Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-08-02

All THIS WOulQ appear TO De EeaSOu-
ably definite were it lot for the note
regarding the color Of his hair. 1t
leaves to me the simple task Of COM
pleting the very admirable description
Of Mr.. Barnes by announcing that
Miss Tilly's hair was an extremely
dark brown.
Also it is advisable to append the
following biographical information:
Thomas Kingsbury Barnes, engineer,
born in Montclair, N. J., September
26, 1885. Cornell and Beaux Arts,
Paris. Son of the late Stephen S.
Barnes, engineer, and Edith (YaIen-
tine) Barnes. Office, Metropolitan
building, New York city. Residence,
Amsterdam mansion. Clubs: (Lack
of space prevents listing them here.
Recreations, golf, tennis and horse
back riding. Fellow Of the Royal Geo
graphical society. Member Of the
Loyal Legion and the Sons Of the
American Revolution.
Added to this, the mere announce
ment that he was in a position to in
dulge fancy for long and perhaps
aimless walking tours through more
or less Out-of-the-way sections of his
own country, to say nothing of excur-
sions in Europe.
He was rich. Perhaps not as riches
are measured in these Midas-like days,
but rich beyond the demands of ava
rice. His legacy had been an ample
one. The fact that he worked hard at
his profession from one years end to
the Other-not excluding the six
devoted to mentally productive jaunts
lis proof sufficient that he was not
content to subsist on the fruits of an
other mans enterprise. He was a
worker.
The first fortnight of a proposed
six weeks jaunt through upper New
England terminated when he laid
aside his heavy pack in the little bed
room at Harris Tavern. CockcrOw
would find him ready and eager to be-
gin his third week. At least so he
thought. But, truth is, he had come
to his journeys end; he was not to
sling his pack for many day to come.
After setting the mind of the land
lord at rest Barnes declined Mr.
Rushcroft's invitation to QUAR- a cor.
dial with him in the taproom, explain
ing that he was exceedingly tired and
intended to retire early.
Instead of going up to his room i'm
mediately, however, he decided t.
have look at the weather. His un
easiness concerning the young woman
Of the crossroads increased as he
peered at the wall Of blackness loom
ing up beyond the circle of light. She
was somwhere outside that sinister
black wall and in the smotherins
grasp of those invisible hills, but was
she living or dead2 Had she reached
her journeys end safely? He tried tt
extract comfort from the cOnfidenc,
she had expressed in the ability ant
integrity of the old man who drov
with far greater recklessness than on
would have looked for in wild an,
irresponsible youngster.
. BE recalled with thrill the imperl
GUS manner in which she gave direC
lions to the man, and his surprising
servility. It suddenly occurred to hin
that she was no ordinary person; b
was rather amazed that he had no
thought of it before.
Moreover, now that he thought Of il
, there. was, even in the agreeable re
joinders she had made to his offering;
! the faint suggestion of an accent tina
! should have struck him at the tim
but did not for the obvious reason tina
7 he was then not at all interested Il
? her. Her English was so perfect tina
!. he had failed to detect the almost in
! perceptible foreign flavor that nov
! took definite form in his reflection:
! He tried to place this accent. Wa
a it French or Italian or Spanish? Gel
: tainly it was not German.
o He took a few turns up and dow
Y the long porch, stopping finally at tn
: upper end. The clear, inspiring clan
!. of a hammer on an anvil fell sue
' denly upon his ears. He looked at hi
watch. The hour was nine, certainl
9 an unusual time for men to be at wor
in forge. He remembered two me
q in the taproom who were bare-arme
. and wore the shapeless leather apron
/ Of the smithy.