Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-13

that appeal from his brother: there
were too many walls between them.
But he was becoming impatient for
release. though. all in all. he had not
found the confinement intolerable or
even very irksome. His character was
philosophic. his imagination calm: no
bugaboos came to trouble him. When
the boys closed the door upon him he
made himself comfortable upon the
floor and. for time, thouehtfully
chewed patent-leather slipper that
had come under his hand. He found
the patent leather not unpleasant to
his palate. though he swallowed only
portion of what he detached, not
being hungry at that time.
Naturally. he fell asleep. And toward
the conclusion of his slunbers. he had
this singular adventure: A lady set her
foot down within less than half an
inch of his nose-and neither Of them
knew 1t. Verman slept on. without be-
ing wakened by either the closing or
rouse him was something ample and
soft falling upon him-Margarets cape.
which slid from the hook after she
had gone.
Enveloped in it's folds. verman sat up
corkscrewing his knuckles into the
corners of his eyes. Slowly he became
aware OF two important vacuums-one
in time and one in his stomach. Hours
had vanished strangely into nowhere:
the game Of bonded prisoner was some
thing cloudy and remote of the long,
long ago. and. although verman knew
where he was. he had partially forgot
however. that something had gone
wrong. for he was certain that he
ought not to be where he found him
self
his life had verman been within the
doors of White Folks House, and.
above all things. he felt that 1t was in
some underlined way vital to him to get
out of White-Folks' House unobserved
and unknown. 1t was in his very blood
to be sure of that.
Further than this point, the processes
of Verman's mind become mysterious
to the observer. It appears. however.
that he had a definite (though some
what primitive) conception Of the use
fulness of disguise: and he must have
begun his preparations before he heard
footsteps in the room outside his closed
door.
These footsteps were Margaret's. Just
after Penrod had been baffied in an
other attempt to leave the table, Mar
garet rose and patted her father i'm
pertinently upon the head.
You can't bully me that way" she
said "I got home too late to dress,
and I'm going to a dance. 'Scuse"
And she began her dancing on the
SPOT. DlrOue1Gln& nSESelI SWlIliy OUT OIL
the room, and was Immediately heard
running up the stairs.
"Penrod" Mr.. Schofield shouted. 'Sit
down. What is the matter with you
II got to CO." gasped Penrod. IT got
to tell Margaret sumpthing."
We'll, 1t will keep till she comes
downstairs. You sit down till this meal
is finished"
ePenrod was becoming frantic.
II got to tell her-it's sumpthing
Sans mother told me to tell her he
babbled Didn't she, Sam? You heard
her tell me to tell her; didn't YOU
Sam
Sam offered prompt corroboration.
Yes. sir: she did. Sc said for us
both to tell her. l better go. too. l
guess, because she said"
He was Interrupted. Startlingly upon
their ears rang shrek on shrek. Mrs
Schofield, recognizing Margarets voice.
likewise shrieked. and Mr.. Schofeld ut
tered various sounds. but Penrod and
Sam were incapable Of doing anything
yocally. All rushed from the table
Margaret continued to shrek. and 1t
is not to be denied that there was some
cause for her agitation. When she
opened the closet door her light blue
military cape, instead of hanging on
the hook where she had left it, came
out into the room in manner which
she afterward described as "a Kind OF
horrible creep. but faster than creep.