The Washington herald., 1915-11-07
@. HENRY'S MASTERPIECES

about them somewhat like yours. But tell me
mote about yourself Getting along all right
with the company"
Bully" said Pescud. Frightening at once.
i've had my salary raised twice since saw
you, and get commission. too. I've bought
a neat slice of real estate out in the East End,
and have run up a house on it. Next year the
firm is going to sell me some shares of stock.
Oh. I'm in on the line of General Prosperity. no
matter who's elected!"
Met your affinity yet. John2" asked.
''Oh, didn't tell you about that. did p"
said Pescud with broader grin.
"O-ho!" said. $50 you've taken time
enough off from your plate-gass to have a
romanee2"
mo, nc" said John No romance-noth,
ing like that! But I'll tell you about it.
Il was on the south-bound. going to Gin
cinnat, about eighteen months ago, when |
saw. across the aisle, the finest-looking girl Id
ever laid eyes on. Nothing spectacular, you
know, but just the sort you want for keeps.
Well. never was up to the Irritation business,
either handkerchief, automobile. postage
stamp, or doorstep. and she wasn't the kind to
start anything. She read book and minded
her business, which was to make the world
pretter and better just by residing on it. /
kept on looking out of the side doors of my
eyes. and finally the proposition got out of the
Pullman class into case OF cottage with
lawn and vines running over the porch. never
thought of speaking to her. buf1 let the plate
glass business go to smash for a while.
''She changed cars at Cincinnati. and took
sleeper to- Louisville over the l. and N. There
she bought another ticket. and went on through
Shelbyville, Frankfort. and Lexington. Along
there began to have hard time keeping up
with her. The trains came along when they
pleased, and didn't seem to be going anywhere
in particular. except to keep on the track and
the right of way as much as possible. Then
they began to stop at functions instead OF
towns, and at last they stopped altogether. I'll
bet Pinkerton would outbid the plate-glass peo-
pie for my services any time if they knew how
managed to shadow that young lady. | con-
trived to keep out of her sight as much as |
could, but | never lost track of her.
The last station she got off at was away
down in Virginia. about six in the afternoon.
There were about fifty houses and four hun
dred niggers in sight. The rest was red mud.
mules, and speckled hounds.
"A tall old man. with smooth face and
white hair. looking as proud as Julius Caesar
and Roscoe Conkling on the same postcard,
was there to meet her. His clothes were fgaz-
lied, but didn't notice that till later. He took
her little satchel, and they started over the
plank-walks and went up road along the hill
kept along piece behind EN-. trying to look
like | was hunting garnet ring IN the sand
that my sister had lost at picnic the previous
Saturday.
They went in gate on top of the hill. 1t
nearly took my breath away when looked up.
Up there in the biggest grove ever saw was a
tremendous house with round white pillars
about thousand feet high, and the yard was
so full of rose-bushes and box-bushes and lilacs
that you couldn't have seen the house if it
hadn't been as big as the Capitol at Washing
ton.
Heres where have to trail.' says to
myself. Il thought before that she seemed to
be in moderate circumstances. at least. Ibis
must be the Governors mansion, or the Agri-
cultural Building Of a new Worlds FAIR any
how. Id better go back to the village and get
posted by the postmaster. or drug the druggist
for some information.
in the village found pine hotel called
the Bay View House. The only excuse for the
name was a bay horse grazing in the front
yard. set my sample-case down, and tried
to be ostensible | told the landlord | was
taking orders for plate-glass ,,
81 don't want no plates says he. but do
need another, glass molasses-pitcher.'
''By-and-by | got him down to local gossip
and answering questions.
why. says he. I thought everybody
knowed who lived in the big white house on the
hill. It's Colonel Allyn. the biggest man and
the finest quality in Virginia. or anywhere
else. They're the oldest family in the State.
That was his daughter that get off the train.
She's been up to Illinois to see her aunt. who
re sick =