White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-09-28
INSTALLMENT NO. 20.

free choice of alternatives. After their
early dinner at three o'clock. Miss
Pink habitually retired to her own
room ito mediate" as she expressed
It. Her "meditations' invariably end
ed In a sound sleep of some hours;
and during that interval Isabel was
at liberty to do as she pleased. After
con siderable hesitation, her implicit
belief in Moodys truth and devotion,
ass sted by strong feeling of curl
osity to see the companion with whom
the steward had associated himself,
decided Isabel on consenting to keep
the appointment.
Taking up her position beyond the
houses, on the day and at the hour
mentioned by Moody. she believed her
self to be fully prepared for the most
unfavorable impression which the
most disagreeable of all possible
strangers could produce.
But the first appearance of Old
Sharon-as dirty as ever, clothed IN
long, frowzy, gray overcoat, Win
his pug-dog at his heels, and his
e-blackened pipe in his mouth,
with tall white hat on his head,
which looked as if it had been picked
I'D in a gutter. hideous leer in his
eyes. a jaunty trip in his walk-took
her so completely by surprise that
she could only return Moody's friend
ly greeting by silently pressing his
hand. AS for Moody's companion, to
look at him for a second time was
more than she had resolution to do.
She kept her eyes fixed on the pug
dog, and with good reason; SO far as
appearances went, he was indisput-
ably the nobler animal of the two.
Under the circumstances, the inter.
view threatened to begin in very
embarrassing manner. Moody, dis
heartened by Isabel's silence, made
no attempt to set the conversation
going; he looked as If he meditated
a hasty retreat to the railway station
which he had just left. Fortunately
he had at his side the right man (for
once) in the right pace. Old Sharon's
effrontery was equal to any emerg-
ency.
II am not nice-looking old man,
my dear, am II" he said, leering at
Isabel with cunning, half-closed eyes.
Bless your heart! you'll soon get
used to me- You. see, l am the sort
Of color, as they say at the linen
Diapers, that doesn't wash well. It's
all through love; upon my life it is!
Early in this present century | had
my young affections blighted, and
I'VE neglected myself ever since. Dis.
appointment takes different forms
miss, in different men. I don't think
have had heart enough to brush my
hair for the last so years. She was
magnificent woman, Mr.. Moody. and
she dropped me like hot potato
Dreadful! Dreadful! Let us pursue
this painful subject no further. Ha!
here's a pretty country! Here's nice
blue sky! I admire the country, miss;
see so little of it, you know. Have
you any objection to walk along ii
the fleldsY The fields, my dear. bring
out all the poetry Of my nature
Where's the dog? ere, PIGGY! PIGGY!
hunt about, my man, and find some
dog-grass Does his inside good, yo,
know, after a meat diet in London
Lord! how 1 feel my spirits rising II
this fine air! Does my complexion
look any brighter, miss? VIII you rul
race with me, Mr. Moody, or viii
you oblige me with back at leap
frog? I'm not mad, my dear youn,
lady: I'm only merry. | live, you see
in the London stink. and the smell O
the hedges and the wild flowers 1
too much for me at first. 1t gets int
my head, it does. I'm drunk! AS
live by bread, I'm drunk on fresh air
Oh! what jolly day! oh! how youn
and innocent do feel!" Here his II
nocence got the better Of him, an
he began to sing, "T wish l was
little fly, in my loves bosom for t
l1el' uIlow! here we are on the mic
soft grass, and. oh. my gracious
there's bank running down into
= hollow! I can't stand that, you know
Mr.. Moody, hold my hat, and tax
the greatest care of it. Here goes fo
roll down the bank!"
He handed his horrible hat to tn
astonished Moody, laid himself fla
on the top of the bank and delibe
ateiy rolled down it, exactly as
might have done when he was BIO.
The tails of his long gray coat fle
madly in the wind; the dog pursue
him, jumping over him, and barkin
with delight: he shouted and screame
in answer to the dog, as he role
over and over faster and faster; an
when he got up on the level grount
and called out cheerfully to his con
paniens standing above him, II ga
you two, feel 20 years younger a
ready" human gravity could hol
out no longer The sad and siler
Moody smiled, and Isabel burst int
fits of laughter.
There" he said, didn't l tell yo
you would get used to me, miss