The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-06-06
(Copyrieht., 1918. by W. wrner.o

Copyright, 1913. by W. Wrner.)
Miss Pelton flung down the book
that she had been trying tn read n
pulled back the lace curtain. The vol
ley of boots. yells. an shrieks A
been n true warning. The grammar
school across the way had beer dis
missed and a small army of boys was
tearing across her lawn as the nearest
Gu to the campus a block north. She
shook with wrath as their heavy boots
cut into her velvet sward-or what
had been velvet sward before they
built the new schoolhouse across the
way. Her flower beds were trampled
at tho corners. her biggest dahalia
broken. her rosebushes almost up
rooted.
Miss Pelton rose and got her hat.
She had been Il dozen times To the
crossing policeman-he had stupidity
condoled with her. and vowed that he
chased those pesky young devils
whenever he caught sight OF them. hut
somehow he never happened to he
around when they had been shooting
across her property. She had been
several times to the school principal,
a nervous little dried Did who
promised humhly to make them be-
have. bu. he had never kept his word.
Now she was going TO the parents
Of the two rinsleaders-two freckled,
brown-eyed brothers who had the
shrillest voices. the hardest boots. and
the most impudent Erins Of the whole
crowd. Professor Jenson told her re-
luctantly their names and address. II
don't think the boys mean to be bad"
he explained meekly. Its only that
they forget"
They Won't forget after this week"
said Miss Pelton grinly. "or they'll
he put in a place where they'll re-
member" She would not listen to his
cntreaty to wait until he had lectur-
ed them again severely-she started
forth.
Gcnevieve Pelton was the richest
woman in the big. hustling and
radour and severe blue yes might
have been attractive If they had ever
been liGhtened by a smile. But they
never We're. She was not a stingy wo-
man. She gave literally to charities.
and did not expect thanks. THAT
class OF people are never grateful
was one Of her sharp speeches.
Only a few. knew that when she
was a girl at boarding school h had
medical student. No one knew why
the engagement had come to nothing
She had heen called home about that
time by her mothers death. n then
had gone back to finish the year. Then
her father had died. and some people
said the two events so close together
hardened her. Some people said that
she was hard by nature.
So no one s~ylnpathized with her in
her amending fued with the boys. And
the boys. sensing the latent sympathy
Of their elders. were not much fright
ened by the weekly lecture Of Pro-
fessor Jensen.
But while Freddie and Art. tho two
freckled leaders, saw her emerge from
the professors Office. which was at
the side of the schoolhouse on the
ground floor. get into her phaeton and
turn the horses down the hill in the
direction of their homes they were
startled and followed at a discreet dis
lance.
And they were not far behind when
she got GU in front of q shabby cot
tage and went in. But they did not
follow her in. They slipped around
to the rear. panic stricken. and unob-
trusively sat down on the back stoop
to await results.
Miss Felton marched to the door
and raped vigorously. A tall. slat-
ternly woman opened 1t. Come in."
h said: he's busy. Wait in there"
and was departing to the dining room.