Evening star., 1917-10-28

to the public. They should not be at
large. An ordinance should require
them to go masked. For Miss Briggs
also was able to make excuses. Why
should she not protect herself from the
advances of strange young men? II q
popular novelist. and especially an ex-
popular one, chose to 60 about dis
guised as a drummer for the Blue Bird
was treated as such. what right had he
to complain? So I persuaded myself
had been punished as I deserved. But
to salve my injured pride assured my
novels ought to know my attitude to-
ward any lovely lady could be only re-
spectful. protecting and chivalrous-
But with this consoling thought the
trouble was that nobody read my novels.
In finding Harbor Castle l had no
difhculty. 1t stood upon a rocky point
that jutted into Buzzards bay. Five
acres of artificial lawn and flower beds
or the cemetery and railroad station
school of horticulture surrounded II,
and from the highroad 1t was protected
by stone wall so low that to the pas
serby OF the beauties Of Harbor Castle
nothing was left to the imagination
over this wall roses under conflicting
banners of pink and red fought fiercely.
one could almost hear the shrieks OF
the wounded. Upon the least thorny or
these ! seated myself and In tender
melancholy gazed upon the home OF
my childhood. That is. upon the home
that might-have-been
When surveying a completed country
home, to make the owner Thoroughly
lncensed the correct thing to saw is
This place has great possibilftiesf"
Harbor Castle had more possibilities
than any other castle l ever visited. But
In five minutes had altered IL to suit
myself | had plowed UP the flower
beds. dug sunken garden, planted a
wind screen of FIR. spruce and pine, and
with huge brick wall secured warmth
and privacy. So pleased was l with my
changes that when departed / was sad
and downcast The boathouse of which
Mrs. Farrell had spoken was certainly
an ideal workshop, the tennis courts
made those at the Newport Casino look
like plowed field, and the swimming
pool. guarded by white pillars and over
hung with grape vines, was a cool and
refreshing picture. AS, hot and per-
spring. l trudged back through Fair
harbor, the memory of these haunted
me. That they also tempted me it Is i'm
possible to deny. But not for long. For,
after passing through the elm shaded
streets to that side of the village that
faced the harbor, came upon the cot
tages had seen from the New Bedford
shore. At close range they appeared
out to me by the mate of the steamboat.
They were very old. very weather
stained and covered with honeysuckle.
Flat stones in setting of grass led
hollyhocks rose above hedges of box,
and from the verandas one could
look out upon the busy harbor and the
houses of New Bedford rising in steps
up the sloping hills to a skyline of tree
tops and church spires. The mate had
told me that for what he had rented
a fiat in New York he had secured one
of these charming old world homes. And
as 1 passed them I began to pick out
the one in which when 1 retired from
the world I would settle down. This
time made no alterations. How
much the near presence of Miss Briggs
had to do with my determination to
settle down in Fairharbor ] cannot now
remember. But certainly as ! crossed
the bridge toward New Bedford
thoughts OF her entirely filled my mind
I assured myself this was only be-
cause she was beautiful / was sure
her outward loveliness advertised a
nature equally lovely, but for my sud
den and extreme interest l had other
excuses; Her independence in earning
her living. her choice in earning 1t
among books and pictures, her pride OF
family as shown by her efforts to buy
the family heirloom. all these justified
my admiration. And her refusing to go
joy-riding with an impertinent stranger.
even though the impertinent stranger
was myself. was an act l applauded-
The more l thought of Miss Briggs the
more ! disinclined to go away
leaving with her an impression of my
self unpleasant as the one she then
held. ! determined to remove II. At
least. until had redeemed myself. /
would remain in New Bedford. The de-
termination gave me the greatest salts
faction. With a light heart l returned
to the office Of the Steamboat line and.
retrieving my suit case. started with it
toward the Parker House. 1t was now
past o'clock. the stores were closed.
and all the people who had not gone to
the base ball game with Fall River
were in the streets. In consequence. as
] was passing the post office. Miss
Briggs came down the steps, and we
were face to face.
(TO BE CONCLUDED IN NEXT SUM-