The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-06-03

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Suddenly She Stopped and Looked Up
TO his hat-and then halted. Evident
ly his senses had deceived him. There
was no smile ip her eyes-and yet he
could have sworn that it was there an
instant before. Instead there was q
level stare.
Il am sorry II I startled" he be
gan.
The figure of q man appeared as II
discharged bodily from some magic
tree-trunk, and stood directly In his
patf-a tall, rugged naa in oTeraIls
was he, who held a spade In his hano
and eyed him inimleaiiy. Witheat an
other glance In his direction the first
and more pleasing vision turned on
her heel and continued her stroll
saunterlng off to the right, her faif
head. once more bent In study. hes
back eloquently Indifferent to the saze
that followed her.
"Who do you want to seer inquired
the man with the spade.
Before Barnes could reply q hearty
voice accosted him from behind. He
whiried and saw O'Dowd approaching,
not twenty yards away. The Irish
mans face was aglow with pleasure.
II knew couldn't be mistaken in
the shape Of you," he cried, advancing
with outstretched hand. you've got
the breadth Of dockhand In your
shoulders and the trimness Of prize
fighter in your waist"
They shook hands. II fear l am
trespassing." said Barnes. His glance
went over his shoulder as he spoke.
The man with the spade had been swal-
lowed up by the earth! He could not
have vanished more quickly In ahy
other way. or among the trees were
intermittent flashes of blue and white
II am quite sure you are" said
O'Dowd promptly but without trace
Of unfriendIiness In his manner. ''Be'
dad, loving him as I do, can't help
saying that Curtis is a bally old crank.
Mind ye, I'd ray 1t to his face-I often
do, for the matter Of that. OF course
he went on seriously, "he Is sick
man, poor devil. You see I've known
him for q dozen years and more. and
be likes me, though God knows why,
unless 1t may be that I once did his
son a good turn In London"
"Suficient excuse for reparation,
should say" smiled Barnes.
II introduced the lad to me only sis
ter" said O'Dowd, "and she kept him
happy for the next ten years. No
doubt I also provided Mr.. Curtis with
three grandchildren he might never
have had but for my graciousness."
A look Of distress came into his merry
eyes. "By !Joye, I'd like nothing bet
ter than to ask you in to have a dish
Of tea-it's teatime, I'm sure-but I'd
no more thinisefJp.ng:tf n.ItHDn-
slider cutting OF No. hssSi. 8 esn,s
like strangers. Hel -
my dear fellow, don't distress your
SELF" cried Barnes heartily. There
isn't the least reason In the world
why" .-..,;sI:s.: .isJ:,:--s az
"ycss see, the poor old chap asks
us up here once or twice a year-that
is to say, De Soto and me-to keep
his sister from filling the house up
with men he can't endure. So long
as we occupy the only available rooms
he argues, she can't stuff them full
Of objectionables. Twice year she
comes for a month, In the late fall
and early spring."
"Why does he continue to live in
this out-of-the-world spot? He Is ar
old man, I take it, and Ill"
'Yon wouldn't be wondering If yor
knew the man." said O'Dowd. "He Is
a scholar, dreamer, a sufferer. He's
not very old man at that. Not more
than sixty-fve."
"He certainly has 9 fanciful streal
in him, building place like that" sait
Barnes, looking not at the house bu
: into the thicket above. There was M
sign of the blue and white and thu
/ spun gold that still defied exclusion
from his minds eye. He had not re
covered from the thrall into which tht
vision Of loveliness plunged him. IL
was still trifle dazed and distraught
"Right you are" agreed O'Dowd
"the queerest streak in the world. It.
his notion Of Simplicity
Screen Fancy. Is that the name h
gave the place or does it sprini
FROM"
"'Twas christened by me own sis
ter, Mr.. Barnes, the first time she wa
here, two years ago. I'll walk wit