Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-18

very much enjoying herself,
Ihey had emerged at last into the
road and walked toward Black Rock.
seth In the center and Peter and Shod
on either side. '''"u
I've been thinkin' about what you
said yesterday" said Beth to peter. ''N
''About-?"
Singing like an angel in heaven, {"
sne said promptly aware of Shad's
Dridling glance.
do----you know" ''u
a musician" ''' anu sou
,,r,t Musician = lCi - growled shad. "He
ro,,o IN, a. yes, he is, and he says I've
that. that shsd @e W.lis w angel You never said
,Mo. Nor I won't" he snapped
teter would have been more amused ~
unhappy. ''""u "e''s was
He needed the mans allegiance md
ne ne had no wish to make an enemy ~
:. Musician!' ,Sn shad growled. "Tben
vas you the men heard last night"
,r, aound a piano in the cabin.
noth' lying 1t, said Peter. Shad said
| Il
shade OF scorn into the way in which bo
Spet into the road. n'
"w,55ssre3p p'1RfMi What cabin p Beth sa'Ded'
pets5 @GDpIS politely, '''' '"'o
mere was silence on the part Of
lcng. p""''"'' a"k"ardly
.. SO Peter made an effort to relieve
s tension; commenting on the new
arrivals at Black Rock House.
.bano1 "a. the mention of Peggy's name Beth
shoWed fresh excitement.
Miss Mcclure! Here? Wben-,"
This morning. Do you know herr"
No. But I've seen her. I think
she's s.s,;l! Just lovely" ''N
She wears such beautiful clothes
ahd-and hats and veils."
| feter laughed. "And that's your
definition Of loveliness.
| nv Why, yes she said in wonder.
Last year oil the girls were copyin'
ner: putin little puffs of hair over
fneir ears tried It. but it looked
Iqnny. Is she going to be here long
Has she got a beau with her? She
always had. It's a wonder she doesn +
run over somebody, the way she drives
She nearly got me this mornin',"
growled Shad.
Il wish she would-if you're going
10 look like meatax. Shad Wells"
There was no reconciling them now.
and when Beth's home was reached. nil
three of them went different ways.
what rouge she was! And poor Shad,
VINO was to have taken Peter ut n
gobble, seemed a very poor sort of q
creature in Beth's hands.
She amused Peter greatly, but she
annoyed him a little too, ruffed up
the shreds of his princely dignity, not
yet entirely Injured to the trials of social
regeneration. And Shad's blind adora
tion was merely q vehicle for her
amusement. 1t would have been very
much, better If she hadn't used Peter 8
compliment as bait for Shad. Peter
had come to the point of liking the
rough foreman, even If he was a new
Kind OF human animal from anything in
Eteter's experience.
And so was Beth. A new kind of
animal--somethin between a harrier
ana a skylark, but wholesome and hu-
man too, denim dryad, the spirit Of
health, Joy and beauty, a creature good
to look at, in spite of her envy Of the
fashionable Miss Peggy Mcclure, with
her modish hats, cerise wells and ear
puffs, her red roadsters and her beaux
Poverty sat well upon Beth, and the
frank blue eyes and resolute chin gave
notice that whatever was to happen to
her future she was honorable and un-
afraid.
But If there was something very win
ming about her, there was something
pathetic too. Her beauty was so un-
conscious Of her ridiculous clothing, and
yet Peter had come to think of 1t as q
she would look like in feminine apparel,
in which he could not imagine her,
for the other girls Of Black Rock had
not so far blessed his vision. Aunt
Tillie Bergen had told him, over his late
| breakfast, of the difficulties that she
and Beth had had to keep their little
place going and how Beth, after being
laid off for the summer at the factory,
had insisted upon working in the Gas
kills vineyard to help out with the
household. There ought to be some
thing for Beth Cameron, better than
this--something less difficult-more en-
Iobling.
Thinking of these things Peter made
his way back to tho cabin. Nothing OF
a disturbing nature had happened
around Black Rock House. except the
arrival of the remainder Of McGuire's
unwelcome house party, which had
taken to wandering aimlessly through
the woods, much to the disgust of Jesse
Brown, who, lost in the choice between
dudes" and desperadoes, had given up
any attempt to follow Peters careful
injunctions in regard to Mcclure.
It was still early and the supper
hour was 7, so Peter unpacked his
small trunk, which had arrived in
his absence, and then, carefully shut
ting door and windows, sat at the
piano and played quietly at first, a
'Iteverie' of Tschaikowsky. a "Ber-
cense" of Caesar Cui, the "Valse
Triste" of Jean Sibelius and then. for
getting himself-launched forth into
Chopin's G Minor Etude. His fingers
were stiff for lack of practice and the
piano was far from perfect, but in
twenty minutes he had forgotten the
present, lost In memories. lie had
played this for Anastasie Galitzin.. He
saw the CLINT of the shaded piano lamp
upon her golden head. recalled her
favorite perfume. Silver nights
upon the castle terrace. Golden
walks through the autumn forest;
Suddenly bell rang loudly at Peter 3
side il seemed. Then, while he won
dercd, it rang again. or course-the
telephone He found the instrument in
the corner and put the receiver to his
ear. 1t was McGuire's voice.
THAT you. Nichols:" It asked in an
agitated staCcato.
Eyes. sir.
"Wel, it's getting dark, what have
you done about tonight"
"Same as last night" said Peter,