The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-08
TheAmateur Gentleman
BY jeffrey FarnoI

ttf
INSTAILAIENT ONE HUNDRED
THIRTY NINE Continued
Ard remember this. Barnabas.
-0r.r-vcur- mother. God bless her
sweet soul. vas a great lady. but I
married her. and I don't think as
She erer-rcgrected it. lad Ye see.
Baruabas. when q good woman real
lv loves q man-that man Is the only
man ia the world for her. and
nothing else matters 70 her, because
her love. being q good love. d ye see
makes him-a.most worthy.
Having said this. the longest
speech Barnabas ever heard MS
father utter. John Barty laid his
great hand lightly upon his sons
bent head and trGading very softly
for q man OF his inches. followed
~ rtv Bel out q the room.
But now as Barnabas sat there
staring into the fire and lost in
thought. he became. al az once. a
prey % doubt and fear once again,
doubt q himself. and fear Of the fu-
ture- FOR. bethiuklng him Of mis- IA
theTs last words. 20 seemed 70 him
that ne had indeed chosen the hard
cr course. since his days. hencefOrth.
must needs stretch away-a dismal
prospect wherein no wOman's form
might go beside him, no soft voice
cheer him. 10 tender hand be
stretched out 20 sOOth his gTiefs,
truly lie had chosen the harder way.
"a very dcsoiare way where no light
fan OF a WCmau's foot might Danish
.0r him his loneliness.
And presently. being fun Of such
respondent thoughts. Barnabas
looked up and found himself alone
amid the gathering shadows. And
sfraighrwav he felt aggueved and
wondered why his father and Natty
Bell must needs go off and leave
him .n this dark hour just when he
most needed them.
Therefore lie would have risen TO
seek them out but. in the act OF do
inE so. caught one Of his squire in
the rug. and str0ve vainly TO release
himself. for try how he would he
mieht not reach down so far because
O. the pain Of las wounded shOul-
der.
And now. all at once. perhaps be-
cause he found himself so helpless.
or because OF his loneliness and bod
ily weakness. the sudden tears
started 10 MS eyes. hot and scald-
ing. and covering his face, he
groancd.
But lOi in that moment Of his
need there came one. borne on fly
ing feet. 10 kneel beside him IN the
nre-glow. and with swift, dexterous
fingers TO do for him that which he
could not Go for himself. But when
DO was done and he was free, she still
kneIt there with head bent. and her
face hidden beneath the frill of her
mob-cap
Thank y0ul" he said. very humbly,
Il fear am very awkward, but my
shoulder is a little stiff
NSTALLMENT ONE HUNDRED
FORTY
DUT this strange serving-maid
ID never moved. or spoke. And
now. looking down at her shapely,
dropping figure. Barnabas began to
trembIe. all at once. and his fingers
C.enched themselves upon his chair
arms.
Speak" he whispered. hoarSely.
Then the great mob-cap was
shaken Off. yet the face Of this
maid was stiu hid from him by
reason of her hair that, escaping
its fastenines. fell down. over bowed
neck and white shoulders, ripping
to the noor-a golden glory. And
now. beh0lding the shining splendOr
Of this hair. his breath caught, and
as one cntranced. he gaZed down at
her. fearing TO move.
"Cle0reir he breathed. at last.
So CIcone raised her head and
looked ut him. signing a little, blush
ing a little. trembling a little. with
eyes shy yet unashamed, the eyes Of
a maid
oh. Barnabas," she murmured,
7 am here-On my knees. You
wanted me-On my knees, didn't
YOU. Barnabas2 So 7 am here to
ask YOU" But now her dark
lashes huttered and fell, hiding her
eyes from him, g. to beg YOU TO