Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-04-02
CHAPTER XIII.


John Valiant Makes a Discovery.
I'm SO sorry" was what he said, as
he kneeled to release her, and she was
grateful that his tone was unmixed
with amusement. She bit her lips, as
by sheer strength Of elbow and knee
he snapped the offending bole short
off-one Of those quick exhibitions
Of reserved strength that every won
an likes.
81 don't know how l could have
been so silly-thank you SO much"
said Shirley, painting slightly from
her exertions. I'm not the least bit
hurt-only my dress-and you know
very we'll that l wasn't afraid Of that
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 its glass on
the porch.
Both laughed a 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 a tuft of long-plucked
Spanish moss. "Chum stands alb
solved, them" he said, bending to
sweep together the scattered jessa-
mine. do you-do you run like that
when you're not frightened"
when I'm caught red-handed.
Don't your"
He looked puzzled.
She pointed to the flowers. 81 had
stolen them, and l was trying to
Escape off wild EN- as the negroes
say. Shocking, isn't it? But you see,
nobody has lived here since long be-
fore l was born, and suppose the
iower-thieving 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 l know better today, but
there was "a 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 a Escape Off
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
other peoples property?"
Other people's?"
What will the owner say?"
He bent back n of the long jessa-
mine stems and wound it around the
others. Il can answer for him. Be
sides, l 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
g~alloping horses. And look what g
poor shivering little red.brown NOR
sci | ami"
For just an instant the b~ronZe-gold
head gave a quick imperious toss, like
a high-mettled pony under the licl
of the whip. But as suddenly the
shadow of resentment passed; the
mobile face under the bent hat-brin
turned thoughtful. She looked agar
at him. do you think it's wrong t.
kill things?" she asked gravely.
"Oh, dear, no." he smiled. "
haven't a single ism. I'm not even
vegetarian"
But you would be if you had to xii
your own meat?"
Perhaps. So many Of us would
AS a matter of fact, l don't hunt my
self, but Pm no reformer."
Why don't you hunt"
81 don't enjoy it." He flushec
slightly. Il hate firearms" he said,
trife difficulty. 81 always have.
don't know why. Idiosyncrasy, l sur
pose. But | shouldn't care for hunt
ing, even with bows and arrows.
would kill a tiger or a poisonous rcI
title, or anything else, in cas- of neces
sity. But even then l should hardl.
enjoy it. l know some animals ar
pests and have to be killed. Som
men do, too. But don't like to do l
myself"