Show VALIANT cri ALLIE lafle A ONE aa NIE RIVES ae W ica illustrations S ona 6 LAUPEN MUT y lc ay boba awa crohw bow SYNOPSIS john Valin nt a rich ilch society favorite suddenly t it tile the valiant M cor por atlon whirl which ills f atler founded founds tl and wil which was thi prilla apal source of him wolli ills bulled lel lie voluntarily taints till us over eivir liln ills fortune to tile re receiver celver fur for tho ilia anthe renial nin ait consist of if nn an old il motor inetor cur car ti it lillo ii tall log lew tind danbory court it I 1 lpyd catuto in virgi la on tile lie wily to camor lini nory court lie meets c e shirley y dand idge nil 11 allburn he healley allty alad dl di ild 11 hint t lio lie la is goin haired to like vir g enla linlie li ensely y CHAPTER V continued the girl walked on oil up the highway with a lilting stride now arid and then laughing to herself or running a few steps occasionally stopping by somo some hedge to pull a loaf leaf which sho she rubbed abbod against her check si smelling nellIng its ita reon keen new scent or stopping to gazo gaze out across the orange green belts of sunny wind dimpled lelda fields ono hand band pushing back her mutinous hair from her brow the other shielding her eyes farther on tile highroad looped around a strip of young forest and she struck into this for a short cut in the depth she aho sat down to rest on the sun splashed roots of a tree loaning leaning back against tile tho seamed trunk her felt hat fallen to the ground she looked like some sea woman emerging from nn an earth hued pool to comb her hair against a dappled rock sho she drew back against tho the trae and caught her breath as a bulldog frisked over a mossy mosey boulder just in front of her A moment more and she had thrown herself on her knees with both arms outstretched oh you splendid ere crea a sho she cried you big lovely white dar darling lingl tho dog seemed I 1 in n now no way ay averse to ahe th this sensational proceeding ile he responded instantly not merely with tall wagging but with ecstatic grunts and growls where did you come fr from om sho bho questioned as tits bis pink tongue desperately to find a cheek check through the whorl of coppery hair why you must be the one I 1 was told not to be afraid of sho she petted and fondled the smooth intelligent muzzle As it if any one could bo be afraid of you youl I 1 well set your master right on that point smiting smiling to herself she pulled one of the roses from her belt drill and twisting a wl wisp sp of long grass wound it round and round the dogs doga neck find and thrust the ragged rose stem firmly through ii i now she said bald and pushed him gently from her go back sirl sir ho whined and licked her hand but when she repeated the command he turned obediently and left her A little littie way from her he be halted with a sudden perception of mysterious punishment ish ment shrugged sat down and tried to reach the irksome grass wisp with his teeth this falling failing ho he rolled laboriously in the dirt then ho he roso rose cast a reproachful glance behind him and trotted off CHAPTER VI mad anthony beyond the selvage of the sleepy leaf sheltered village a cherry bordered lane met the red road an its one side aide was a pasture and beyond this an orchard bounded by a tall hedge of close clipped box which separated it from a broad yard where the gray weathered roof of rose rosewood w cod showed above a group of tulip and catalpa trees on the sunny steps a lop eared puppy was playing with a mottled cat the front door was open sho showing a hall where stood a grandfathers clock and a spindle legged table holding a bowl of potpourri the timepiece had landed from a salting sailing vessel at jamestown wharf with the household goods of that english garland who had adopted the old middle plantation when dunmore was royal governor under george III framed portraits and engravings lent tints of tarnished silver old rose and sunset golds colors time toned and reminiscent carrying a charming sense of peaceful peace tul content of gentleness and long leng tradition the dark polished stairway had at its turn it a square dormer window which looked out upon one of the rosi rose arbors down this stair somewhat later late r that afternoon came shirley dandridge booted and spurred the rebellious whorls of her ber russet hair now as closely filleted as a greek boys in a short divided skirt of yew green and a cool white blouse and swinging by its ribbon a green hat whose rolling brim was caught up at one side by a crisp blue black hawks feather she stopped to peer out of the dormer window to where under the latticed weave of bloom beside a rounel iron iran table holding a hoop of embroidery and a book v ii iwo wo a lady sat reading the he ladys hair was silver but not lih fib ngo age it had been so for many rears refuted by the transparent skin and a color as soft as aa the cheek check of an apricot it was solely in her dark eyes deep and strangely luminous that one might see lurking the somber spirit of passion and of pain but they were eager and brilliant withal giving the lie to ro the cane whose crook one pale delicate hand han d held with a clasp that somehow cony conveyed eyed a sense if exasperate it if semi humorous re silo sho up at Shir shirleye shirleys