Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-12
By JEFFERY FARNoL

though YOU did turn me from your door
on cold, dark night"
ut was neither cold nor dark
nghtr said !.
"Wel. II might ha' been. might MT
it?--very well, thenl stin. I don't" said
the Pedler. splitting dejectedly into the
ditch, II don't bear you no ard feelin's
for Il, no'ow-me always maxim It pint
20 forgive them as woefully oppresses
me, likewise them as despitefully uses me
1t might ha' been cold, and dark WI
ice and snow, and I might ha' froze TO
death-but we won't say no more about
st."
You've said pretty we'll. think" said
u "supposing you tell me what you have
Go tell me -othcrwise-good nightv'
Very well them said the Pedler. lets
talk o. sumnrat else; stlll livin' in the
'oller, I SUPPOSE
Yes"
"Ah. well! I come through there to-
day." said he, grinning. and again his
eyes grew malevolcnt.
"lndeed?"
"Ah.-indeed! come through this ere
very AFTERNOON, and uncommon pretty
everythin' was lookin wi tho grass so
green, aud the trees $3.50
shady"
'Shady's the word!' nodded the pedler,
glancing up at me through his narrowed
eyelds and chucklinE. "a paradise you
might call it-ah! a paradise or a-garden
OF Eden. wi Eve and the serpent and
allN' and he broke out into a cackling
laugh And. in the look and the laugh,
indeed about his whole figure, there was
something so rcpelent, so evil, that I was
minded TO kick and trampe him down
into the ditch, yet The iccring triumph in
his eyes held me.
"Yes?' said I.
"Ne see, bein' by. / 'appened to pass
the cottage-and very pretty that looked
too. and nice and neat inside!'
'fes?' said /.
And, bcin so near. | 'appened 10 glance
in at the winder, and there, sure enough,
| see-er-as You might say. Eve in the
galdn. And fine figure of Eve she
be. and apdsome wi tit amt often
as you see maid the likes o. 'er so
proud aud 'aughty like
"Wcl?"
Well just as | 'appened to look in at
wi an open book i'm 'er 'and-a old,
leather book wi broken cover"
"Yes?" said l.
And she was a-laughin'-and a pretty,
soft, Ewes laugh it were too"
"Nes?' said |.
over 'er shoulder" The irons slipped
from my grasp, and fell with harsh
clang
"Ketches We. does it?" said the Pedler.
l did not speak, but, meeting my eye,
he scrambled hastily to his feet, and.
catching up his pack, retreated some little
way down the road.
Hketches ye. does it, my cove?" he
repeated; turn me away from your door
on cold, dark night, would ye mot as
/ bears you any ill-will for it, bein' of
forgivin naturD? But 7 says to you 1
says-look out!-a fine 'andsome lass she
be, wi 'er soft eyes and red lips, and
long, white arms-the eyes and lips and
arms of a Eve; and Eve tricked Adam,
didn't shetland you amt a better man
nor Adam, are ye?-very well them" say
which, he spat once more into the ditch,
and. shouldering his pack, strode away.
And after some while. took up my iron
bars, and trudged on towards the cottage.
As | went | repeated to myself, over and
over again, the word Liar Yet my
step was very slow and heavy, and my
feet dragged in the dust: and somewhere
| In my head small hammer had begun
| to beat, soft and slow and regular, but
| beating, beating upon my brain.
Now the upper cover OF my Virgil book
was broken