Evening star., 1923-11-11

cedars. Helios studied 1t. 1t
was Grandfather sBunt's hat.
and the old man might be under
meath 1t. Again. he might have put
IL on u fat slab Of rock while he
read his ST. Paul pager. Helios
steadied the air rifle against his brown
shoulder and fred The hat spun gal
lantly off toward Lake Michigan, and
there was a hideous yell. The face
of Milton Bunt rose redly beyond the
rocks in a nimbus of gray beard. He
yelled: That's right. Go ahead!
Your fool of motheIS says you're
too big to lick. Go ahesd"'
Helios said: He that calleth his
daughter fool is
That's right" his. grandfather
shrieked. go and get blasphemous.
too. What with them French whoop-
in their heads off on the front grass.
and you tryin' to kill: me out here,
it's a wonder l don't go off to the
farm and leave you flat"
IT'S a wonder you don't, sir said
Helios in a gentlemanly agreement.
His three small half-aisters, Agnes,
Jeanne and Marie Haral. came about
the corner of the house and whooped
dismally, together. Helios sighed.
He got up, with dignity. shouldered
the air rife and strolled down the
baking turf to the beach of white fine
sand. Mr.. Bunt retired up the lawn.
Helios stretched his brown legs on
the blistering sand and admired the
world. thoughtless and comfortable.
until his mother called, "Heeln' in a
voice meant to be engry.
Nine. Olsen was coming down the
grass in her Wednesday nightrobe of
rosy silk. Her braids Of yellow hair
hung loosely over :beryl wrap, and
as she came she lost one slipper. The
barred foot. big and beautiful, flashed
over the sod. She said: "Golly, but
it's hot. Heel. I don't see how you
stand 1t! Now, what d'you mean by
shootin' up your grandfather" She
beamed, accusing hial. Helios patted
the sand beside him: and his mother
sat down. She ordeEed: Run and get
my slipper, lamb. Mercy it wasn't
the Light one It's awful bad luck
to drop off your right slipper
Inank you, money.
Don't mention 1t, Blondie." said
Helios, putting the slipper back over
her toes. He sat zdown again and
complained: "rve done everything 1
can to make grandfather go home"
X 4 X
NINE. OLSEN chuckled deeply. She
A'i said: Now. Heel, the poor old
mans awful fond of Sig and you.
You oughtn't to snind havin' him
round some in summers. He says 1
ought to have Sig thrash you. Where
is Sig?"
event over to ting Inn to get some
horehound drops for the French"
Helios yawned. THE joints all shot
up, isn't it? HareFs got a bust arm;
the kids have whoopin' cough; and
we've got grandfather on our hands.
It's awful I'd better shoot a rabbit
to change our lucky
His mother chuckled. And I got
letter from the op'ra; they're
thinkin' of revivin' Faust" Amt
that the limit? There's something
perfectly indecent about a woman
with five children singing Marguer-
ite. l amt sung it since your father
sang Faust" The stupid loveliness
of her marine eyes changed, briefly
to shadow. Helios sat rigid. She
trios Aleri Now she touched the
necklace OF sixteen emeralds about
her neck, sighed and Ieclared: We'll.
I'm still thin enough to sing Mar
guerite, and that's more'n most So
pranos with five kids could say"
She beamed at Lake, Michigan and
said: "What'Il l sir.g over at the
inn tomorrow night, Heel? You got
to play my accomplishments count
of Harers arm"
Helios grunted. You might as
well sing The End Ola Perfect Day
for that bunch of catfish"
And don't get so high and mighty
about the folks at the inn," said Nine.
Olsen. 'I don't think Andover's good
for you. Bub. You were born right
over there at Pointe Carosse. 1t ,
wasn't a hotel then; there was just
a boardin' house and come cottages"
The boy stammered: Thought I
happened in London, BIondie.'
His mother picked up two pebbles
and clicked them in palm. She said: !
Not much, sonny. Couldn't stand
London after your fat7ler-was mur-
dered. 1 came to St. Paul. 1 sent
Harel out to find some place-quiet.
Came down here and called myself
Mrs. Smith. Gracious, / was blue!
Losin' two good husbands one after
another-Oh, well! Sigs twenty, and
you're near seventeen. You're an
awful nuisance. Heel. Don't you
shoot your grandfather again"
Nine. Olsen tossed the pebbles into
the lake. kissed his bare shoulder and
ran up the lawn IN. the futter of
green and pink silks Her yellow
hair shimmered in the furious light;
she was like a pond lily floating
swiftly. She sang, running scale
that showered strong .and high notes
into the breeze. Heltos stood up to
watch her and muttered a respectful
Gosh"
A thick female voise said, on the
water: 'fWas that Nine Olsen that
went away, then?"
She looked like an eggplant. Her
hair was black. She wore a gown
Of purple silk that bse out of the
red canoe. sunk eeep In the lake. She
was not old, but gross. inelegant,
sweating. She must .be an intrusive
sightseer from the .Pointe Carosse
Inn. Helios smiled and sat down
crosslegged on the beach. placing the
air-gun on his knees.= He said: mo,
s,at x,rasp,t Nina nIsop v,h,f,s bar