leys voice and brightly rightly In OS off tor for knur ride apar ar yes im going with tho the chalmers chalmere oil oh of course hetty dotty pago page la Is visiting them lant ulic bho shirley nodded A silo she camo came yesterday ill haye have to hurry for I 1 saw them from my window turning into tho the red lied cload she waved her hand and ran lightly down the stair arid and across tho the lawn to tile tho orchard she bho pulled a green apple from a bough that hung over a stone wall arid and with this in her hand she aho carno close to tile tho pasture fence and whistled a peculiar call it was answered by a low lov whinny arid and a soft thud of hoofs I 1 and a golden chestnut hunter thru thrust st a long noso nose over tho the bars flaring daring flame lined nostrils to tho the touch ot of her hand she laid her check against the white thoroughbred forehead and held tile the apple to the larger reaching tip lip with several teasing before sho she gave it to its juicy crunching she let down tho the top bar ot of the fence and vaulting over ran to a stable arid and presently emerging with it a saddle on her arm whistled the horse to her and saddled him then opening the gate she mounted and cantered down tho the lano to meet the oncoming a kindly faced middle aged man a younger one with dark features and coal black hair an and it two girls chisholm lusk spurred in advance and lifted his hat 1 I held up the judge shirley ho said eald and made him bring me along he tolls tells in me theres a fox hunt on tomorrow may mayi 11 coma pshaw chilly said the judge 1 I dont bellevo believe you ever got up at alve 0 in your born days youve learned bad habits abroad see lie he answered it my man friday rout me out tomorrow ill be up for murder they rode an hour along stretches of sunny highways or on shaded bridle paths where the horses hoofs fell muffled in brown pine needles and drooping branches flicked their faces then by a murky way gouged with brusk gullies across shelving fields arid and turn rows in a long detour around powhattan mountain a rough spur in the shape of an indians head that wedged itself forbiddingly between the fields of spring coin and tobacco do let us got a ii brinkl said bald chilly lusk im as thirsty as a cotton batting camel all right well stop agreed the judge arid and have a chance to see a local lion betty this is where mad anthony lives you must have heard of him when you were here before iles hes almost as celebrated as the reverend john jasper of richmond betty tapped her temple where have ah heard of john jasper ile ho was the author of tho the famous sermon on the sun do move ile he used to prove it by a bucket of water that lie ho set beside hla his pulpit saturday night As it spilled in the morning lie he knew it was the earth that stood still hetty betty nodded laughingly ah remember now Is mad anthony really mad only harmlessly said eald shirley iles HOB stone blind the negroes nil all believe he conjures voodoo you know they put a lot of stock t IN Q I 1 howdy do anthony he said in tits ills he tells fortunes too S sh ah she eho warned iles hes sitting on tho the doorstep door step lies ilos heard beard us the old negro had the torso of a black patriarch lie he sat bolt upright with long straight arms resting on his bis knees and his face had abut peculiar expressionless immobility seen been in egyptian carvings can ings ills his age might have been anything judging from his face which was so BO seamed and with innumerable tiny wrinkles that it most resembled the tortured glaze of some ancient bitumen pottery unearthed from a tomb of kor the judge dismounted and tossing his bridle over over a fence picket took from his pocket a collapsible drinking cup howdy do anthony he said bald we just stopped tor for a drink of your good water the old negro nodded his bead good ho he said bald in the gentle quavering tones of extreme ago age yas I 1 marse giop josof yo Bof come bom ho condall ob do dd berf dat en dans dahs folks say do centak of do cerf la Is all lali flah yo deyo right mars Chah mahs now how the devil do you know who I 1 am anthony tho the judge set down hlo hla cup on oil tho the well curb 1 I been by here for a year tho the ebony head moved slowly from side bide to side 01 01 antny don need no eyes ho he said touching tits his hand to his brow lie see heah tile the judge beckoned to the other and they trooped inside tho paling ive brought somo some other folks with me anthony can you tell who they are tho sightless look wavered over them and the white head shook slowly don know mars said the gentle voice how many wid yo yoa one two no I 1 dou don know young distio eldah 1 I reckon you dont need any eyes judge chalmers laughed as ho he passed the tha sweet cold water to the rea resa one of these young ladles ladies wants you to tell her fortune tho the old negro dropped hla his head waving his gaunt hands restlessly tho judge beckon ad to betty page but she shook her head with a little grimace and drew back you go shirley sho she whispered and with a laughing glance at the others shirley came and sat down on the lowest step mad anthony put out a wavering hand and touched the young body ills fingers strayed ove the habit and went up to the curling bronze under the hat brim dis de lil IN aistis he