Barnwell sentinel. (Barnwell C.H., S.C.) 185?-1925, August 16, 1917, Image 2
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BARNWELL SENTINEL, BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA
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By E. PHILLIPS OPPE
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LL the world love? :t lover, find nil tho world chortles with de
light -when a charming Kiri fascinates qn avowed woman-hater
und trains him to eat quietly out .of heTTuiirff. In the story which
We offer here, the charming heroine does nothing sa common
place as to fascinate one nnvn ; sin* fascinates ‘dozens. AiuLin thR-end-
she 1ms not one woman-hater eating out of her hand,' hut Three of .the
crustiest huehejors you ever saw following her a round.. like- faithful^-j-.
dogs. “The lliflmaiP- is altogether delightful, ;-&nd we feel sure our
readers will enjoy; the serial, thoroughly. r_
' * r* ■. *' THE EDITOR.
hu Straugewey'.usliered his com-rj her way'paused before tm old eheifal
panton. .Into the. 'Square, oak-paneled
glass, before which were suspended
two silver candlesticks containing
lighted wax candles; She looked stead
fastly at her own reflection. A little
As regards tonight^-! had not made up" 4 There have been some.of our race who
j ’ i -■ « i „ .. ,1 i ^ a >. - i. A l. „ ' e „ ... a. .. ,1 i .. r ^ «lw. 1. . 1 n rv/1a
have been tempted into the lowlands
and the cities. Not one of them
CHAPTER I.
Louise was leaning back among the j by his sld% “For the’first timeTn my
cushions of (he motionless car. The j life you rnuke me feel undersized,”
moon had not yet risen, but a faint and He looked down at her, a little more
luminous glow, spreading like a halo at his ease.now h.v reason of the friend-
about the topmost peak of* the ragged liness of her manner, although he hud
line ‘d^hllls, heralded its approach.
swept the hillsides, vainly
- John
innlon. ....
hall, hung with many trophies of the
chase, a few oil-paintings, here and
there, som’e sporting; prints. It 'was
lighted only with a single lamp which
stood" upon a round, polishedStable in
the center of the white-flagged floor. _ _ ___ __ _ i _
‘‘This lady’s motor-car has broken, illustrated papers and the enterprise j; “My Brother,” John told her, “has her hands clasped behind her back,
dpwn, Stephen,” John explained, turn- of the modern 'photographer had corn-'; not been farther away t#nn the near- glanbed. toward John, who still .stood
ing a little nervously toward his bn^th- J bfncd to make familiar to the world— .est market town for-.nearly twenty by her side.
er. “I found them in the road, just ; the figure of a giri, it seemed, notwith* years.” ! -‘“Tell the,” she asked him, “have
at the bottom of the hill, she and her j standing her twenty-seven years, tier j jjer eyes grew round with astonish- 1 none of yopr people who went out into
servants .will, spepd the night here. . I soft, white blouse was open' at the ment. - 11 the world ddue-well for themselves?”-
iny mind. I rather hoped to reach
Kendal. My Journey is not at all flu in
teresting matteT to talk about,” she brought honor upon our name. Their
went on. “Tell me about your- life pictures are not here;. They are not
.smile parted her lips. In the bedroom here. It sounds most delightfully pas- worthy to be here.”; , -
of this quaint farmhouse she Was. look- toral. Do you live here all the year - Stephen set down the-candlesticks
ing upon a face and a figure which .the round 1" . and returned to his place. Louise, with
. - -1. r - . . , .. .. open
line, you really are almost as tall ns hnve -^explained that there is $o village neck, displaying a'beautifully rounded
i *ou appeared! she added, a#.she stood or j 7in f nr u good'many miles.” throat. .Tier eyes dwelt upon the oval
ll “ hv hU u,lw ' I, ‘‘ r ,h “ , "" t ,nv Louise turned graciously toward the face, with its strong, yet 'mobile fea-
elder man, who waa standing grimly
apart. Even in. those few seconds, her.
quick sensibilities warned her of the
K *
Her eyes
yet without curiosity, for‘tiny sign of a
human dwelling.' Her chuuffeur and
her Timid stood talking heatedly-to
gether m-ar the radiator.
Louise leaned forward and culled to
the chauffeur.
