Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-09-13
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER XII.
| Go to New York.

shall not here recount the events on
the farm during the weeks which fol-
lowed Miss Stella's departure. They
did not particularly interest me. My
whole psychological makeup had been
violently shaken, the centers Of atten-
ton had been shifted, and / was con-
stantly struggling for readjustment
which did not come. The post Office
appealed to me more than the peas,
and I labOred harder over my photo
graphs of the sundial beds than over
the beds themselves. 1 sent for ray
filter and a Wide-angle lens, spending
hours in experiment and covering a
plank in front Of the south door with
printing frames.
I had written to her the day after
she had departed, but no reply came
for a week, and then only brief little
note, telling me it was hot in town and
conveying her regards to the roses. I,
too, waited a Week-though it was
hard-and then answered, sending
some photographs, one Of them a snap
d
one Of them of Buster sitting on his
hind legs. Again she answered briefly,
merrily, conveying her especial regards
to Buster, but ending with a plaintive
little postscript about the heat.
A few days later box came adj
dressed to Buster in my care. opened
it in Busters presence, indeed literally
beneath his nose. On top was a small
package, tied with blue ribbon, and
labeled For Buster" It proved to be
a dog biscuit, which the recipient at
once took to the hearth and began up,
on. Beneath this was a note, which
opened with eager fingers.
1t began:
Darling Buster: Your waggish epistle
received and contents noted. The limits
of the canine intelligence are probably re-
sponsble for your mistake in assigning
the term guinness to what you observe
in Master John, when it is really lack OF
occupation. You see, dear Buster, he has
got Twin Fires so far under way that ht
doesn't work at it all the time, so h
ought to be at his writing of stories
made up of big dictionary words which
am defining or inventing for him dowl
here in a very hot, dirty, dusty smell!
town. Tell him that's all the trouble H
has a reaction from his first farming en-
thusiasm, and doesn't realize that tn
thing to do is to go to work on the new
line, his line. For it Is his line, yo1
know, Buster.
Underneath this you'll find something
to give him, with my best wishes for sun
shine on the dear garden. I'd kiss you
Buster, only dogs are terribly germy.
STELLA.
P. S.-That IS nice pool, isn't it?
sat on the floor with the letter fl
my lap, smiling happily over it. The
I took the last package out Of the box
It was heavy, evidently metal. Re
moving the papers, I held in my han
an old bronze sundial plate a roun
one to fit my column, and upon i
freshly engraved, the ancient motto:
HoRAs NON NUMERo NIsI sERE
MAS.
NV first thought was Of it's cost. Sh
couldn't afford it, the silly, generou
girl! She'd bought it, doubtless, at on
of those expensive New York 'antiqu
shops, and then taken it to an engra7
er's. for further expense. l ought ne
accept it. Yet how could 1 refuse?
couldn't. I Rugged it to my heart, an
fairly ran to the dial post, Buster {
nv heels. Yes, I had no longer an
doubts. I wanted her. / should a
ways want her. Twin Fires was il