muttered aln afeard ob ol at antny dahs flah on en she aln afeard on en daws dabs en she aln ain afeard wondal condah ah gwine tell huh do de colah ob yo hath halh honey dlack black put in fit chilly lusk with a wink at the others dlack black as a crow old anthonys hand tell fell back to his bla knee young mars laugh at de 01 ol man he said but he don know dat do colah dat buhn buan mail hans de colah ob gov gol en eyes blue like or er cat bir birds ds alg dahs er man gwine look in dera dem eyes honey en gwine make ern em cry en cry he raised his head sharply his llda lids shut tight and swung hla his arm toward the north dahs he come toni he said en heah his arm veered and he be pointed straight toward tho the ragged hill behind them lie he stay lusk laughed noiselessly hes 1168 pointing to damory court he whispered to nancy chalmers the only uninhabited place within ten miles as annear near as he often hits bits it I 1 fancy haahs lie he stay repeated the old man heap ob trouble wait heah to fo him too honey heap ob trouble heah aistis fin him come anthony said judge chalmers laying his hand on tire the old mans shoulder much too mournful live give her something nice to top off with at least but anthony paid no hoed heed uret gret trouble dahs flah en she afe afeard alid en dahs en she aln afe afeard alid en ah sees yo gwine ter ilm alm honey all ali heatha de coot house clock a in do de night en yo gwine don wait don wait aistis er de dd trouble cloud gwine him erway tom yo when de clock strike eliuh teen when de clock strike chuh teen the droning voice ceased the gaunt form became rigid then tie ho started arid and turned his eyes slowly about him a vague look of an clety on his face for a moment no one moved when lie ho spoke again it was once more in ills his gentle quavering voice 7 yas mars good diep yosef 4 the judge set a dollar bill on the step and weighted it with a stone as the rest re mounted well good goodby by anthony ho he said were mightily obliged lie he sprang into the saddle and the quartette cantered away my experiment a great success im afraid shirley he said ruefully oh I 1 think it was splendid cried nancy do you suppose lie really believes thosa spooky things Is declare at the time I 1 almost did myself what an odd idea when the clock strikes thirteen which of course it never does dont mind shirley bantered lusk when you see all dem troubles coming found the alarm and well voll fly in a body to your rescue they let their horses out for a pounding gallop which pulled down suddenly at a muffled muddled shriek from betty page as her horse went into the air at sight of an automobile by the roadside now whose under the canopy la is that exclaimed lusk its stalled said shirley 1 I passed here this afternoon when the owner was trying to start it and I 1 sent unc jetterson jefferson as first aid to the in jurod 1 I wonder who he can be said nancy ive never seen that car bo fore why said betty gaily all ah know its mad anthonys trouble man of courso come for shirley CHAPTER VII uncle jefferson A red rose while over ever a thing ot of beauty la Is not invariably it joy forever the white bulldog as ho he plodded along tho the sunny highway was bunk bounk in depression being trammeled by tho the limitations of a canine horizon lie he could not understand the whimsy mso adorable ones met by the way who seemed so BO glad him that they throw both arms about him and then tied to his neck irksome colored weeds that prickled and scratched and would not be dislodged so it was a chas bened and shamed chum who at length wriggled stealthily into the seat of the stranded automobile beside his master arid and thrust it a dirty pink nose into his palm john valiant lifted his bla hand to stroke the shapely head then drew it back with an exclamation A thorn had pricked his thumb ile ho looked down and saw the draggled dragg led flower thrust through tho the twist of 0 grass oh pup or of wonders wonder sl he exclaimed where did you get that rose chum sat up and wagged ula ills tall tor for his masters tone instead of ridicule held a dawning delight perhaps the thing had not been intended as a disgrace after all with the first sight of the decora tion valiant had had a sudden memory of a splotch of vivid red against the belted gray blue of a gown he grinned appreciatively and I 1 warned her he chuckled told her not to be af afraid ile he dusted the blossom painstakingly with his handkerchief and held it to hla his face a live brilliant thing breathing musk odors of the mid moon of paradise A long time he sat while the dog dozed and yawned dawned on the shiny cushion beside him of a sudden aluni sat up and barked in earnest turning his head bead his master saw approaching pro aching a dilapidated hack back with side lanterns like great goggles and decrepit and palsied curtains it was I 1 drawn by a lean mustard tinted mule and on its front sat a colored man of 0 uncertain age whose hunched vertebrae and outward crooked arms save gave him a curious expression ot of replete and bulbous inquiry abreast of the car he removed a moth eaten cap evenin Eve suh he sald eald cv eve enIn evenin howdy do returned the other amiably ah yo il done had er breck down wid dat machine thing dar yo been huyuh bout er hour ain yo nearer three said valiant |