"Charles,” she asked, “what has hap
pened? Are we really stranded here?”
The man’s head emerged from the
bonnet. He came round to the side of
the ear. •
"I am very sorry, madam,” he re
ported, “but something has gone wrong
with the magneto. I shall have to.take
It to pieces before I can tell exactly
what is wrong. It will take several
hours and it ought to he done by day
light. Perhaps I had better go‘and see
whether there isn’t a farm somewhere
near.”
“And leave us here alone?” Aline ex
claimed indignantly.
Her mtftress smiled at her reassur
ingly.
“What have we to fear, you foolish
girl? For myself, I would like better
than anything to remain here until the
moon comes over the top of that round
hiLL-JBut listen! ..There Is no neces
sity for Charles to leave us."
They all turned their heads. From
some distance behind there came,
faintly at first, but more distinctly
every moment,' the sound of horse’s
hoofs. Louder und louder came the
sound. Louise gave a little cry ns a
man on horseback appeared In sight
at the crest of the hill. The narrow
strip of road seemed suddenly dwarfed,
an unreasonable portion of the horizon
blotted out. In the half light “there
was something almost awesome in the
unusual size pf the horse nnd of the
man who rode It.
“It is a world of goblins, this, Aline!"
her mistress exclaimed softly. “What
Is it that comes?” .
“It is n human being. Dleu merel l”'
the maid replied; with a mutter-of-fuct
little sigh of content. .
A few moments inter horse and rider
wefe beside the car.
“Hus anything happened?” the new
comer asked, dismounting and raising
his whip to his cap.
“I have broken down," Louise said.
“Please tell us What you would advise
still the air of one embarked upon an
adventure, the outcome of which was
to be regarded with some qualms. She
was of little more than medium height,
and his first impressions of her were
that she was thin, and too pale to be
good-looking; that her eyes were large
and soft, with eyebrows more clearly
defined than, IsSnyial among English
women; And that she moved without
seeming to-walk.
“I suppose I am tall,” he admitted,
;as they started off along the road.
“One doesn’t notice It around here. My
name is John Strangewey, and our
house Is Just behind that clump of
tries there, on the top of the hill. We
will do our best to make you comfort
able,” he added a little doubtfully;
"but there are only my brother and
myself, and we have no women serv
ants in the house.”
"A roof of any sort will be a luxury,”
she assured him. “I only hope that we
shall not be a trouble to you in any
way.’”
“And- your name, please?" he asked.
She was a little amazed at his direct
ness, but she answered him withouj
hesitation. ‘ _
“My name,” she told him, “is Lou
ise.". ’ ■
He leaned down toward her, a little
puzzled.
“Louise. But your surname?”
She laughed softly. It occurred to
him that nothing like her laugh had
ever been heard on that gray-walled
stretch of mountain road.
“Never mind! I am traveling Incog
nito; Who I am, or where I am going
—well, what does that matter to any
body? Perhaps I do not know myself.
You can Imagine, If you like,-that we
came from the heart of your hills, and
that tomorrow they will open again and
welcome us back.”
“I don’t think there are any motor-i
cars' in fairyland,” he objected.
“We represent a new edition of fairy
lore," she told him. “Modern romance,
you know, includes motor-cars and
even French maids.”
“All the same,” he protested, With
masculine bluntness, “I really don’t
see how I can' Introduce you to my
brother as ‘Louise from fairyland.’”
. She evaded the point.
“Tell me about your brother. Is he
us to do. Is there a village near, or as tall as you, and Is he younger or
an inn, or even'.a baru? Or shall wt- OMfr?” ✓
have to spend the night in the ear?" J “He Is nearly twenty years oJdtnC”
“The nearest village,” he replied, *Ts. ; her companion replied. “HeJtSnbout
twelve miles away. Fortunately, my j thy height, but he.stoops more -than I
own home is close by. I shall be very do, and his hair Is gray.- I nrn nffnid
that you inuy. fihd ’him a little pecu
liar." :
Her escort paused nnd swung open a
white-gate on their left-hand side. Be
fore them was.an ascent which seemed
to her, in the dim light, to be abso
lutely precipitous. • /
“It isn’t so bad ns it« looks," he as
sured her,- “and I ym afraid it’s the
house Is at the bend"
there, barely fifty yards away. You
can- see, a light through the trees," .
