The state herald., 1914-07-17

Yes. take my dip here every
morning"
I'VE used to have a diving board
when we were little shayers," pursued
the major. II remember once, your
father"
He cleared his throat and stopped
dead. ~
Please" said John Valiant. II
like to hear about him."
1T was only that struck my head
on rock on the bottom and-stayed
down. The others were frightened,
but he-he dove down again and again
till he brought me out II was = mar.
row squeak. I reckon"
A silence fell. Looking at the tall
muscular form beside her. Shirley had
a sudden vision of a determined little
body cleaving the dark water. over
and over. now rising painting for
breath now plunging again. never CIV.
ing up. And she told herself that the
son was the same sort. That hard
set of the Jaw. those firm lips. would
know no ninching. He might suffer.
but he would be strong.
Half unconsciously she spoke her
thought aloud: You look like your
father. do you not!"
Yes" he replied. there's 4 strong
likeness. ! have q photograph which
I'll show you sometime. But how did
you know?"
Perhaps l only guessed" she said
In some CONFUSION. To cover this she
stopped by the pebbly marge and held
out her hand to the bronze ducks that
pushed and gobbled about her fingers.
What have you named themf" shs
asked.
Nothing. YSu christen them"
+, Very well The light one shall
be Peezletree and the dark one Pilgar.
lie. got the names from John Jasper
he was Virginia's famous negro
preacher. I once heard him hold forth
when he read from one Of the Psalms
the one about the harp and the
psaltery-and he called It peexlctree. ="
Valiant's laugh rang out over the
lake-to be answered by . sudden
sharp screech from the terrace. where
the peacock strutted. a blaze Of span
gled purple and gold. They turned to
see Aunt Daphne issue from the
kitchen. twig.broom In hand.
"Heah!" she exclaimed. What TO-
yo' kyahin' on like er viii gyrafY wen
we got comp'ny. yo' trifiin' ol' fer
tail. 20! Git outen heah!" She
waved her weapon end the bird. with
a raucous shrek OF defiance. retired
in ruffled disorder. The master OF
Damory Court looked at Shirley.
What shall we name himr-
I'D call him FireCracker II he
goes of like that" she said. And Fire.
Cracker the bird was christened forth.
with.
And now" said Shirley. lets set
out the ramblers"
The major had brought rough plan,
sketched from memory. OF the old ar.
rangement OF the formal garden. I'll
Just go over the lines of the beds with
Unc' Jefferson" he proposed. while
you two potter over these roses" So
Valiant and Shirley walked back up
tho slope beneath the pergola to-
gether.
With Ranston. puffing and blowing
like a black porpoise over his creak-
ing go-cart. they planted the ramblers
crimson aud pink and whlte-vn.
liant much Of the time on his knees,
his hands plunging deep into the black
spongy earth. and Shirley with broad
hat flung on the grass. her fingers
separating the clinging thread.like
roots and her small arched foot lamp
ing down the soil about them Her
hair-the color OF wet raw wood in
the sunlight-was very near the brown
head and sometimes their fingers
touched over the work. Once. us they
stood up, flushed with the exercise. a
great black and orange butterfly.
dazed with the sun glow. alighted on
Valinnts rolled.up sleeve. He held his
arm perfectly still and blew gently
on tho wavering pinions III II swan
away. When n rcdbird firted by. TO
Ills delight she whistlcd Its call 40
perfectly that II wheeled In mid hight
and tilted inauirin,gly back toward
them.
As they descended the terrace again
to the pergoia. he said. There's only
one thing lncking at Damory Court
sun.diai."
Then you haven't found III" she
cried delightedly. Come and let mo
show you"
She led the way through tho maze
OF beds Mt one side I'll they reached
hedge laced thickly with Virginia
crceper. Ho parted this lcafy screen.
bending back the springing fronds
that thrust against tho fimuy muslin
OF hcr gown and thscatcncd TO apear
tho pink'rored hat that cast nm hdor.
ablc warm tint over her creamy face.
thinking that never had the old place
sccn such picture nn she made
framed In the deep green.
Some such thought was In thu ma.