Evening star., 1924-01-14


to Mistress Penelope. Strike him
from Your favor for the next cotil-
iion,. Mistress. for he knows full well
he does but Jest"
Is ,And An whyT" asked 81! the girl. who
You do not know? 'Odsblood!
thought all Virginia knew it's most
notorious ne'er-do-well - it's riding,
fishing, fiddling. smiling son Of the
forests, whose fame is passing wide
IN I1on these .ho parts: parts, That is Patrick
Sometimes we who are SO swift at
snap Judgment" she said, sageIy
come header. are hoist by our own
petard. Who knows? Even the lout
might prove himself a man. given the
incentive"
The stentorian voice OF the auc-
Iloneer was calling together the
prospective buyers; the crowds were
eugins In IN and In the general move
attended by the gallants on foot,
went a trifle forward.
her clear young eyes roved over
the unhappy group behind the block,
and a small line drew in between her
arching brows.
Perhaps Of all that chattering
throng that gay spring morning, she
alone felt something OF their tragedy.
AT any rate, sne mad seemingly for
II,
her pensive glance betokened that she
was a-dream upon some forbidding
subject.
She saw the first merchandise put
upon the block. huge Yorkshireman,
heavy of feature, scowling.eyed, and
saw him quickly sold for seven years
Of labor; for muscles bloomed along
his naked arms and strength was
rampant in him.
A debtor went next one of the
n
vastly higher type than the master
who bought him - after desultory
bidding.
Then mounting quickly in his place
came girl, stole. blonde creature,
who stood up straightly and faced
her fortunes with steady lips. She
was easeful and 1.-THE. standing with
modesty and downcast look, and the
bidding quickened promptly.
TWO or three young planters, look
under the criers urge, and one Of the
traders, Gabe McCool by name, edged
in and shot brisk bid up.
This man was known the country
round for one of the most brutal of
his ilk; huge bulk of man, red
OF face. lowering Of eye. who bought
and sold-at profit, always at profit.
Now his repulsive face glowed deeply
and he fourished his whip. while he
studied the lass with open calcula-
the girl upon the block cast swift
look at him and seemed to shrink
For the first time an expression Of
fear spread on her face, and she
raised large blue eyes under fair
iashes and looked slowly around at
interested. some Indifferent. intent
only on the opportunity for gossip
which the gathering offered: others
were amused, and nearly all were
smiling. What meant one comely
servant girl more or less to them,
But the slow blue eyes halted when
they reached one face with eyes an
swering her appeal. whose hazel orbs
were deep pools of sympathy. OF all
that gathering Mistress Penelope
man heart on the selling block and
saw there terror of Gabe McCool.
Sudden, gripping fear that sapped the
courage with which 1t had faced it's
fate before.
The young miss on the brown
horse moved uneasiiy in her saddle.
Once more the crier called for bids.
and once more the planters answered.
Once more the trader, raised his
bids. Another raise, and two of the
planters dropped out. A third. a man
from up the James. stuck with him
for time or two. and the price was
now reaching high-water mark. At
the next call this man shook his head.
was good property. but the trader
was forcing her up. McCool edged
in as the auctioneer raised his gavel.
AS he neared the block, grinning, his
stock-whip under his arm. the lass
moved backward insttnctively. and
once again her blue eyes raised and
shot look across the heads Of the
crowd to the fair face under the
brown hair. 1t was a pftiful look, a
sweet look-a desperate look. 1t told
that other young heart, swiftly, many
saen them as love of ife anS ehas
dear virtue which only a woman can
comprehend-and- It was an
appeal, an Offering Of faith, as II.
somehow. there were help in that
other heart. And there was promise
of future fidelity in 1t, too.
Mistress Penelope saw all these
things in that one deep glance. Upon
the instant she rose in her stirrup,
and her clear young voice cut sweet
ly out on the still air.
She raised the traders bid.
AT this unheard-of thing-a lady of
Virginia bidding in open market
all heads turned her way. Looks of
surprise were bent upon her; the
chatter ceased.
Gabe McCool flung round, his sace
black with anger, to gaze at her.
But she was the governors daugh-
ter, and all knew her to be the dar-
ing of that stern old martinet's
heart, spoiled from her cradle by in
be said to be 50. Now the hazel eyes
were darker than their wont, and a
spot of deeper red was beginning to
burn in either cheek
Nip and tuck went the bids. raped
out by McCool. called sweetly and
fell upon the gathering. Away be-
yond all precedent had gone the price
; OF one servant girl from Lancashire,
and TOT no apparent reason.
Inc trader was rich. He had caught
that instructive shrinking Of his pro-
spective property upon his approach.
the look In the wide blue eyes. His
square jaw was set like a lock.
80. at last. he named a figure which
only very rich man might equal
Inc une governors daughter dropped her
lifted hand and turned her. head
away. There was genuine distress i'm
the fairest face in the colonies.
The auctioneer raised his hammer
caLedLWalted-calle again and
McCool striding forward with a grin
upon his evil face.
He stepped upon the block, reached
up q hand. caught the girls wrist
and jerked her down forcibly, SO that.
na.urariy ninn ,nSvar,.nt a creature of grace and
stumbled and came down a-snra wi
At the laugh which followed, rippIimg
around the circle Of spectators like
and the blue eyes blazed with. a
sudden spirit. :"
The trader swung her around md
for no reason save one of pure
hravado at his triumph over the
aristocracy, fiecked his whip most
6exterously, SO that its lash curied
around her feet.
At the same moment he raised the
wrist he held. and with the swift
n ess OF a cat the slave-girl bent and
| set her teeth deep in the fiesh ~
T, his forearm.
1t was a purely psychological sc-
ton, q elimination of all the wrnne,
, she had suffered. of the fear and tRs
despair.