‘ You .must help me, then, please,”
she begged. / .
\.He stooped down toward her. She
kill
tures; its lips a little full, perhaps, .bat
soft and sensitive; at the masses of,
brown hair drawn low over her ears.
/This was herself, then. How would
she seem to these two men downstairs,
she asked herself—the dour, grim mas
ter of the'house, nnd her more youthful
/.rescuer, whose confing had somehow
touched her fancy? They saw so little
of her sex. They seemed, in a sense, to
be In league against it. Would they
find out that they were entertaining
an angel unawares?
She thought with a gratified smile
! of her incognito. It was a real trial
of her strength, this! When she turned
away from the mirror the smile stih
lingered upon her lips, a soft light -of
anticipation was shining in her eyes*
John met her at the foot of the
stairs. She noticed with some, sur-
“But you go to London sometimes?” ; “Scarcely one,” he admitted.
“I was there eight years ago. Since j “Not ’one,” Stephen interrupted,
then I have not been further away than'1 ’ Madam,” lie, went on. turning toward
Carlisle .'or Aendttl, I go into camp j Louise, “lest my welcome to- you-t-his
ening should have seeme'd inhospita-
nyttr .Kendal for three weeks every
year—territorial training, you know.””
“But how do you pass your time?
What do you do with yourself?” she
asked. ; • •
“Farm,”, he answered. “Farjnlng is
our dally occupation. Then for amuse
ment Ve hunt, shQot and fish.-The sea
sons pass before we know’ it.”
She looked appraisingly at John
Strangewey. Notwithstanding his sun
tanned cheeks and the splendid vigor
of his form, there wavs nothing in the
least agricultural about his manner or
ids-appearrihe^. There was humor as
well ns intelligence in his.'clear, gray
•eyes. She opined that the books which
lined one side of the room were at
ohee liis property nnd his hobby.
-eve
•hie, let ’ me ..tell - you R'this: Every
Strangewey who has left our county,
and trodden the downward path of
failure, has done so at the instance of
one of your sex. That is why those of
us who Inherit the family spirit look
askance upon all strange women. That
iq'why no woman is ever welcome with
in this house.”
Louise resumed her seat in the easy
chair.
am so sorry,”, she -murmureij,
looking down at her slipper. “T could
not help breaking down here, could 1?”
"Nor could my brother fail to offer
you the hospitality of this*Toof,” Ste-
phen'ndmltted. ’“The Incident was un-
fortunnte but inevitable. It is y mat
ter for regret that .we have so little to
“It is a very healthy life, no doubt,”
prise that he was wearing the dinner- she said ; “but somehow it seems in- offer you in the Way of entertainment.”
jacket and black tie of civilization. comprehensible to think of a man. like He rose to his feet. The. door ha
yourself living always in such an out
of-the-way corner.”
“Will you come this way, please?"
he begged. “Supper is quite ready."
He held open the door of one of the
•r^oins on the other *ide of the hall, and Stephen once more Intervened.
opened. Jennings twas standing there
. with a candlestick upon a massive sil-
John’s lips were open to reply, but ver salver. Behind him^Wns. Aline
’ _ . UT* - -3. .. - - .W^ «« ■
Y'ou are doubtless
rued by your
ly closed lips and steel-gray eyes. Ills Lsmlle or word of greeting, Until she
she passed into a tow dining room, dim- | “Life means a different thing to each journej, madam,^^&tephen concluded-
ly lit with shaded lamps. The elder of us, madam," he said sternly; “There Louise n'nuh^arfittle grimace, but she
‘ to her feet. She under-
te well that she was being
bed. and she shivered a little
_ she looked at the hour—barely
ten o’clock. Yet it was all in keeping.
From the doorway she looked back in
to the room, in which nothing seemed
brother rose from his chair as they on- are many born with the lust for cities r ? se at °J).
