OCR Text |
Show I SVALIANT3sVlD(iINlAS I Si & HALLE EEMNIE RIVE3 SIS I ILLUSTRATIONS f LAUREN STOUTj Jg -ratfcia - H SYNOPSIS. m Jnlm Vnllnnt. n rlifi mx-lpty fnvnrlte. BB riiiMonly illwiivrni tlml (ho Viillntit -'r- BB I'orutkm, whlrli lit fiillu-r founded nnil BB whlrli unit tint irlnrlul nmucf nf lilt BB woallli. Irnn fnlli-il. II" voluntarily turns BB over hi prlvntn forltint) lo I he n-ridwr BB for llio roriiorutlnn. IMh cnflrr ri'imiltiliiK BB ciM(rli)fm romlM nf mi uhl motor citr. n BB M'lilln hull iIiik nni) IJniiiory imirt, u ni-K- BB I'wipiI (Htnio In Virginia. On llui uny to BB DHinory rnurl lie ini-et Hhlrlcy I i.iiul- BB rlilirp, mi mitiiirn-luilri-il liriiuty, nml !- BB clilon Hint lie Ik Knltii; In llko Vlrnlnla Im- BB lui'tiftBly. HIilrloy'H uiutlirr. Mm. PiiiiiI- BB ildur, 11 rul Major IlrlMow rtclmiiKo inn- BB tnlfiri-nrr duriiur which It In ri'Vciilcd BB Unit llui Miiijur. Viilliint'n fiitlii-r, mid a BB in an tmini'il Hiuwonn uvre rlvnli fur Ihn BB linnd nf Alrx. Iuiiilrlili?n In ln-r ynutli. BB Hnnrnon nml Vnllnnt fiiiiKht n diir) nn hpr lici'niint In ulilrli tlm fnriucr wa killed. BBI vntliinl (IhcIb It.imory rmirt nvcrBrnvra BBm with u'ccili nnd crri'iii-rn nnil thn Imllil- B I'ikh In a very inucli ih-kIi'vIimI condition H CHAPTER IX. Continued. H lid triidKrtl uwny Into tho shadows, B but proBi-iitly ns tho now nuiHtcr of H lnmory Court stood In tho gloomy H linll, ho heard tho shnmhllni; Htrp M mriiIii liolilnd him. "Ah dono ni'slrct- jB tinted ter m yo' iinmo, null. Ah did, AH To' or fnc'." "My niuno In Vnllnnt. John Vnl- H tnnt." jH Undo JcffcrAon'n eyes turned tip- wnrrt nnd rolled out of orbit. "Mnh H lnwdl" ho ujrtciilntiid HottndlcHsly. I And with hla wldo lips still fratnud H nbout tho last word, ho bncknd out H of tho doorwny nnd disappeared. B Alono In tho ebbing twIllKht, John H Vnllnnt found his hamper, spread n H napkin on tho broad ntono steps nnd M took out n plans, n spoon nnd part of H n tonf of brend. Tho thennoH flnHk was filled with milk. It wns not n nplondld banquot, yet bo nto It with n great content nn (lie bulldog nt IiIb B feet gnawed hla shnro of tho crust. )lo broke hla brend Into tho milk ns HI ho had not dono aluco bo wna it child, H nnd nto tho luscious pulp with n keen H relish bred of tho Ioiir outdoor day. It wna nlmost dark when tho meal m wnB dono nnd, depleted hamper In H linnd, hu reentered tho empty echoing H "bouse. Ho went Into tho library, H liKbted tho great brass lamp from tho B motor nnd began to rummago, Tho WM Urnwera of (ho dining-room nldebonrd H yielded nothing; on n shelf of tho but- H ler'a pantry, however, wna n tin box H which proved to bo hnlf full ot wnx 1 cnndlca, perfectly preserved. "Tho very thltiKf bu anld triumph- nntly. Carrying them hack, bo fixed neveral In tho RlnHBcnndleatlcka nnd H set thorn, lighted, nil nbout tba somber room tltl tho soft glow flooded Its H very corner. "Thoro," ho anld, M "Hint la ns It should bo. No big bin-I bin-I tnnt ficarch-llght hero! And no glaro I of modern electricity would suit thnt H old wnlnseotlng, cither." H Ho dragged tho leather setto to tho K porch nnd by tho light of tho motor- K lamp dusted It thoroughly, nnd wheel- H ' lug It bnck, sot It under tho portrait Vj which bnd so attracted him. Ho M washed tho glass from which ho had H .dined and filled It nt tho cup of tho H .garden fountain, put Into It tho roso JH from hit hat and not It on tho read- n . 