Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-15

e were very sweet on Prue then,
weren't e, simon7"
.Ahr' nodded Simon again "'e were
allus 'anging round The Bulr-till
warned i'm or"
"An'-'e laughed at 'ee simon"
"Ah! e did that; an I were going to
ave go at i'm myself; an the chances
are d ave beat me. seein' 'adn't
been inside OF rims for ten year. when"
Up comes large" chuckied the
Ancient What's all this7 say large
j be goin to teach John ere to keep
away from my Prue,' says simon. NO
no. says large. Johns young an you
nean't the man you was ten years ago
let me- says large. Your says John
you get back TO your bellers-you be
purity big. but rve beat the 'eads on
better men nor your why, then, ave
try at mine says large; an wi the
word, bang! comes Johns hst again is
jaw, an they was at IT, Oh. Peteri that
were hghtl I've seed a few In my
time. but nothin' like that ere"
And when Z were all over" added
Simon. large went back to is 'ammer
an bellers. an we picked John up, and
/ druv I'm 'ome In this ere very cart,
an nobody's cared to stand up 10 large
since"
You have both seen Black George
fight, then7" I inquired.
Many's the time. Peter"
And have you evcr--seen him knocked
down.
NO" returned the Ancient, shaking his
head, i've seed i'm all blood from cad
to foot, an once a gert, big sailor-man
Knocked i'm sideways, arter which large
got furus-like, an put i'm to sleep"
mo, Petere'' added Simon, "I don't
think as there be man in all England
as could knock Black Jarge of is pins
In fair, stand-up fight"
HUM said I.
''Ye see-'e be that ard, Peterv nodded
the Ancient why, look!' he cried
look zee theerr
Now, looking where he pointed. I saw
a man dart across the road some dis
tance away; he was hidden almost i'm
mediately. for there were many trees
thereabouts, but there was no mistaklng
that length of limb and breadth of
shoulder.
"'T were Black large Isself!" ex-
claimed Simon. whipping up his horses; ;
put when we reached the place George
was gone, and though we called and
sought for some time, we saw him no
more.
So, In a while, we turned and logged
back toward Sissinghurst.
What be you a-shakin' your 'ead
over Old Un?' inquired Simon, after we
had ridden some distance.
II were wonderin' what that old fule
Amos ii say when we drive back wi'out
large"
Being come to the parting Of the ways
l descended from the cart, for my head
| was strangely heavy, and l felt much
out of sorts. and. though the day was
still young, had no mind for work.
| Therefore bade adieu to Simon and the
Ancient. and turned aside toward the
Hollow, leaving them staring after me
In wonderment.
CHAPTER xxx.
| I It WAS with some little trepidation that
i descended into the Hollow, and
walked along beside the brook, for soon
I should meet CHAIRMAN. and the memory
of our parting and the thought OF this
meeting had been in my mind all day
long.
She would not be expecting me yet, for
was much before my usual time, where
fore walked on slowly beside the brook,
| deliberately on what should say to her.
until I came to that large stone where I
had sat dreaming the night when she had
| stood in the moonlight and first bidden
me in to supper. And now, sinking upon
this stone. l set my elbows upon my
knees and my chin in my hands. and
| fixing my eyes upon the ever-moving
WdtCAS VI eiC OAOOht ACi lANO a pAOLONuN
meditation.
From this I was suddenly aroused by
the clink of iron and the snort of a
| horse
Wondering, I lifted my eyes, but the
bushes were very Dense and I could see
nothing. But. in a little. borne upon :he
gentle wind, came the sound of voice.
low and soft and very sweet-whose rich
| tones there was no mistaking-followed,
| oil al hxr onnfhAr-daArar
| gruffer-the voice Of a man.
with a bound I was upon my feet, and
had, somehow, crossed the brook, but.
even so, l was too late: there was the
| crack of a whip, followed by the muffled
thud OF a horses hoofs. which died
quickly away and was lost In the stir Of
| leaves.
I ground my teeth and cursed that fate
which seemed determined that should
not meet this man face to face--this man
whose back had seen but once--a broad
shouldered back clad in a blue coat
stood where was. dumb and rigid,
staring straight before me. and once
| again a tremor passed over me. that
came and went, growing stronger and
stronger, and, once again, in my head
| was the thud, thud. thud of the hammer
she was approaching by that leafy path
that wound it's way along beside the
brook. and there can Upon me a phys
icaR nausea, and evs ae thud OF the
hammer grew more ma ming.
Now, as she ended the sc. she came
out into the open and saw - and. see
| ing me, looked deliberately over my head
and went on singing. while I-stood shiv-
ering.
And suddenly the trees and bushes
swung gtddily round-the grass swayed
beneath my feet--and CHAIRMAN was be-
side me with her arm about my shoul-
ders; but I pushed her from me and
leaned against a tree nearby, and heark-
ened to the hammer In my brain.
''Why-Peteri" said she. "oh-Peteri"
PLEASE, CHAIRMAN" said I, speaking
between the hammer strokes. do not
touch me again-it is-too soon after"
what do you mean-Psterf What do
you meang"
"He has-been with you-again---"
what DO you meanf" she cried.
"I know of-his vislts--if he was-the
same as--last time-in a-blue coat-no.
don't don't touch me-"
But she had sprung upon me and
caught me by the arms and shook me in
a grip 80 strong that giddy as ! was. !
reeled and staggered like drunken man.
And stiil her voice Missed: what 40
you meanY" And her voice and hands
ana eyes were strangely compelling
Il mean" answered. in low. even
voice like one In a trance. that you are
nf....ttsa Tsslia Tnan 40 N.~s..