- tered, although his salutation w'as and the crowded places in their hearts,
even grimmer than his first welcome. | born with the desire to mingle with
- _ . ' Tie was wearing a dress-coat of olfr .their fellows,..to absorb the convention^
HU iBow Was Stiff and Uncordial. ifashiomT eutr and a Black stock; and al, vices and virtues, to become o&3Mtf
hostility which lurked behind the tight- remained' standing, without any the multitude. It has beeh different
bow was stiff and uncordlal, and he
made no movement to offer his hand.
with us Strangeweys.
r
Jennings, at a sign froth his master, ^ have been touched for centuries.
ipage. evidently stood upon ^he threshold to'bid her
of their visitor. h Q al good-night, fully conscious of the
tie, whose expression, at the entrance Throe* M tnllodemmed glasses wertKcomplete anachronism of her presence
had taken her sent. Behind his chair
stood a very ancient mahservlmt in a , removed the tea
“We are not hsed to welcoming la- Kray pepper-and-salt’suit, with a white, : produced in h
dies at Beak Hall, madam,” he said. Thpnfl
“I am afraid that' you will find us
sqmewhat unprepared for guests."
“I ask for nothing more than a roof,”
Louise assured him..
John threw /nis hat and whip upon
of this unexpected guest, seemed cu*, placed
riously to reflect the inhospitable In
stincts of his master.
The table was laid with all mann
of cold dishes, supplemented by others
the round tablfl nhd stood in the centerTupoh the sideboard. Tlierey*re pots
of the stone floor. She caught, a j of jam and honey, a sih^Tcapot and
glance which flasherhetween the two Tlver spoons and fopkS of quaint fle-
men—of appeal from. the. one, of' icy sign. Strpngely cjiTglass, and a great
resentment from the other. •
“We can at-least add to the roof a
bed and some supper—an4 a welcome,”
John declared. . “Is that not so, Ste-
in'Hjie table, and a decanter
of pprf reverently produced.
ouise had.fallen for a moment or
two into a fit of abstraction. Her eyes
were fixed upon -the opposite* wall,
ere
t,
fler smile for Stephen was respectful
lid fuILof dignity. ^ A
and futkof dignity. x As she glanced to
ward Ji>kn, however,, something
flashed in.heKeves.-anil quivered at tho
from which, out of their fa«h-d frauu-s, I uoruecs of her Itm. suu.oth.nu which
u row oflrrim-loohlng men and women, •’I-- ur con roh^some ci,_ c
startlingly like her two hosts, seemed
Dresden bowTTHled with flowers.
“I am uffaid,” John remarked, “that
- you apemot used to dining at'this hour.
MjKhrother and I iir/i old-fashioned In
Tvur customs. If we had had a little
longer notice—”
‘I riever in my life saw^anything
(that looked so delicious as your cold during Ms life.
phen?" y\
The older man turned deliberately
away. It was as if he had notneard
his brother’s words.
“I will go and flmj Tennings,” he.,chicken,” Louise declared. “May I
said. “He must be,told about the serv- -have some—and some ham?\ I believe
ants.” lhat you must farm some land youf-
Louise watched the disappearing fig- selves. Everything looks ns if it were
ure untiFlt was out of sight. Then she ^homemade or homegrown.”
keel up into
looked up into the face of the younger
Hian, who was standing By her side.
“I am sorry,” she murmured apolo
getically. “I am afraid that your
brother is not "pjeased at this sudden
intrusion. Really-, we shall give you
very litltf 1 roubte.” T — -
He answered her with a sudden
eager enthusiasm. He seemed far more
natural then than at any time since he
had ridden up from out of the shad
ows to take his place in Ijer.life.
“I won’t apologize for Stephen,” he'
said, “lie is a little crotchety. Y'ou
must please be kind and not notice.
You must let? me, ifil can, offer you
welcome enough for us bath.”
“iVe are certainly farmers,” John ad
mitted. with a smile, "and I don’t think
there is much here that, isn’t of our
own production. The farm buildings
are at some distance away from The
hoqse. Th<-re to quite a, 111tie colony
at the hack, and the woman who super
intends the dairy lives there. In The
to frown flown upon her.
“Is that your-father?” she asked,
moving her head towurd one of the
portraits. ■
“My-granTf other,-John •Strangewey,”
Stephen tohFher. }
“Was he qne of the wanderers?" -
"He. left Cumberland only twice
He was master of
hounds, magistrate,^colonel in the yeo
manry. pf that period, and three times
refused to stand for parliament,”
“John Strafigewey!" Louise repeal
ed softly to herself. “I was looking at
your family tree upstairs,” she Went!
on. “It is curious how both my maid ;
and myself were struck with a sense
of familiarity about ''the name, as if
we had heard of read soim-thing about
it quite lately.” - ' • . . - —
Her words were nlmost carelessly
made him grip for a moment the back
of the chair against which lie stood.
