The Irish standard., 1914-03-07
CHAPTER XIII,

CHAPTER XIII.
John Valiant Makes Discovery.
I'm SO sorry." was what he said, as
he kneeled to release her, and she WIS
grateful that his tone was unmixec
with amusement. She bit her lips, a.
by sheer strength of elbow and kne,
he snapped the offending bole short
off-one of those quick exhibitions
of reserved strength that every WON
an likes.
II don't know how /. could have
been so silly-thank you so much. =
said Shirley, painting slightly from
her exertions. I'm not the least b;.
hurt-only my dress-and you know
very we'll that wasn't afraid of tina,
ridiculous dog" A richer glow stole
to her cheeks as she spoke, a burn.
ing recollection of a rose, which from
her horse that morning at Damory
Court, she ha~ glimpsed in it's glass on
the porch.
Both laughed little. He imagined
that he could smell that wonderful!
hair, a subtle fragrance like that of
sun-dried seaweed or the elusive scent
that clings to tuft of long-plucked
Spanish moss. "Chum stands alb.
solved, them" he said, bending to
sweep together the scattered 5essa-
mine. do you-do you run liz. that
when you're not frightened"
when I'm caught red-handed.
Don't you?"
He looked puzzled.
She pointed to the flowers. II had
stolen them, and was trying tc
Escape off wild EN- as the negroes
asy. Shocking. isn't It? But you sea
,opody has lived here since long be-
lore was born. and l suppose the
liower-thievs1g habit has become in
grown"
But" he interrupted, there's acres
Of them going to waste. Why ON earth
shouldn't you have them?"
"Of course know better today, but
there was IA special reason. We
have none and this is the nearest
place where they grow. My mother
wanted some for this particular day"
Good heavens!" he cried. you
don't think you can't go right on TAX
ing them? Why, you can 'scape OF
with the whole garden any time!"
A droll little CLEAN of azure mis-.
chief darted at him suddenly out Of
her eyes and then lodged back again.
Aren't you just a little rash with
Ofhor -no0p1oso vporartyopS
"Other people's?"
What will the owner say?"
He bent back one of the long jessa-
mine stems and wound it around the
others. Il can answer for him. Be-
sides, owe you something, you know.
l robbed you this morning-of your
brush"
She looked at him, abruptly serious.
"Why did you do that?"
Sanctuary. His two beady eyes
begged so hard for it. Twenty raven
GUS hounds they said, and a dozen
galloping horses. And look what a
poor shivering little red-brown NOR
sci ami"
For just an instant the bronze-gold
head gave quick imperious toss. like
a high-mettled pony under the flick
Of the whip. But as suddenly the
shadow of resentment passed: the
mobile face under the bent hat-brim
turned thoughtful. She looked again
at him. do you think it's wrong to
kill things?" she asked gravely.
"Oh, dear, no." he smiled. IL
haven't single ism. I'm not even e
vegetarian"
"But you would be If you had to kill
your own meat?"
Perhaps. So many of us would
AS a matter of fact, don't hunt my.
self, but I'm no reformer."
"Why don't you hunt?"
Il don't enjoy it." He flushed
slightly. II hate firearms" he said,
trifle difficulty. II always have. ]
don't know why. Idiosyncrasy. sup
pose. But shouldn't care for hunt.
ing. even with bows and arrows. ]
would kill tiger or poisonous rep.
tile, or anything else, in case of neces,
sity. But even then should hardly
enjoy it. know some animals are
pests and have to be killed. Some
men do, too. But don't like to do II
myself"
Wouldn't that theory lead to
wholesale evasion of responsibility?
Perhaps. I'm MO philosopher. But
blackbird or a red fox is so pretty,
even when he is thieving, that I'd let
him have the corn. I'm like the
Lord High Executioner in The Mi
kado' who was SO tender-hearted that
he couldn't execute anybody and
planned to begin with guinea-pigs and
work up. Only I'm afraid I couldn't
even manage the guinea.pigs."
She laughed. you wouldn't flnd
many to practice on here. Do you
raise guinea-pigs up North?"
"Ah." he said ruefully, "you tag me.
too. Have I by chance a large letter
N tattooed upon my manly brow? But
/ suppose it's the accent. Uncle JEFF
ferson catalogued me in five minutes
He said he didn't know why I was
from de Norf,' but he knowed' 1t
i've annexed him and his wife, by the