Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-02-03


party.
He glanced up, ana Tor the nrsL time
saw the figure in tweeds looking on.
Valiant was attracted by his face, its
dash and generosity everything its in
herent profigacy and weakness. Dark
as the girl was light. his features had
the same delicate chiSel1ng, the IN
breeding, nobility and indulgence OF
generations. He stared a moment,
and the somewhat supercilious look
travelled over the gazer, from dusty
boots to waving brown hair.
"OhI" he said. His view slowly
took in the evidences of occupation.
THE house is open, 1 see. Going to
get 1t fit for occupancy, / presumed"
yes"
The other turned. We'll, Judge
Chalmers, what do you think Of that?
The unexpected has happened at last"
He looked at the porch. who's to
occupy it?''
1.-The owner"
wonders will never cease!" said
the young man easily, struggling.
well, our quarry is here somewhere.
From the way the dogs act 1 should
say he's bolted into the house. With
your permission I'll take one of them
in and see." He stopped and snapped
a leash on a dog-collar.
I'm really very sorry" said Valiant,
''but I'm living in it at present"
The edge of a smile lifted the care
fully trained mustache over the
others white teeth. 1t had the per-
fectly courteous air of saying, "Of
course, if you say so. But"
Valiant turned, with a gesture that
included all. IF you care to dismount
and rest he said, I shall be honored,
though I'm afraid / can't offer you
such hospitality as l should wish"
The Judge raised his broad soft hat.
THANK you, SIR" he said, with soft
accent that delightfully."- disdained the
letter IT. But we mustn't intrude
any further. As you know, of course,
the place has been uninhabited for
any number of years, and we had no
idea it was to acquire a tenant. You
will overlook our riding through,
hope. I'm afraid the neighborhood
has got used to considering this sort
of no-mans land It's a pleasure to
know that the Court is to be re-
claimed, sir. Come along, Chilly" he
added. Our fox has burrow under
the house, reckon-hang the cunning
little devil!"
He waved his hat at the porch and
turned his horse down the path, side
-
After them trooped the others, horses
walking YEARLY, riders talking in low
voices, the girls turning often to send
swift bird-like chances behind them
to where the straight masculine figure
still stood with the yellow sunshine on
his face. They did not leap the wall
this time, but filed decorously through
the swinging gate TO the Red Road.
Then. as they passed from view be-
hind the hedges, John Valiant heard
the younger voices break out together
like the sound of bomb thrown into
a poultry-yard.
John Valiant stood watching till the
last rider was out Of sight. There
was a warm flush Of color in his face.
At length he turned with ghost
of a sigh, opened the hall door wide
and stalking a hundred yards away,
sat down on the shady grass and be-
gan to whistle, with his eyes on the
door.
Presently he was rewarded On a
sudden, around the edge of the sill
peered a sharp, suspicious little muz-
zle. Then, like a flash of tawny light,
the fox broke sanctuary and shot for
the thicket.
The brown ivied house in the vii
Iage was big and square and faced the
sleepy street. A one-storied wing con-
tanned a small door with a doctors
brass plate on the clapboarding be-
side II. Doctor Southall was one of
Mrs. Merryweather Mason's paying
puests-for she would have deemed
the word boarder a gratuitous insult.
no less to them than to her. Another
was the major. who for decade had