Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-04-16


Shirley and stood gazing down at her
He was smiling at her whimsically
She met his glance for few seconds
thea her lids were lowered and she Dil
her lip with vexation.
SHIRLEY he said.
"You are presumptuous," she qua
vered.
"YOu set me an example in presump
tiOn," he retOrted good hum0redly
"Did you not call me by my first name
minute agO?' The heir to Cardi
gan's redwoOds bent over the girl
you spoke to me-after your promise
not to, Shirley he said gently. "You
will always speak to me-
She commenced to cry softly 81
lOathe you" she sobbed.
For you ] have the utmost respect
and admiration" he replied.
mo, you haven't. II you had, you
wouldn't hurt my uncle--the only hu'
man being in all this world who is
dear to me-
Gosh !" he murmured plaintively
"I'm jealous OF that man. However
I'm sorry I hurt him. | give you my
word came here to fight fairly"
"He merely tried to stop you from
fighting"
"No, he didn't. Shirley. He inter.
fered and fouled me. Still, despite
that. If had known you were Il spec
tator | think | should have controlled
myself and refrained from pulling OH
my vengeance IN your presence.
shall never cease to regret that | sub
jected you to such distressing spec
tacle. do hope. however, that you
will believe me when ! tell you am
not bully, although when there is n
fight worth while, never dodge II.
And this time I fought for the honor
Of the House of Cardigan"
IF you want me to believe that, you
will beg my uncle's pardon
Il can't do that. He Is my enemy
and I shall hate him forever; | shall
fight him and his way of doing business
until he reforms or l am exhausted"
"You realize. of course, what your
inslstence on that plan means. Mr..
Cardlgan?"
"Call me Bryce" he pleaded.
you're going to call me that some day
anyhow, so why not start n0w?"
"YOu are altogether lnsufferable,
sir Please c. away and never pre-
sumo to address me again. You are
quite impossible"
He shook his head. 81 do not give
up that readily, Shirley. l didn't
know how dear-what your friendship
meant to me. until you sent me away I;
| didn't think there was any hope until
you warned me those dogs were hunt
ing me-and called me Bryce" He
held out his hand. "'GOd gave us our
relations" he quoted, "but, thank God.
we Gun choose our friends And I'll
be good friend to you, Shirley Sum-
'ner until | have earned the right to be
something more. Won't you shake
hands with me? Remember, this fight
to-day is only the first skirmish In a
war to the finish-and | am leading a
fOrlOrn hope. If lOse-well this will
be goodbye
II hate you" she answered drearlly.
"All our fine friendship-smashed-
and you growing stupidity sentimental.
didn't think 1t of you. Please go
away. You are distressing me-
He smiled at her tenderly, forgiv-
ingly, wistfully, but she did not see it..
Then 1t Is really goodbye he muir
INJURED with mock dOlorousness.
She nodded her bowed head. "Yes"
she whispered. AFTER all. have
some pride, you know. You mustn't
presume to be the butterfly preaching
contentment to the toad In the dust"
"As you will 1t, Shirley" He turned
away. "Tll send your axe back with
the first trainload Of logs from ray
camp. Colonel" he called to Penning-
ton.
Once more he strobe away into the
timber. Shirley watched him pass out
of her life, and glOried In what she con-
ceiyed to be his agony. for she had
both temper and spirit, and Bryce
Cardigan calmly, blunderlngly, rather
stupidity (she thought) had presumed
flagrantly on brief acquaintance.
The Colonel's voice broke In upon
her bitter reflections. "That fellow
Cardigan Is a hard nut to erack-rll
say that for him. He had crossed the
clearing to her side and was address.
Ing her with his customary air of ex-
pansiveness. II think, my dear, you
had better so back into the caboose,
away from the prying eyes of these
rough fellows. I'm sorry you came,
Shirley. I'll never forgive myself for
bringing you. II had theught-but
how could I know that scoundrel was
coming here to raise disturbance?
And only last night he was at our
house for dnner!"
II wonder what could have occurred
to make such a mailman out Of hlm?"
the girl queried wonderingly. "He
acted more like demon than a human
being"
"Just like his old father" the Colonel
purred benevolently. "When he can't
get what he wants, he sulks. I'll tell
you what got on his COMPOUNDED
nerves. I've been frelghting logs for
the senior Cardigan over my railroad
the contract for hauling them was
heritage from Bill Henderson, from