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Show .. ........... ... . ..... ". V.V. " . . ... .............. ....a I THE RED CHIMNEY I ! ! ' ! . i ! " :! By KEITH KENYOfJ. : ! v In tho full flush of summertlmo foliage you could not see It from- Burton's camp, but when tho Soptcm- I ber winds began to send tho leaves' ' dancing It stood out plainly, ono red 1 chimney far up tho valley of Little Creek. Tho houso of tho red chimney had been untenanted for many yoars, ho had been told at tho local country' store. It was tho only other houso In tho valley booldes hi own rough lodge, and ho had not resented, sharing tho solltudo until tho morning when smoko roso leisurely Into tho air 'from tho red chimney. Hurton watched it with unbollevlng eyes. Ho waited until afternoon and then whistled his horso up from tho lower meadow whero It grazed and saddled It grimly. If any tramps or lottorers had taken up their abodo ithcrc ho mado up his mind to oust them with short shift. It was a gallop of tbreo miles around tho bend of tho river road. As ho ,drow near, ho caught a fiutter of whlto from a clothesline In the yard. So tho occupant was evidently feminine, femi-nine, which deprived him of somo of tho joy of retaliation. Still ho looked decidedly stern and aggrcssivo as ho mounted tho wldo stono steps and 'knocked on tho front door. There was no answer, and after tho second knock tho very prettiest faco ,ho had evor looked upon appeared at 'tho window bcsldo him. "I'm awfully sorry, but wo haven't 'found tho key to tho front door yet. Won't you como around tho sido way J" Ho strodo through tho grass doubtfully. doubt-fully. On tho side porch, In an old split-bottom rocker, ho found another tenant, a little older than tho first, 'but very nenrly as dlstractlngly pretty, and this ono wns paring potatoes, po-tatoes, "How do you do?" sho said chcor-fully. chcor-fully. "Aro you ono of our nolgh-'bors?" nolgh-'bors?" , "I rather think I am your only nelghborln tho valley," answered Burton Bur-ton gravely. "I have lived hero throo 'years In tho summertlmo. Burton Is my namo." "Ours Is Colby. I am Boatrlco Colby. Col-by. "This is my sister Nan." Nan smiled at him and handed out another chair. Boforo ho knew it, 'Burton was thawing and telling thein all about tho valley and of his coming" to It when his own health had broken down back in New York. He had obtained ob-tained tenting rights first from tho trustee of tho land. Probably thoy had rented from the same porson. "No," Nan told him qutto frankly, '"wo Just drove over and stayed horo." - Squatter rights ovidontly, thought Burton, and ho mado up his mind to speak to old Newton about it. Yet tho days passed and ho permlttod the Interlopers to remain undisturbed. It was rather pleasant to see smoke coming from tho red chimney. Every other day ho rodo over to bo sure his uuibuuurs wuru Beuiug uiuiik wuu. Nan, he found out, was tho housekeeper. housekeep-er. Beatrice was tho provider for tho family. Thoy confided to him that sho collected antiques for a Now York dcalor, and that they Jauntod around to all kinds of out-ot-tho-way places. It was at tho end of tho fourth weok that Burton, looking at himself In tho glass hung on his tent pole, told himself that he was In lovo. Ho looked over at tho red chimney and accused It in his mind. Then ho looked again nnd saw something that mado him hold his breath. Up from tho rod chimney catno masses of sulphurous omoko that stained tho deop blue of tho morning sky. When ho dropped from his saddle later, tho whlto froth clung to his horso'a Hanks and breast, but ho ran on up to tho old houso and found tho two girls fighting n chlmnoy lire. Nan hnd taken a ladder and leaned it against tho houso nnd tried to roach tho chlmnoy with salt lAgs, but had mlsncd hor footing. "It's only a sprain," sho called to him from tho grass. "Go and help Bcatrlco. Sir. Nowton came over, too." , I "I don't caro If tho wholo thing goes up K smoko," ho said huskily, kncoh-ti beside hor. "Aro you badly hurt. Tell mo tho truth, Nan." "I'm all right, truly, truly." Sho tried to draw awny from him, but Burton possessed her hands. "I've loved you oer since I saw you nt tho window, Wan. You know It, too. Don't laugh nt mo," "Shall i cry?" sho usked whlmsl-cally. whlmsl-cally. "You can't, you know. You'vo1 Just hated ua for spoiling your val-, loy." I "It's our vnlltiy now," ho said, when Boatrlco and Mr. Nowton enmo around tho coruor of tho houso bearing raopa i nnd palls. j "Well, it'n out," said tho old man.' "How do you Hko your two landlords, Mr, Burton?" I Burton looked nonplused. "You know this whole vnlloy Is tho ' old Colby estate. I'm mighty glad two of them cared onough about It to come hoirje." And he wjnrded them as Invadtra. Ho turned to Nan nppenllngly. "Shall I ever bo forgiven?" Sho laughed and hold out her hand, i "Do you think wo would havo put up with you so long, Jack, ir wo hadn't Intended taking you into tho family?" (Copyright, 1915 bv tho McClure New-ouper New-ouper Syndicate.) . m ,- , tort BflBMMH |
