the
, orchard.
''This is the appointed place." she re-
, marked, taking the pumpkin from me
| and dropping down on the far side Of
|, the stile.
"Hezekiah. I've trotted across most
: Of Westchester county after you, and
my arm Is paralyzed from carrying
that pumpkin. l must know what
, you're up to right here, or I'll go home.
D Besides, there's mist falling and
you'll be soaked. What do you sup
: pose your father thinks Of your alb
, sence at this time Of night?"
"Oh, he'll never forgive me for not
] letting him In on this This Is the
: erandest thing ] ever thonoht "F gs't
t on this step and gently incline your
Gar toward the house. It's about time
( those gentlemen were leaving Cecilia,
! and they'll be galloping for their Inn
! in q minute, and them
/ Hezekiah whistled the rest Of 1t.
: While we waited tried once or
( twice to revert to the silver, notebook,
. but without success. Hezekiah was
mistress of the art Of evasion with her
! tongue as we'll as her feet.
"Wait till the evening performance
! is over and I'll talk about that. Sh!
. Quiet! Crawl over there out Of the
> way, and when say run, beat 1t for
, the road"
> These last phrases were uttered In .
whisper, her face close to my ear. She
gave me a little push, and withdrew
few yards and waited. The ground,
I may say. was wet and the drizzle
) had become a monotonous autumu
3 rain.
l The light Of the lantern fell warmly
Q upon Hezekiah's face as she held it,
illumined countenance toward her
t crouchlng on the stile steps. heard
. now what her keenery ear had caught
earlier-the tramp Of feet along the
: path. The. suitors, were returning tt
? the Inn, and the voices Of one or two
. Of them reached me.
eNhn cok,eo ~ uo1okioh,a IinHortAk