The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-17
The MISAHTHROpHE
BY ETHEL WARD MESERVEY.

Then he became very much ashamed
of the misanthropic utterance- He
glanced about MS lonely but elegant
home, he looked into mirror and
noted the unusual glow of health upon
his cheeks, he realized that he had
not a real care In the world. Out
side the birds were singing, the flow
ers blooming, all radiant nature
breathing purity, peace and promise.
The sun shone at its brightest. its
rays glorifed the redolent garden. Be
yond it lay sportsman's paradise
stables, kennels, garage and hangar.
Il represented the latest facilities for
pleasure.
Eyes, with all this, I may well be
ashamed Of myself for finding moth
ing worth living for!" murmured Burt,
self-reproachfully.
Burt went out to the spot where the
hangar was located. With the assist
ance of his hired man the superb bi-
plane he operated was wheeled out.
He had become quite an expert avi-
ator and enjoyed his air trips greatly.
Under his expert direction the ma
chine struck an upward lateral course,
thing Of life and beauty. He en-
joyed the rare exhibition Of pure air
and bird-like speed immensely.
Ten miles accomplished, Burt vol
planed to meadow stretch to adjust
a trivial defect in the control mechan-
ism. He had just got in trim to re-
sumo his cloud work, when shout
down the highway attracted his atten-
ton.
With both interest and indignation
the amateur airman observed a lad OF
about fourteen running towards him
as If for his life.
Struggling behind him, but in hot
pursuit, were three men. They were
shouting and gesticusating. One car
ried a cane, which he waved menac-
ngly. A second had picked up a lot
Of stones. These he hurled with va
ried aim after the running boy.
you young rascal" roared the man
in advance. drop it, 1 tell you, or
I'll have you jailed!"
But the little fellow never needed
the threatening cries and actions OF
his pursuers. He forged straight
ahead, Eaomentarily nearing the spot
where Burt stood,
"This way! This way!" shouted
Burt, as the boy came nearer. Climb
under the fence"
"Oh! OH" yelled the lad just at that
moment in frantic pain.
'eBrace up!" cried Burt, leaning over
and lifting the lad clear Of the en-.
tangling wires. "Now, then, who are
those men?"
Villains! They'll kill me-and you,
too. Oh, they're coming!"
They were, indeed, but Burt was
going. He lifted the helpless Lad in
his arms bodily, and made a run for
the biplane.
Don't get frightened" he ordered,
placing his charge in the seat behind
the pilot post and hurriedly strapping
him in.
Quick, mister! oh, quick as you
CAM" insisted his passenger, with 8
terrified glance at the fence.
The three 'pursuers had arrived.
One tried to jump the fence and his
feet tripped and he fell with a thud.
A second attempted to crawl under the
lower wire and his clothing had be.
come eltangled.
Don't you interfere with that boy
or you'll be liable to the law!" he
shouted at Burt.
The latter paid no attention to the
threat He sprang to the pilot seat.
Chug-chug-whirr! and the biplane
went aloft like an arrow.
The dismayed and chagrined men
below vainly vented their wrath on
the rescuer who had bafded them.
The little fellow sat spellbound with
delight at the rare sensation Of an
air fight he had never dreamed Of.
For the first time in his life Ralph
Burt had found his mind invested with
real human interest. It elevated him.
An actor in an exciting and unusual
circumstance, he was eager to learn
what lay behind the strange incident
of the hour.
Soon he knew all about it, for when
the biplane landed on home ground he
took his passenger into his library
and questioned him.
It came out that ne and his sister,
Eleanor, were practically prisoners in
the power Of one of his three pursuers,
Giles Warden. Fearing foul play, the
sister had that day given him the will
of her dead father, with the Injunction
to place it in the hands Of some law
yer for safety and action. Hence the
pursuit.
"Righting a wrong-quite heroic!"
commented Burt's lawyer, when he
was made aware Of the facts in the
case. "Why, your new experience has
made you look like a new man. I'll
soon have this affair Strengthened
out"
1t was with a good deal Of surprise
that Ralph met SISTER Eleanor" .
week later. He had supposed her to
be a little girl. Instead, confusedly,
he listened to the ardent thanks Of a
beautiful young lady.
"You have saved Miss Morley from
captivity and the loss oil her fortune" E"
advised the lawyer. "She may con-
tinue to need a friend"
Day by day Ralph Burt's heart
warmed to new impulses. There
came a fnality presaging lasting con-
tentmert. It was when Eleanor be-
came something moro than a friend
his wife.
a - mini AEI