CHAPTER II.
Louise, with a heavy, silver-plated
candlestick In her hand, stood unonThe j come to. a~^min..jof our family from the
linked her fingers together through his uneven floor of the bedroom to" which friendship or service of women. Our
spoken,-but' she was conscious of the ,
house we are entirely independent of somewhat ominous silence which en-
your sex. We manage, somehow or sued. $he glanced up wonderitigly
other, with Jennings here and two,and intercepted a rapid look passing
hoys.” . ’ between the two men. More puzzled
.“You are not both'woman-haters, I than ever, she turned toward John as
hope?” " if for au explanation. He had Tist>n
Her younger host flushed a warning somewhat abruptly to his feet, and his
glance at Louise, but It was too late, band was upon the buck of her chair.
Stephen hnd laid down his kpife and : ‘"Will it.be disagreeable to yon if iay
fork and was leanirtg in her direction. Brother smokes a pipe?” lie asked. “I
“Madam,” he intervened, “since ,you tried to have our little drawing room
have asked the question,, I will confess ! prepared for you, tyM the fire hus not
that I have never known any good been lit for so long that the room, I am
' afraid,Ts quite Impossible.” - •
lefh ariu and, leaning u little heavily she had been conducted, looking up at
upon 'him, began the ascent. He was the onkjframed family tree which hung
Conscious of some subtle frngomce n | )0 ve the. broad ehitnney-piece. She
from hey clothes, a perfume strangely examined the coat of arms emblazoned
different from-the odor of tin 4 ghost- in the Corner, and.peored curiously at.
like flqwgys ~tha.t bordered the steep the last neatly-printed adtlMipm-wMeh- -sBght-frown ban-face.. “Need yQU ttt^Tdbaccb jar and pipe that his broth
path up which they were climbing/ Ifei
arms, sftglft, warm things thougli they
were, v and ' great thougli his- own
indicated Stephen and John Strange
wey as the' sole survivors of. a dimin
ishing line. When.at last she turned
strength, felt suddenly like a yoke. At ! 'nway, she found the name upon her
he seemed to feel their
' fe*.
“You Are Indeed a Good Samaritan.”
pleased—I nnd n^y brother—if you will
every, step
weight more insistent—a weight not
physical, softffy due to this rush of un
expected emotions. — \ •> •*
She looked around her almost in
lips.
to know if, would amply justify my'
l/rotlu-r and niyscIf ..f.oF.jjuf a-tUtude to
ward your sex.”
‘‘Stephen!” John remonstrated, a
“Do let me stay li^re with you,” she
“Those of Us Who Inherit the Family
Spirit Look Askance Upon All
Strange Women.”
Then, between the old mnnservant,
who insisted upon carrying her candle
to her room, and her maid, who walked
family history, if ever you should come'(BFgfl'ed/“and I hope that both of you ^behind, she crossed the white stone.,.
will, smoke. l am quite used to it.”
John wheeled up an easy chair for
her. Stephen, stiff and upright, sat ou
tlie other side of the hearth. He took
hall and stepped slo.vly up The' broad
flight of .stairs.
x ’
weary our guest with your peculiar : er hnd-brought him, and slowly .filled
views? It is scarcely'polite, to say tbe^ythe-Jmwl.
“With your permission, then, ma
dam,” he.said, us lie struck a match.
Louise smiled graciously. Some in-
what an unusual-looking person! Do
you, think, Aline, that, you ever saw
wonder as her companion paused with
honor us. I am afraid I cannot offgr bis hand upon a littleTri>n gate. From
you very much in the way of entertajn- i>eliind that jagged stretch of hills in ( anyone so superbly handsome?”
ment—” \ . ■ the distance the; boon bad now ap-; The maid’s little grimace wi
She i*ose briskly to Jier feet and peared. Before her was a garden, presslve.
austere-looking with its prlin flBwer-
least of it.”