4ngslnnd, Tho amall china dog H caught hla eye nnd bo picked It up H casunlly. ' Tho head camo oft In bis HJ tiands. It had been n bon-bon box nnd Ml wna empty save for n nnrrow strip of yellowed paper, on which woro writ-H writ-H ten Homo mennlngleas llguros: 17-'JS-H 1)1-0. Hu pondurod this n moment, H thou thrust It Into ono of tho empty H pigeonholes of tho desk. On tho lnt-Hl lnt-Hl (or Blood nn old-fushloned lcnf-cnlcn-K dnr; tho dnto It exposed wna May R 14th. furiously enough tho same date m vv-y y j, iffltfi B He Shuddered as He Stooped to Pick H Up the Weapon. M would recur tnmnrruw. The page boro mm iui)i;ition Kver man enrriea hU Hb f'" n a riband liout lit neck." '1 hi. iin luul been quoted In hla H fn l.i r' letter May 14th-how much H th.'t Uite and that motto may havu W hu nut for him! BJ He roac to push the abutter wider Mild In the movement his elbow sent a HI (.hallow ease nf morocco leather that BJ1 had lull ou the desk crashing to the HI oor. It opened and a hn::vy metallic IH object lolled almost to hla feet. He HI w at a glance that It was au old 111 fualiliuied runted (lulling pistol, j l'h box bad originally held two alt) ylitoR He aliuddered as he stooped y'j t' Pick up the weapon, nnd with (he ' cmwllug ropugnunoe inlnglod a pnng-lug pnng-lug anger nnd humiliation. From hla Tery babyhood It had always been to mm 4iwt Mnconqutrablo aversion to tho .Hb touch of firearms. There had beon moments mo-ments In bis youth when this unreasoning unrea-soning shrinking had filled him with a blind fury, had driven him to strnngo solf-tcstH of courngo. IIo bad never been nblo to overcomo It. Annlyza-Hon Annlyza-Hon had told him that hla peculiar abhorrence was no mero outgrowth of tills. It lay far deeper. Ho had rarely, rare-ly, of recent years, met tho test. Now, as hu stood In these unaccustomed surroundings, with tho cold touch of the metal tho old shuddering held him, nnd the sweat broko In bends on his forehead. Setting his teeth litrd, bo crossed the room, slipped the box with lla pistol between tho volumes vol-umes of the bonkcase, and returned to his sent. Tim bulldog aroused from a nap, tlit list u wani muzzle- between his knees "It's in, canny, Chum!" ho said, na his hand caressed tho velvety head, "Why should tho touch of that fool thing chill my splno nnd mnko my flesh tiptoe over my bonos? Why should I hate n pistol? I)o you suppose sup-pose I wna shot lu one of my previous existences 7" For n long while ho sat there, his pipe dend, his eyes on the moonlighted moon-lighted out-of-doors, Tho eery feeling feel-ing thnt had gripped him had gono na quickly ns It bnd come. At last ho rose, stretching himself with a great boyish yawn, put out all savo one of the candles and taking a bath-robe, sandals and n huge fuzzy towel from the steamer-trunk, stripped leisurely. He donned the bath-robe and sandals nnd went out through tho window to thn garden nnd down to whero lay tho little lake ruffling sllverly under the rooon, On Its brink he stopped, nnd tojsliig bnck his head, tried to lint-tnto lint-tnto one of thn bird-calls but waB tin-successful. tin-successful. With n rueful laugh ho throw off the bnth-roho and stood an Instnnt glistening, poised In tho moonlight moon-light llko n innrblu faun, before ho dove, straight down out of sight. Flvo minutes later ho pulled him-solf him-solf up over tho edge, his llesh tingling tin-gling with tho chill of tho water, nnd threw tho robe nbout hla cool white shoulders. Then ho thrust his feet Into bis Bnndals and sped quickly bnck. He rubbed himself to a glow, and blowing out tho remaining candle, can-dle, stretched himself luxuriously between be-tween tho wnrm blnnketB on tho couch. Tho dog sniffed Inquiringly at hla hand, then leaped up and snuggled snug-gled down close to his feet John Vnllant'B thoughts had fled a thousand miles away, to tho tall girl who all bis llfo had seemed to stand out from hla world, aloof and unsurpassedKatharine unsur-passedKatharine Fargo. Ho tried to plcturo her, n perfect chatelaine, graceful grace-ful nnd gracious ns a tnll, white, splendid splen-did Illy, In thla dead house that seemed still to throb with living passions. pas-sions. Hut tho plcturo subtly eluded him nnd bo stirred uneasily under tbo blanket. After a tlmo his band stretched out to tho reading-stand and drow tho glnsa with Its vivid blossom nearer, till, In his nostrils, Ita musky odor mingled with tho dew-wet scent of tho honeysuckle from tho garden. At last hla eyes closed. "Evory man enr-rlcB enr-rlcB hla fate on a riband about hla nec'Jt." ho muttered drowally, and