Evening star., 1924-01-06
CHAPTER XIX.
After Ten Years.

IRe VIDE, tree-ShaQeO main street
of BcYerleysburg, Va, was basking
semi-deserted in the still heat of the
Sd bh; ! afternoon, as lanky. lam
tern jawcd Yankee came down the
steps of the old hotel. He paused for
q moment on the sidewalk, glancing
somewhat uncertainty in each direc-
ton. For the first time in his life
Geoff was far from Sunny Beach,
which had been plain MilleTs Cove
when he was born, and he had passed
: four bewildering days since the night
train had borne him south, after his
visit to William Dunn.
He had purchased a map in the
station. and Systematically marked
out a route for himself along the
main line of the railroad upon which
he had elected to travel to Virginia
Of the smaller cities and towns whose
names even remotely resembled those
suggested to him. But he was be-
ginning to realize that he had en-
barked upon a venture of greater
magnitude than he had stopped to
consider. Everywhere he met with
an old time courtesy. vastly different
from the matter-of- fact Indifference
or suspicion which his inquiries would
have ELECTED In his native town, had
he come there stranger Yet there
was something battling about it, and
more than once his blunt questions
had died on his tongue. No one in
any town he visited appeared to have
heard of a Shirley in their i'm
voluble with suggestions as to where
they might be found elsewhere. and
he was slowly becoming discouraged.
Neither the clerk in the hotel nor
the kinky white headed old waiter
who served him In the dining room
had known of any Shirleys In this
community, either; but Geoff decided
to explore farther before taking the
late afternoon train on to Bainsford.
the next step on his route. He
ssuntered on leisurely up the street,
deep in reflection.
1t was funny how the towns in
these here parts were all called after
somebody. instead of like Fairhaven
or Belle Point or some such fancy
name. Take this place. Beverleys-
burg, now: it had an awkward kind
of "A sound. but some fellow named
Beverley must have settled here with
his family long ago, before concrete
and stucco and open plumbing were
heard of. He built up what maybe
looked like a wide-awake, hustling
community to him, and the folks that
came after figured that it was. too.
and called it his burg II any of
still lived here they could tell him
quicker than scat whether Lawrence
Shirley or his folks had ever been
heard of around the neighborhood.
On a sudden impulse Geoff stopped
a tall, distinguished looking old
gentleman in a broad -brimmed straw
hat and linen suit, who was passing
with the. courtly, grave nod which
seemed to be accorded all strangers,
even if they were just carpenters
back home.
Excuse me. sir. but mebbe you
could tell me if there's a Beverley
family still livin' here" Goef re
moved his hat and smiled in the
deferential yet confidently friendly
fashion which lent sort of charm
to even his homely countenance.
There is no family left. sub. ex-
ccpt Miss Katherine. She lives alone
gentleman responded after moments
pause.
Geoff was slightly disconnected. He
didn't know how to approach any
ladies-Katherine!T The name william
Dunn had remembered. The same
name as that of the girl young
Shirley had hoped to marry. Geoff
did a moments lightning calculating,
and then asked with an added note
of respect in his tone:
rs this lady-young, sir? l have
a message. for "a Miss Katherine
Beverley, but she would only be
round thirty to thirty-fxe, tall and
blonde. I was give a description O.
her because there was a mistake
made in the name O. the town, and
| been tryin' some little time to locate
her"
The old gentleman paused longer
now.
Miss Katherine is within the age
YOU mention, sub, but her hair has
not been blonde for several years"
DO you know-could you tell me.
sir, if there was another family
Geoff stammered I'D know then IL
twas the lady I'm lookin' for. because
the message concerns them"
The old gentleman drew himself
up suddenly and glared.
Then | should advise you, sub,
not to deliver it!'
He bowed and strode off down the
street with an air of offended dignity.
But Geoff had learned what he want
ed. and he started for the great white
house on the corner which his in
formant had indicated with sort
come all this way for nothing, and
no proud, disdainful southern beauty
was going to feaze him till he'd
found out all he could about Law
renee Shirley, If she should by
miracle happen to be the Katherine
that unfortunate young man had
cared for.
The house with it's broad, high-pil-
Jared porch was set we'll back from
the street in a tangled, old-fashioned
garden, ablaze with flowers. AS Geoff
opened the gate and walked up the
path, he saw slender, gray-haired
elderly woman in a plain white gown,
standing by q blossoming hedge. with
pruning shears in her hand. The
old gentleman had said that Miss