Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-02-10
CHAPTER XIII.

"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 wom-
an likes.
81 don't know how / 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 rose, which from
her horse that morning at Damory
Court, she ha, glimpsed in it's glass on
the porch.
Both laughed 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, then" 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
'scape off wild EN- as the negroes
say Shocking, isn't it? But you see.
nobody has lived here since long be-
fore | was born, and | suppose the
fiower-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 IA 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 can 'scape Off
with the whole garden any time!"
A droll little CLEAN C 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 one Of the long jessa-
mine stems and wound it around the
others. Il can answer for him. Be-
sides, 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 dozen
galloping horses. And look what a
poor shivering little red-brown NOR
sci 1 ami"
For just an instant the bronze-gold
head gave quick imperious toss, like
a high-mettled pony under the flick
of the whip. But as suddenly the
shadow of resentment passed; the
mobile face under the bent hat-brim
turned thoughtful. She looked again
at him. DO you think it's wrong to
kill things?'' she asked gravely.
"Oh, dear, no." he smiled. 81
haven't single ism. I'm not even a
vegetarian
"But you would be if you had to kill
your own meat?"
Perhaps. So many of us would.
AS matter of fact, don't hunt my
self, but I'm no reformer."
why don't you hunt?"
81 don't enjoy it." He flushed
slightly. Il hate firearms" he said, a
trifie difficulty. 81 always have. I
don't know why. Tdiosyncrasy, l sup
pose. But | shouldn't care for hunt
ing, even with bows and arrows.
would kill tiger or a poisonous rep
tile, or anything else, in case of neces-
SHY. But even then / should hardly
enjoy it. l know some animals are
pests and have to be killed. Some
men do, too But don't like to do it
myself
Wouldn't that theory lead to a
wholesale evasion Of responsibility
Perhaps. I'm no philosopher. But
a blackbird or a red fox is so pretty
even when he is thieving, that I'd let
him have the corn. I'm like the
Lord High Executioner in The Mi
kadO' who was so tender-hearted that
he couldn't execute anybody and
planned to begin with guinea-pigs and
work up. Only I'm afraid 1 couldn't
even manage the guinea-pigs."
She laughed. "You wouldn't find
many to practice on here. Do you
raise guinea-pigs up North?"
"Ah," he said ruefully, "you tag me,
too. Have | by chance a large letter
N tattooed upOn nv manly brow? But