Show I 1 FI 1 1 AI na t 1 01 1 1111 40 2 9 4 1 il I 1 I 1 11 i 11 PC il 1 1 1 JAI N L A CAVALIER L OF ow fa VE by minna thomas antrim copyright by J B lippincott co dons face was troubled perched unon upon a flat stone overlooking a stretch of matchless country he bent lowering eyes toward the house of his enemy below at the heel of the hill upon whose crest dons stately habitation rested a rose embowered empowered cottage nestled therein dwelt his foe with lips quiver aquiver a don rubbed the big lump upon his head painfully it reminded him of a stone cast by one whose sins eins were grievously many his small legs dangle a kicked hie stony seat angrily he smote the rock in order to discharge part of the clamoring force within meek don was not although lie he was of gentle habit he longed with a mighty longing to have his foe beneath his sturdy heel alack the redheaded red headed boy was several inches taller and besides his ability to run away don had never seen equalled equal led his stepfather step father keith kennedy who was also his model and hero had said it was unmanly to throw stones therefore don had refrained also keith had assured him that only cowards ran away hence don held his ground and tried to dodge all missiles he fought because his mother told him that it was naughty his reverie was interrupted by a familiar voice hers tan I 1 turn tum over don could she come over with eyes alight don leaped down from his high seat to open the stubbornly latched gate entered ethel as usual crisply starched and beribboned to match the sky down she sat her sash carefully outspread her cavalier to suit her lesser height dropped also upon the grass being thus camf comfortably 0 stably placed ethel eyed him disdainfully capt I 1 be mad at jimmy I 1 bummed over she began dons face lengthened dolorously but his lips were mute course she went on im mad div jimmy but he aint no fraid cat you is snap went two ruby lips snap went two heaven blue eyes deeper red splotches sp latches mottled the pink of dons chubby cheeks outrageous fortune still pursued him again he must bear the ignominy of accusation it was unbearable 1 I aint no fraid cat effel taylor he be said hotly you is calmly repeated his lady capt you you would a stone back at jimmy don rose he could not sit under her blows kelf keif says at frowin stones is bad if im bad I 1 wont go up to heaven in de skies said he meanwhile behind the children was stealthily creeping a boy whose hair named flamed against the velvety green of the turf and in whose round eyes malice gleamed evilly in one freckled hand he poised a mottled object angered by dons proximity to his self styled beau he gave an unearth dead garter snake at don then ran away shrieking with glee bad aiming sent it into the girl childs lap and the tiny morsel of womanhood was literally frozen with horror of the loathsome object terror stricken though ho he was don bravely grasped the reptile in his small right hand and flung it as far as he could As Is the way with her sex the danger past ethel ran shrieking across the lawn out of the gate across the dusty road and into her auntie romas arms don meanwhile between pors personal onal fright and anxiety for his pla playmate amate lay in a aemi dazed chate for some time then painfully walked into th the 0 house for several baysa days a sort of hev erish stupor held him but finally his nerves righted themselves during his convalescence keith and he held a counsel of war it was written however that many days should pass ere don was to profit by his step fathers counsel for the artful jimmy had also come to grief measles that ancient enemy of youth bound him to remain indoors or pay the penalty jimmy remained when he was able to begin hatching mischief again don and ethel were digging for shells at a nearby watering place the keith kennedys Kenn edys with don and the baby sister and ethels father were staying at the same seashore hotel the summer ended as summers will and back to the willows the kennedys Kenn edys had come the trees clad in their autumnal glory were of immense interest to the children in the nearby near by woods the little ones spent hours daily especially where the chestnut and shellbark shellback shell bark trees being prodded showered down nuts into dons little cap and ethels small skirt alack a day that into their eden discord should be hastening upon shoeless feet jimmy had also ended his summer vacation dons fright and consequent illness had not been reported to his father who was ill III at the time thus it came that jimmy strong escaped chastisement to mend his ways had no part or parcel in his life plan to escape painful consequences alone concerned him one day the next after his return he went prowling in the woods for don and ethel he finally saw them as usual toed near children were breathlessly