then, "Roses rej rosos " And so ho fell asleep. CHAPTER X. The Hunt. Ho nwoko to a musical twittering and chirping, to ilnd tho sun pouring Into tho dusty room lu n very glory. Ho rolled from tho blnukot nnd stood upright, tilling his lungs with a long deep breath of satisfaction. Ho felt slngulnrly light-hearted nnd nllvo. Tho bulldog came bounding through the window, dhty from tho weed, nnd Hung himself upon his muster In a canine rapture. "(let out!" quoth tho Intter, laugh-lug. laugh-lug. "Stop licking my feet! How tho dickens do you supposo I'm to get Into my clothes with your ridiculous antics going on? Down. I say! Hark!" He broko off and listened. "Who's that bfnglng?" The sound drew nearer a lugubrious lugu-brious chant, with tho weirdest minor reflections, faintly suggestive ot tho rag-tlmo dittlos of the muslc-hiills, yet with a plpintlvo cadence. "(lood morning. Uncle JolTerson." The singer broke off, set down tho twls-hroom that ho had been wielding and came toward hint. ".Mawnln", suh. Mnwnln," ho said. "Hopes yo'-all slep' good. Ah reck'n dem ar birds woke yo" up; dey's makln' sell or 'miration." "Thank you. Never slept better in my life. Am I laboring under a delusion delu-sion when I Imagine I smell coftee?" Just then thore came a voice from tho open door of the kitchen: "Calls yo'se'f er man, yo' trltlln' reconstructed recon-structed ulggah! Wen tnarsUh wlne-ter wlne-ter tit lie brekfus' wld' yo' raaishack-lla" raaishack-lla" eroun' wld dut dwag all dls (lawd s-bleisld mawnin"? do fotch some mo flab wood dls minute. Yo' Utah?'' A turbnned head poked lUeir through the door, with a good-natured leaf-brown face beneath It. which broadened Into a wide smile as Its owner bobbed onorgetlcally nt Valiant's Va-liant's grootlna. 'To' de I.nwd!" she exclaimed, wiping floury hands on a gingham apron. "Yo' sho' Is up early, but Ah got yo' brekfus' ready, buIi." "All right, Aunt Daphne. I'll bo back directly." Ho sped down to tho lake to plungo his head Into tho cool water and thereby there-by sharpen tho edgo of an nppotlto that needed no honing. IIo camo up tbo trail again to find tho rcndlngstand transferred to tho porch nnd laid with a white cloth on which was set a steaming coffee-pot, with fresh cream, Baltlcss butter and crisp hot biscuit; nnd ns ho snt down, with n sigh of pure delight, In his dressing-gown a crepy Japanese thing redeemed from womanlshncBs by the bold green bamboo of lta design de-sign Undo Jefferson planted beforo him a generous platter of bacon, egga and potatoes. These ho attacked with a surprising keenness. Aa ho buttered bis fifth biscuit ho looked at tho dog, rolling on his back In morning ecstasy, ecsta-sy, with a look of humorous surprise. "Chum," ho said, "what do jou think of that? All my llfo a single He Craned Hla Neck, but It Had Passed the Line of Hit Vision. roll and n cup of coffee have boon tho moat I could over negotlato for breakfast, and then It was apt to tnsto llko chips and whot-stoncs. And now look nt this platol" Tho dog ceased wlnnowlnc his car with a hind foot nnd looked back nt his master with much tho snmo expression. Clearly hla own needs hnd not been forgotten. forgot-ten. "Reck'n Ah bcttah go ter git dat ar machine thing," said Uncle Jefferson behind him. "01' 'ooman, heah, sho 'low tor flx up de kitchen dls mawnln' mawn-ln' en wo begin on do bouso dls eve-nln" eve-nln" "Righto," said Valiant. "It's all uphill, up-hill, so tho motor won't run away with you. Aunt Daphne, can you get somo help with tho cleaning?" "He'p?" that worthy responded with fine scorn. "No, suh. Moughty few, lu rto town 'cop'n low-down yallcr now-Issue now-Issue trash Jet nln' wu'f klllln'l Ah gwlnotcr go fo" dat house mahse'f 'fo' long, hanunab en tongs, en gtt It flx' up!" "Splendid! My destiny Is In your hands. You might tako the dog with you, Uncle Jefferson; the run will do htm good." When tho latter had disappeared and truculent sounds from tho kitchen Indicated that tho era of stronuous cleaning had begun, he