The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-28

am sorIy, pul II Al nave 10 wait,
said Matt Il haven't a minute to
spare. Please let go my wheel"
but it can't watt exclaimed the
stranger with indignant animation.
or the issue there is at stake l simply
must insist. Mr.. Broughton-yes. sir. l
must insist
so must l." returned Matt anglily.
Tell me what you want in two words
and III give you an answer in one
and let go my wheel
Matt fully thought the stranger would
take fire at this. but he did not In
stead anxiety spread over his upturned
face
Where are you going:" he asked.
"A short drive-to pay a call"
Then let me take his place" plead
ed the stranger. indicating the driver.
We can talk on the way-and on the
way back. For Gods sake. young man.
don't go on thwarting me like this. |
can't tell you how pressing it all is.
how peremptory and urgent. Only half
an hour-if you knew what was 1T stake
Matt was thunderstruck Such i'm
portunity was startling. yet he had not
a moment to spare if he We're to be on
time at Fair Oaks. Nothing should
come between him and Fair Oaks. and
the delay already incurred put him in
a fever Go on" he cried to the
driver. and with that the expostulating
l,n mid 10
of the road. with his message still I'M
said and his arms waving madly after
the retreating carriage.
Matt was very much thrilled and
tantalized. but at last came to the
conclusion that he had been mistaken
for some one else. Nobody could want
to see him on matter SO secret that
it could not be divulged except in PR
vate. Though poSsibly-and here was
an idea-he was again the victim Of
those newspaper lies. the ''Kanaka
king" and all the rest of it. He put
his visitor out of his mind and settled
back to dream of Miss Marshall with
mingled torment and joy.
They passed through stone gate
that reared its head like q mausOleum
in the lonely woods. The winding road
led through more. and was so narrow
that the trees met overhead and the
air turned chill in the defile below. 1t
was a very big place, the driver said
miles and miles of it. and he ficked
his whip in the direction of unintel-
| ligible local landmarks. 1t hadn't been
| worth taxes till the wood pulp bust
| age would bring all of $40 an acre.
"A stroke of luck for the general.
wasn't it. what with pulp getting
| dearer every day-though he just let
! it lie like it was. and did nothing,
| Thousands and thousands of dollars in
wood pulp and stumpage. and as good
as money in the bank"
| Matt suffered under these reflections
| it made him feel more of an intruder
| than ever. poorer and Of less account
| Who was he to be driving through such
unnum bered acres of wood pulp and
/ daring to lift his eyes. however tim
| idly. to its owners daughter? 1t EN-
! phasiZed his presumption. and every
! tree became Il new barrier. abhOrr2nt
| to look upon. 1t was in q very crushed
| humor. indeed. that he approached the
lawns and strawberries the tortuous
| brick walks and ut last the house itself
"a stately old colonial structure with
| that dienified frontage of classic white
columns so dear to our fOrefathers and
! so expressive of their lives and aSpira
tons
| Matt descended dismissed the con,
veyance with the thrifty intention of
walking home and turned to mount the
wide high steps. He was greeted at
the top by Miss Marshall. who seemed
to spring up from nowhere. smiling and
radiant and bewitching to look at in
her boyiSh riding costume Her father
and she had just got back-and. oh. Sc
afraid that be might have been made
to wait-papa having met long los,
| lovely friend in u teuf-teuf and a tiger
coat and wanting to remain the rest OF
the week to talk to her. But they mus,
go right in. or papa would be at the
mullins and disgracing himself Papa
was terribly elemental about mullins
Amid this laughing cOrdiality Matt
| found himself being guided through g
:: lofty hallway. lined with books anC
engravinCs. to a large. low ceilinget
room. where the old general. also il
riding dress. was standing before a 10:
fire and refraining in the most ey
emplary manner from any premHtur,
onslaught on the tea table This il
J spite of the fact that it stood temnt
ingly near by. glea aiming with old silve
and set about with red roses
What were Mats sensations as b.
sat beside Miss Marshall on the sofa
balancing a teacup on his knee ant
stealing little SidewiSe looks at her
The dismaleSt imaginable it must b.
confessed She was prettier than he ha'