Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-10
FOURTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER x.

0NIFNF Gn ~
But Tommy stopped short with a
kind of jerk, as a tethered animal
stops when it comes to the end of its
rope; for he saw clearly, and all in
moment, that it was not woman who
invited him to share the shelter of the
hut, but q little child. He stopped
short then and smiled as a boy smiles.
Not room enough for two in there"
he said. But If you get frightened or
want anything, just call. I'll hear.
And-good night"
1t seemed darker when she had
closed the door OF the hut and no
longer cleaned in the fire light. Pro-
fessor Stilliter lowered his rife with
suppressed sigh of relief and sank
down among the bushes. And when
Tommy, healthfully tired, had fallen
into a sound sleep he withdrew to a
distance with his followers, and passed
night of supreme discomfort upon
the hard ground. Celestia was safe
in Tommy's care, and there was no
use separating them before morning.
Bright and early Celestia walked and
stepped from the hut into the cold,
still Adirondack dawn. Tommy, his
feet to the fire that had almost died,
still slept. She knelt by him and
studied his face at leisure. Presently
she touched his hand cautiously with
the tip of her finger and found that it
was cold. Then, happy as child, to
be of service, she put wood on the fire
and blew the embers into flame. Still
Tommy did not wake, and she knelt
/ by him once more and, with laugh.
bowed her lovely head and kissed him.
Tommy was dreaming of her. She
had promised to marry him as soon
as he had killed the horrible dragon
that lived under the hill. Tommy,
after a desperate battle, in which he
was armed with only a can-opener, had
| just succeeded in opening the dragons
| jugular vein, and was just rushing out
/ from under the hill to claim his re-
ward from the waiting Celestia, when
she really kissed him, and he walked,
and knew that he had been kissed.
His very first words were of reproof.
"Celestia, DEAR" he said, 'you
mustn't do that"
Mustn't kiss your"
"Of course not"
Her great eyes assumed an injured
look.
"In heaven" she said, "an angel al
ways wakes me with KISS"
Tommy was wide awake now.
what kind OF an angel?" he in
quired with kind of cold suspicion in
his voice.
"Oh," she said carelessly, anyone
that happened to pass by, and thought
that l had slept long enough. But
! then Celestia liked to be kissed. Don't
humans?"
'Yes," said Tommy, sometimes. l
liked it. Only among US it's sacred
| sort of thing, and grown-up humans re-
serve their kisses for celestial moods,
| or for children, who are always rather
| heavenly" AS he spoke, he began to
| prepare breakfast, and Celestia smiled
| upon him, but not as II she was very
1 much interested in what he had said,
! or indeed understood 1t. Suddenly she
said:
Il want 10 COOK
aYou do, do your Do you know
how7"
i've watched you"
Tommy rose with laugh.
"Then you shall" he said, "and I'll
have a swim to wake me up"
"a swim?"
"You do 1t in the water" said
Tommy gravely, and he made swim
ming motions with his arms.
"Oh, but I'd rather swim, too, than
cook" said Celestia, and she prepared
to follow him. But Tommy shook his
head.
Somebody has to cook" he said,
land l was the first to think about
swimming and 30 1t would be selfish
OF you"
you were nicer to me yesterday"
said Celestia, and she turned with q
little cry Of astonishment to the kettle,
which had Just boiled over.
Tommy hurried away chuckling, and
just before he came to the Narrow
Island Beach he stripped and hung his
clothes on a tree limb, then he ran
1 AutO luC WaACA Until ~ N61 WOA1t ACSPr
and then dove.
Celestia, busy with the cooking, was
not troubling her mind about celestial
affairs.
The reason that Tommy could not
understand Celestia was simple. She
could not explain herself She be.
lieved beyond question that she had
always lived in heaven until the day
before, when after glorious rush
through space she found herself on
earth. seated by pool Of water and
looking into the eyes Of Tommy Bar
clay.
Educated to her finger tips In the
languages OF this world. she had never
had a master. In dreams she had
been taught, without knowing that she
was learning, all that q great and un'
scrupulous dreamer had thought best
for her 70 know.