Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-29

old crazyquilt were two small. white.
bare feet.
Roberts stopped and observed that
they we're of unmist;.knble feminine
architecture: indeed. of the Queen Anne.
rather than the Mary Ann school
Come out. Miss Ghost. or will
shoot" he commanded stcrnly
Tho toes wrigglcd ncrvously. but. his
summons was not obcycd. \ second
order brought results. The covcrlee
WAS lowered and he bcheld n mass or
tangled curls. two frightened. fawn-
like eyes. and Il dimpled face which
was enhanced in i,s pale beauty by
the apparent terror OF its owner. She
rose unsteadlly, and sthcn raised her
glance to the kind face above.
"Oh, please don't shoot. | was--so-
i-had---to take IT," were the trcmu-
! louS words.
! You are bad. bold wicked bur
! glar" replied her captor, with "a
! Come down stairs. while | put YOU on
trial for your life" he caught her.
| not unSently--by the lobe Of "a pink
little ear, anu led her to the lower
floor. Down the corridor he passed.
! with y peremptory order to the still
| wobblirE Hawkins
! In the library he stood her befor.
|
! Court Judge studied the pathetic II, =.
! tie iiGura; the girl. apparently eish,
tec,:, WIS dressed IN Il strange gar
| it-nt--i.n ancient pair "t farm over
ais above which pecpcd IL ragged
shirtwaist iIer slender arms were as
bare as her ankles.
well. Miss t;host-rxplain Yourself.
! iteineithfr that everything yo,, say
I SHALL tie used by the law against YOU -
| ha Inn
] the tinidi,y OF the girl Hawkins. at
| tired in II bathrobe and slippers. nov.
! advanced incredulously down the stairs
! Here's this hungry ghost. who goes
swimm:nE." cried Roberts. The girl
drew back. afIrightcd once more. but
the novelist gently commanded her to
proceed with her story. while Hnw-
kinS was dispatched to prepare q hot
! supper.
Well" she hesi,ated at first. =.
r&n-away from my foster father lie
beats me. SEQ my arms aud the
bruises"
"He won't do it again. observed
| Roberts Hut who arc YOU"
| II don't know. Nobody knows. for
! was washed up here when was a
tiny little girl. during IL big storm at
sea. Fly Jcssup was II iisherman-it
! was he who sold the fish to this other
]
dow. He WAS kinder to me long ago.
/ when Mrs. jesSup took me in. Hut she
died. and Hy drinks all the time now
He beats me when I cook well. and
when | cook badly. And he made me
stop going to the village school So.
three days ago he was so cruel and
mean that just ran away. That's
all there is. I came UP here because
;h"y said the house was haunted. and
khtw no one would come here hut
| saw :ou come. last night and this
morning. was so frightened and so
hungry that ! didn't know what TO
do
/ Ronald H"berts smiled. and then was
serious again.
But. you poor child. what did You
live on?"
We'll. found some old cakes and
bread. and nearly broke my teeth on
! them. Then. there's the cow-good
warm milk helped lot-and | took
some of your fish and some or the fruit
from the tablc-oh. | didn't mean to do
! wrong"
rho pathetic little face. with its
| hunting eyes was up;urncd to the
novelist For the second time within
the period Of this strange evening Ron
aid Roberts was enlivened By II new
sensation.
/ Now he was stirred to the depths
Of his soul, ~ he had never been be-
! fore THIS time he felt. not Il fear
/ OF the uncanny, but Il matldcninc desire
10 draw this little flower to his breast
Ito put his strong arms about her and
TO protect her. 10 cherish her as though
she were his own. Yet IL was a stim-
ulus Of spirit in nowisc like that Of
| sympathy. AS lie looked down into
! the cerulcan depths of those trust.
! ing eyes he dropped his own glance
| to note the picture Of beatrice Mont
/ ford on the library table close beside
| him.
| What difference between this
! Wholesome child Of the sea, with her
dimpics her insenius grace. the naive
~ voluptuous appeal of the naked
| arms. the bare feet, the maidenly con
tours enhanced by the ill-ftting garb.
ana the unkempt willful fragrant
wealth of curls-and the self-satisfed.
/ self-coniiGent. Se!f-asssr;ivc features
which looked 1T him from the silver
| frame.
For the first time in his life. Ronald
I Roberts was afraid.
He was frightened by his own
thoughts.
chair and dropped into 1t, leaning on
! the table. Hawkins. bearing Il stenrl-
ing tray OF savory viands, entered
from the kitchen,
The girl turned apprchensively, and
her face Frightened 1T the welcome
| sight
Roberts reached cXcitedly for his
| fountain pen, as the valet placed the
! dishes upon the table.
Wont you ave n wee bite yourself,
SIR" was Hnwkins's solicitous inquiry.
NO. I'm busy Both OF you cal
and get opt OF the room--go to bed
I lie WAS writing rn pi1ly with M
/ trace or the previous uncertainty.
81 have my story. now, Hawkins.
/ Good night" was all he said.
4 (Concludcd Next Wcek)
The CcaY]e+ Ru,na.