Evening star., 1930-06-28
SECOND INsTALLMENT.

"O go back few hours, the morn
ing of that never-to- -be-forgo
Saturday, had dawned over
4 Brides House opal clear. A
turquoise sky thinly veiled by
shell-pink clouds. In the air was an
ominous Stiffness a poised suspense that
carried with it promise of electrical
disturbances at no far-distant hour.
Since her arrival at the farm the new
tenant had employed every waking mo-
ment in trying to get settled. Eight
ponies to house and feed, not to men
tion the trouble with the New York,
New Haven & Hartford over Dracula.
The big, bald-faced sallion had elected
to register q last-minute protest against
the travelling accommodations afforded
him by kicking the side out of q box
car-an aspersion on its efficiency to
which the railroad had taken exception
in the form of q threatened suit for
damages. Six days Of work, worry and
turmoil It was enough to make even
the most modern of Brunhilds look a
bit wiited.
Dressed in the same gray-fiannel
shirt and English riding breeches which
had so outraged Mr.. Noah Peabody S
sense of decency, Miss West stood, at
IL o'clock Saturday morning, With her
stable. boy, Otto. inspecting the boarded
of inclosure which a carpenter, working
with obvious haste so as not to be over
taken there by nightfall, had built the
afternoon before and reinforced with
iron bars.
THAT ought to hold him." she said,
but without conviction.
otto dubiously agreed that it ought.
'But we'll keep him on double halter
for a day or two" pursued the stallion
owner, until we see whether the floor
beams are going to bear his weight"
This was no suggestion born of an idle
moment AS on all New England farms,
the outbuildings of the Runnels place
were connected with the house proper
by a covered passageway. They con-
sisted of a white barn, honestly built
and still sturdy, a COW shed, pig pen
and chicken run. But there was req
barn. a crunibling relic of better days,
standing some so PAGES from the others:
and it was here that Miss west mao
elected to inprison the turbulent
Draculs. hoping against hope that' once
separated from the mares, the STATION
might settle down to good behavior.
I'm going to ride you, my beautliul,
she croOned to the pink velvet nose
which made savage passes through the
bars at the handle of her riding crop
I'm going to ride you this Summer
even If I break your neck and mine
doing it."
That being the case, If you asked
Otto's opinion, Miss Vests neck was as
good as broken already. Dracula was
one bad horse.
And I'm one bad ladyl Isn't that so
Abby?" The braggart grinned over hel
shoulder at the third and last member
of the oddly assorted households
white-aproned, high-bosomed Scotch
woman of and 40, who had at thai
moment appeared in the open doorway
OF the barn.
Miss Abigail Barth, fresh from the
heath and heather Of her native land
had stepped into the West household or
the morning after Rachel West hac
been carried out of it. She found the
orphan she had come to mother-a red
headed, wild-eyed small girl of 4-en'
trenched behind an armchair in tht
library, from which point of vantage
she held off corps of terrified servants
bombarding them, every time the!
sought to dislodge her, with books
snatched from the lower shelves. With
out waiting to remove her small blacl
bonnet, Miss Barth hao rushed th'
camp, laid hands on the rebel, ant
turning her over one knee endeavoreC
there and then to spank some sens
Into her. From that day to the pres