reentered tho library, changed tho water In tho rose-glass rose-glass nnd sot It on tho edgo of tho shady front porch, whero Its flaunting blossom made a dush of bright crimson crim-son ngalnst tho grayed weather-beaten brick, Thla done, he opened tho ono large room on tho ground-floor that ho had not visited. It was doublo tho slzo of tho library, a parlor hung In striped yellow tk vaguely and tenderly faded, with a tall pinto mirror set over n marble-topped marble-topped coiiboIo at elthor side. In ono corner Btood n grand piano of Clrcas-blnn Clrcas-blnn walnut with keys of tinted mothorof-penrl and a slender music-rack music-rack Inlaid with morning-glories In tho eaino material, irom the center of tho celling, nbovo an oval tablo. depended de-pended n great chandelier hung with glass prisms. Tho chairs nml sofas were covered with dusty sllp-covera of muslin. He lifted one of thesu. Tho tarnUhed gold furniture wns Iul XV, the upholstery of yellow brocade with n pattern of pink roses. Two Japanese hawthorn vnsea sat ou teak-wood teak-wood standi and a corner held a glass cabinet containing a collection of small Ivories and faience. He went thoughtfully back to tha great hall, where sat the big chest on which lay the volume of "laiclle" I! pushed down the antique wrought-Irou wrought-Irou hasp and threw up the lid It as filled to the brim with texturei-heavy texturei-heavy portieres of roue-damask, taW cover of faded soft-toned tapestry window-hangings of dull green-al lth tobaeeo-Ieavos laid between the fold and sltted thickly over with the sparkllM white powder At tho bot'. torn, rolled In tarry-smelling paper, he found a half-dosen thin, I'erslan urav-er-rugs. ' "1'hew!" he whistled. "I certainly ought to be grateful to that law Arm that 'Inspected' the plnce. Think of the things lying hero all these years! And that pcadcr everywhere! It's dono tho work, too, for there's not a sign of moth. If I'm not enrcful, I'll stumble over tho family plate It seems to bo about tho only thing wanting." want-ing." IIo thought a momont, then went quickly Into tho library nnd began to ransack tho trunk. At length ho found a small box containing keepsakes of various kinds. He poured tho medley on to tho table an uncut moonstone, nn nmcthyst-topped pencil that ono of tils tutors had given him ns a boy, a tiger's claw, a compass and what-not. Among thorn was n man's scal-rlng with a crest cut In a cornelian. Ho looked at It closely. It was tho same device. Tho ring had been hlB fatbor'B. Just when or how It hnd come Into his possession ho could novor remember. remem-ber. It had lain among these kecp-sakCB kecp-sakCB so many years that ho bad almost al-most forgotten Its existence. He hnd never worn a ring, but now, na ho went back to tho hall, ho slipped It on hla linger. Tho motto below tho crest wnB worn away, but It showed clear In tho marble of the hall-mantle: I cllngo. Ills eyes turned from tho carven words and strayed to tho pleasant sunny sun-ny foliage outside An nrrogant bonst, perhaps, yet In tho event well JUBtl-fled. JUBtl-fled. Valiants had held that selfsamo slope when tho encircling forests had rung with war-whoop and blazed with torturo-flro. They had held on through Hovolutlon and Civil war. Good and bad, abiding and lawless, every generation gener-ation had cleaved stubbornly to Its acres. I cllngo. Ills father had clung through nbsenco that seemed to havo been almost exile, and now ho, tho last Valiant, has como to mnko good the boast. Ills gazo wavered. Tho tall of his cyo had caught through tho window n Epurt of something dashing and vivid, that grazed tho corner of a far-off Held, He craned IiIb neck, but It had passed tho lino of his vision. Tho next moment, however, there camo trailing on tho satiny stillness tho high-keyed ululatlon ot a horn, nnd nn Instant later a long-drawn hallo-o-o! mixed with a pattorlng chorus of yelps. IIo went close, nnd leaning from tho Bill, shnded his oyca with Ills hand. Tho nolso swelled and rounded In