Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-12-12

so the children a be taught right;
most OF 'em are poor and may want
to teach, too, when they're grown. I
think all the board1l be for you to-
night, Abbott, and I've been glad to
been less talk. And by the way" she
added, that Fran-girl went by with
Simon Jefferson just now, the two of
them in Brother Gregory's buggy.
They're going to Bulbs Rif1e-he
with his weak heart, and her with that
sly smile of hers, and it's a full three
milei"
Abbott did not volunteer that he had
Q en them pass, but his face showed
the ostensible integrity of a jam-thief,
who for once finds himself innocent
when missing jam is mentioned.
She was not convinced by his look
of guilelessness. "You seem to be
carrying away your books"
81 want to breathe in this June
morning without taking it strained
through window-screens," he ex7
planned.
Miss Sapphire gave something like
a choked cough, and compressed her
lips. abbott" she said, looking at
him sidewise, please step to the tele-
phone, and call up Bob-he's at the
store. Tell him to leave the clerk in
charge and hitch up and take me for
a little drive. / want some of this
June morning myself"
Abbott obeyed with alacrity. On his
return, Miss Sapphire said, "Bob's 60
ing to fight for you at the board meet
ing, Abbott. Well do what we can,
and l hope you'll help yourself"
AS Abbott went down the fragrant
street with its cool hose-refreshed
pavements, it's languorous shadows
athwart rose-bush and picket fence, it's
hopeful weeds already peering through
crevices where plank sidewalks main
tanned their worm-eaten right of way,
he was in no dewy-morning mood. He
understood what those wise mods had
meant, and he was in no frame of
mind for such wisdom. He meant to
go far, far away from the boarding
house, from the environment of
schools and school-boards, from Little
burg with its atmosphere of ridiculous
gossip.
OF course he could have gone just
as far, If he had not chosen the direc-
tion of Blubb's Rif1e-but he had to
take some direction. He halted before
he came in sight of the stream; if
Fran had a mind to fish with Simon
Jefferson, he would not spoil her sport.
He found a comfortable log where
he might study under the gracious
sky. He did not learn much-there
seemed a bird in every-line.
When he closed his books, scarcely
knowing why, and decided to ramble,
it was with no intention of seeking
Fran. Miss Sapphire might have
guessed what would happen, but in
perfect innocence, the young man
strolled, seeking a grassy by-road, sell
dom used, redolent of brush, tree, vine,
dust-laden weed. 1t was a road where
the sur seemed almost a stranger; a
road gone to sleep and dreaming of
the feet of stealthy Indians, of noisy
settlers, and skillful trappers. All
such fretful bits of life had the old
road drained into oblivion, and now it
seemed to call on Abbott to share
their fate, the fate of the. forgotten.
But the road lost its mystic mean
ing when Abbott discovered Fran.
Suddenly it became only a roadway,
it became nothing. 1t seemed that the
sight of Fran always made wreckage
of the world about her.
She was sitting in the Gregory bug
gy, but, most surprising of all, there
was no horse between the shafts-no
horse was to be seen, anywhere. Best
of all, no Simon Jefferson was visible.
Fran in the buggy-that was all. Slow
travelling, indeed, even for this sleepy
old road!
mot in a hurry, are your"
1--WE arrived" Fran said, in un-
friendly tone.
Are you tired Of fishing, Franz"
Eyes, and of being fished."
She had closed the door in his face,
but he said-as through the keyhole-
Does that mean for me to go away?"
you are a pretty good friend, Mr..
AShtOAS oAC ooAO WIFI a OuAl Va nCA
lip, Il mean-when we are alone"
"fWhile we're together, and after
we part" he quoted. Fran, surely
you don't feel toward me the way you
are looking"
Exactly as I'm looking at you. that's
the way / feel. Stand there as long
as you please
0T don't wont IN stand q ,nomoDf
longer. / want to sit with you in the
buggy. Please don't be $3.50 old"
Fran laughed out musically, but inn
mediately declared: 81 laughed be-
cause o r unexpected; 1t doesn't
NEAR / like you any better. l hate
friendship that shows itself only in
private. Mr.. Chameleon, l like people
to show their true colors."
II am not Mr.. Chameleon, and ]