watching the antics of a hoary old squirrel ethel sat with her lap filled with leaves which she was weaving with the aid of tiny sticks into a gorgeous wreath don sat cross legged under the chestnut tree up which the squirrel was trying to make his way for once dons back was to his little playmate the prowling jimmy saw by the posture of dons legs that they could not untangle themselves as swiftly as his own could sprint besides had he not sufficient proof that the boy was a coward when it came to fighting hence up to ethel he crept soundlessly and with an entirely new sort of bloodcurdling blood curdling yell pulled the childs sunny hair with all the strength of fostered malice ethels scream had scarcely begun when don was beside her and had taken in the situation at a glance ile he beheld the gleeful jimmy fleeing through the woods like a hare so great was his haste that he fell sprawling over the stump of a small tree with a yell as nearly mate to his fallen foes as he could evolve don was upon him his knee upon the big boys chest his two raging fists pounding his face at last don felt the primal thrill of battle with corresponding rage the pugilistic jimmy tried to throw off his foe but his jacket had caught in some brush brush in a manner to prevent and in the position in which he lay he was unable to ward off dons blows only when the conqueror became exhausted from pounding did he desist now said he breathing hard bard you big bad coward to hurt a little dirl dont you never scare effel adain jimmy tried to rise but as a vise the spike like brushwood held him alt dit up commanded don and dit out of our woods whereupon without a backward look the can conqueror turned away and ran back to comfort the weeping ethel the day after don was giving a dinner party for the first time ho he wore the customary garb of a cavalier of high degree in black velvet knee breeches wide lace collar flar cf silken hose I 1 and varnished leather pumps don looked tle the part prom from ring ringlets lots keith had mercifully saved his comrade he looked very handsome indeed to ethel who arrived a few ino moments ments after he came out upon the porch to await his guests keith had sent the big touring car for several children who were to attend dons birthday feast and who lived some distance away ethel looking like an enlarged pink carnation approached her host suddenly dons face brightened he had spied the car coming it was laden with laughing children athel E thel followed don to the driveway A little later keith assisted two sl small all boys and two smaller girls to alight one of these was sadie the little lame girl with an angry flutter of her skirts ethel sidled away from her detested rival r turn here wight away don she commanded arrogantly don obeyed in wonder 1 I know at sadie was to your party capt I 1 did I 1 bummed over she said angrily sadies staying at our ministers house don said 1 I wanted her to my party ashes nice turning her back upon him ethel deliberately approached sadie aint you dot no party deess asked she sniffing only this one said the child happily mis alls russell made it pooh sniffed ethel mines silk dinner is served said keith with great formality whom will you take in don sadie promptly replied don approaching pro aching the child for an instant ethel looked stunned then without a word she ran off the piazza out of the gate across the way home after her the children stared in amazement did sompin hurt her asked S sadie adle innocently no answered don with inborn tact aslie she doin to be at my party but his bis very soul darkened glamour of ethel faded away forever As he be listened to sadies sweet voice looked into her bright face and listened to her happy chatter his heart sought sanctuary for the second time tim e he loved sadie he would t tell ell ethel and soon that he no longer cared to become her husband when he was a big man she also must know his feelings so after a beautiful dinner and a gay hour of play afterward when he and sadie were seated a little apart from the other children he be broached the delicate subject to her she stared then laughed merrily my what a funny boy you arev are she said dont you know that lame little girls like me dont be big ever A shadow crossed the boys sensitive face for a moment he felt dazed then he said maybe ill stay little like you at which sadie laughed even more merrily you are a awful aw ful funny boy don she repeated looking distinctly hurt don turned and walked toward the motor car which was coming up from the garage to take the little ones home something drew his hip eyes to the house bouse across the road there peeping between the iron bars of the g gate ate was a small peevish face a lonely child self exiled A day ago the sight would have thrilled don to pity but not now his mind was otherwise occupied |