volume; vol-ume; It was ncnrlng rapidly. Aa he looked the hunt dashed Into full vlow between tho trco-bolea a galloping mclco of khaki nnd scarlet, swarming across tho fresh green of n whent-Hold, whent-Hold, behind a spotted swirl ot hounds. "Confound It!" snld John Vnllnnt belligerently; "thcy'ro on my land!" They woro noar enough now for him to hear tho volcos of tho men, calling encouragement to tho dogs, and to soo tho whlto ribbons of foam across tho flanks of tho laboring horses. Ono scarlet-coated femlnlno rider, detached from tho bunch, had Bpurred In nil-vanco nil-vanco nnd waB leading by a clean hundred hun-dred yards, barehooded, her hat fallen back to tho limit of Its ribbon knotted under hor chin, nnd her waving hair gleaming llko tarnished gold. "How sho rides!" muttered tho solitary soli-tary watcher. "Cross-Baddle, of courso, tho sensible llttlo sport! She'll nover In tho world do that wall! Yos, by George!" John Valiant's ndmlrn-tlon ndmlrn-tlon turned to delight. "Why," he said, "It's tho Indy-of-theRoses!" Ho put his hnnda on tho sill and vnulted to the porch. CHAPTER XI. Sanctuary, Tho tawny scudding strcnk thnt led thnt long chaso had shot into the yard, turning for n Inst desperato double. It Baw thn man lu tho foreground nud Its bounding, agonized llttlo wild heart thnt so prayed for life gave wny. With a Hnal effort. It gained tho porch nnd crouched down in Ita corner, an abject, sweated, hunted morsel, at hopeless bay. Llko a flash, Valiant stooped, caught tho shivering thing by tho scruff, nnd nB Its snapping Jaws grazed his thumb, dropped It through tho open window behind him: "Sanctuary!" quoth be, and banged tho shuttor to. At tho samo tastant, as tho place overflowed witt a pandemonium ot nosing leaping hounds, ho saw tho golden chestnut reined sharply down nmong tho rngged box-rows, with a shnmifaccd though brazen knowiedgo that the girl who rodo It had seen. Sho sat moveless, her hend high, ono hand on tho hunter's foam-flecked neck, and their glances met like crossed swords. The look stirred something vnguo nnd deep within him. For an unforgettnblo InBtant tholr eyes held each other, In a gaze rigid, challenging, almost defiant; then It broko and sho turned to tho rest of tho party spurring In a galloping zigzag: zig-zag: a gculnl-faccd man of mlddlo age in khaki who sat bis horso llko a cnvalryman, a younger ono with a reckless dark faco and straight black hair, and following thesu a half-dozen youthful riders of both sexes, ono of tho lada heavily plastered with mud from a wet cropper, and tbo girls chiefly gasps and giggles. The elder of tho two men pulled up beside the leader, hla astonished eyes sweeping tho house-front, with Ita open blinds, tho wisp of smoko curling from tho kitchen chimney. Ho sold something to her, and Bho nodded. Tho younger man, mennwhllo, had flung himself from hla horso, n wild-eyed wild-eyed roan, and with his arm thrust through Its bridle, strode forward among tho welter of bounds, whero they scurried nt fault, hither and thither, yelping nnd eager. "What rotten luck!" ho exclaimed. "Gono to ground after twelvo miles! After him, Tawny! You mongrels! Do you Imagine he's up a trcu? Aftor him, Uulger! Iiring him here!" He glanced up, and tor tho Ilrst time saw tho figure In tweeds looking on. Valiant was attracted by IiIb face, Ita dash and generosity ovorlylng Ita Inherent In-herent profligacy and weakness. Dark nB tho girl was light, his features had tho samo dellcato chiseling, tbo Inbreeding, In-breeding, nobility and Indulgenco ot generations. Ho stared a moment, and tho somewhat supercilious look traveled over tho gazer, from dusty boots to waving brown hair. "Oh!" ho said. His vlow slowly took In tho evidences of occupation. "Tho houso 1b open, I see. Going to get It fit for occupancy, I presume?" "Yea." Tho other turned. "Well, Judgo Chalmers, what do you think of that? Tbo unexpected has happened at laBt." Ho looked at tho porch. "Who'B to occupy It?" "Tho owner." (TO UK CONTINUED.) wMmmms |