The older man sat. for- a moment,
grim nnd silent., i/
- “Strangewey!” she murmured. “John
Strangewey! It is really Curious how
that name brings with If* a sense of t ~. w , v
fainlllarlty. It is so unusuril, too. And know that she is the first woman who the time her eyes were wandering
'“I’eriiaVs you an* rightybrother,” he :- s tirict prompted her to stifle her own-,
admitted. “This lady did not seek our craving for a cigarette and keep her
company, but it may interest her to. little gol4 case hidden, in..her pocket-
Louise has quite an Interesting
little chat with John before she
resumes her journey, and in his
mind is awakened something
that’hasn’t been istlrred for a,
very long time, ~ ~ —
:C
as -£X?
beamed upon him.
“You are indeed a good Samaritan!”
she exclaimed. “A roof is more than
we had dared to hope for, although
when one looks up at this* wonderful
dry and breathes this air, one wonders*
perhaps, whether a roof, after all* Is
such a blessing.” '■
“It gets very cold toward morning,”
the young man said practically.
“Of course,” she assented. “Aline,
yon will bring fay Tressing-bag and fol
low ns. This gentleman Is kind enough
os shelter for the night Dear
“Never, madam,” she replied. “And
has crossed the threshold of Peak Hall found the room. Suddenly she rose
for a' matter of six years.” ' and, moving round the table, stood
Louise looked from one to the other, once more facing the row of gloomy-
half incredulously. • [looking portraits.
“So-that-is your grandfather?” she
Beds, the ,trees all bent in the saide^Tyet to think of It—a gentleman, a per; “Absolutely,” the young man 51 aS^'pter. “Is your father not here?
direction, fashioned after one pattern son .of intelligence, who lives here af-
“Do you really moan it? Is that lit
erally true?” she asked John,
remarked to John, wuo had followed
**T c
by the winds. Beyond was the house
-*-a long, low building, part of it cov
ered with srmaeririntfr-of ereeper:—- -
As they stepped.across the last few
yards of lawn, the r black, oak door
whjch they were approaching suddenly
opened. A tall, elderly man stood look
ing Inquiringly out He shaded ills
eyes with his hand* '‘x.
“Is that you, brother?” he asked
doubtfully
ways, outside the world, with just a
terrible old man servant, the only do
mestic m th# ttouser“ N#6YtjrkiL ttrr
cooking Is. done at the bailiff’s, a quar
ter of a mile away.” .
Louise nodded thoughtfully. 1
“It is, very strangq,” she admitted.
“I should like to understand it, Per-,
haps,” she added, half to hferself, “i
and on
-sured her; “but please remember that
you are none* the less heartily welcome
here. We Bave few women* neighbors^
and Intercou^lm’ WltB* 1 tBem seems to
havo slipped out ofTour ffvcs. /TTell me,
how far hpm youj come today, and
where Jjidyou hope tp sleep tonight?”
hesitated for a moment. For
>me reason or other, the question
lng the
motoring from Edinburgh.
He shook his head.
“My. father’s portrait was never
painted.”
(TO LfE CONTINUED-,>
“ranse 'ffoW'John,'-
joined, rising ip his place and setting
down his pipe. . “We Strangeweys thej^rd?”
Her Memory Faulty.
She was middle-aged, stylishly
gowned, und apparently sane.’ And she
was Tooking at- the paintings in t^o
Coreeran Gallery ? of Art throirgh a
gold-framed lorgnette, that dangled
from nJeweled gold chain.
Another woman was standing before
A'canvus, and, in a desire fpr Informa
tion, or, perhaps, for the sake of social
■ } Interchange, thn iady nf thft lerftnritv
Inquired, affably:
Is that a pictufh of the death of
A -
were hfllfolk and farmersrby descent
and, destiny, for more than four hun
dred years. Otfr place is here upon
seemed to bring with It some disturb- the iand, almost among the c)Ouds, and
tboae of us^Who have realised it have
led the Uvea God meant us to lefd.
‘‘‘No, madam; It represents .the majr*
tyrdora of St. Se^stfan.”
“Ah, I see. I have the poorest mem- ^
dry. * I knew that they killed tba
Lord, of course^ bi\t I djsremembered
Just how.”—Washington Star,’