The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-24
CHAPTER FORTY.
Continued.

W0o nut eutlTety bcpdIotcu IIoui HiS
aunt; al least twice each week he was
dressed In his best. and by Mrs. Pope
tak.l to- pay Virginia visit. But these
visits were functions attended by
such formality that he derived small
comfort from them, and in time he
came TO rather dread the preliminary
ordeals, of which he was the victim.
There was always bath, and he
donned the freshest OF fresh linen,
stiff and mserably unsympathetic; an
Unfamiliar suit of clothes to which he
never grew accustomed and In which
his small limbs were cheerlessly
d:aped, completed his toilet. Thus at
tired, Mrs. Pope would lead him 10 the
front steps. and Peter would drive
around from the stables with closed
carriage. Then there invariably en-
sued certain lively and apprehensive
Inquiries on the part of Mrs. Pope as
20 whether or not the team had shown
any undue levity while being harness.
Ell. for the good lady was timorous OF
ill horse-fiesh as well as the prey OF
IN abiding and illy-concealed doubt OF
the Germans skill as driver; how
ever being satisfied on the one point
II not on the other, she would embark
Ler small charge, and then herseli'
driving TO the cottage with the car
rage door held slightly ajar, precau-
ton favoring instant escape In case
Jf danger Arrived there she would
leave Stephen with Virginia and be
driven away In painful state TO take
the air.
Then came a period OF freedom and
rlhef for the boy: he had virginia
and there was his Aunt Jane, who &C.
cupied an almost equal place In his
affections with Virginia herself; and
sometimes there was Harriet Norton,
700, with a very pink-faced baby. NAM
q. Elinor. and husband who Stephen
discovered early in their acquaintance
could be persuaded into the most de-
iishtful extravaganza in the matter or
candy; and for perhaps an hour he
would be quite happy. 80 happy he
could almost forget that he had an
Uncle Jacob: and at this period OF his
life. his Uncle Jacob seemed respon-
sible for all the misery in the worid.
Then Mrs. Pope would return. and
Virginia with strange hardening or
the heart would restore him to that
august lady. Benson could not nave
OWNED how we'll he was hated.
The lawyer had contented himself
with seeing that Stephen wanted Tor
nothing. that he was well-dressed and
Well-nourished; but he was such a
little fellow, and so palpably depress-
ed by the authority which Mrs. Pope
administered, that Benson almost re-
GREETED he had forced Virginia to the
step he had. His triumph left an att
ermath OF self.reproach and disgust.
He had stopped TO petty persecution,
and clearly the boy himself was far
from happy as a result. II was MS
wish to mitigate the wrong he felt he
had done the child, which in the end
provoked him to a display OF some
thing approaching personal interest
He was conscious that Stephen met
his advances with childish mistrust,
nat this wore away; the lawyers gen.
tleness and kindness had their enect
lust as he intended they should. and
Stephen put aside his doubt OF MS
Uncle Jacob, and concluded that he
was ever so much better than Mrs.
Pope's account OF him.
Benson felt that he should have as
sociates Of his own age, that MRS.
pope and Peter were not exactly the
most engaging companions he could
have. but there were no boys In the
n,ighborhood whose manners or NOR
ais fitted them TO be his playfellows
True, there was a region or DacK
streets and alleys in the rear OF his
ample grou1is, overlooked by small
frame dwellings, here there we're chill
drsn OF all ages, and in course OF time
Ste,hen came TO know certain OF
these youthful neighbors OF his, FOR
while he had seemed cut of from them
oy barriers whose nature he did not
comprehend. he had long been aware
that the world held the possibility OF
"a more desirable companionship tnan
that he was knowing.
There were also strange small boys
whom he occasionally saw scurrying
through the garden or lodging among
the grape arbors. They had appeared
with the first half-ripe strawberry;
they came again when the big Lorton
blackberries we're hard as bullets;
then their visits languished for little
space; but when the early harvest ap-
pics on the two big trees back Of the
barr were the size OF turkey eggs.
they reappeared. this time armed with
clubs. and there was fine rafting
among the branches.
The effect Of these depredations on
Peter was not wholly pleasant indeed
m first stephen had regarded him with
yide-eyed terror: for the German
would explode in cultural mutterings
and strange oaths, as he rushed In
iursuit of the thieves, who as they
fed before his advance on nimble legs,
hurled back taunts and insults.
"Dutchy, who's afraid Of Dutchy.
Dutchy cant run. Dutchy's got a
belly full Of beer-belly full Of beer
In possession OF the field, Peter
would retire to the stables where he
would supply himself with nails and
ratchet, then he would make an exam
nation of the high picket-fence back
OF the garden. and here he was almost
certain TO find a spot where board
had been removed to favor a hasty re-
treat: this he would restore to utility
with many unnecessary nails.
one day as Stephen was wanders-..
aimlessly through the garden Snd
among the ripening grapes, he came
suddenly upon a boy somewhat older
and larger than himself, but brown
ana barefoot. who was eating Peters
grapes. Earlier In the season Stephen
had seen this boy, but always at dis
lance and always in full flight, routed
reG.handed from among the strawber-
ries or fleeing from among the black
harrjes n was this same bow who led