OCR Text |
Show If fczauiy ml 'Nick tu Sir Philip GitW I I (Continued from Last Week.) SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. Nicholas Barton, a small boy with a queer temperament, lives with his father, "Bristles" and his mother, "Beauty" in a London flat building. Bristles and Beauty Ruarrcl frequently, particularly about the extreme interest hlch Beauty, an actress, takes In theatrical affairs and her theatrical theatri-cal acquaintances.. Bristles, who i, "something in the city" protests pro-tests in vain against his wife's determination de-termination to continue her theatrical career which is threatening threat-ening to undermine their home life One evening Bristles takes Nick to the theatre where she Is acting and a few days later a Mr. Dan-vers Dan-vers calls to see Beauty. Nick takes an instant dislike to him and designates him "The Beast." YpjT!tM by the Dvln Adali Comtmnj. rAll Ilichtf Rierv.l CHAPTER III. (Continued.) . ,tt ir Y DEAR OLD MAN," n l Hi : : les, laughing as thouch he had be come an optimist again, "what makes you think I am frightfully rich?" "Because you pay for Beauty nnd me and Polly anil all the other things that cost such a lot." "Beamy pays for herself, worse luck," said Bristles. "And I am as poor as a church mouse worse luck, also.' "Not really as pooi as a church mouse?" asked Nick with a great anxiety, lor he somehow fell that a church mouse must be frightfully poor. "Really and truly." said Bristles. "That's rotten," said Nick. That was all he said, but he thought about it a lot. and he knew that he had made three terribly big discoveries. One was that Beauty paid for herself. He did not know before then that any kind of Beauty ever paid for herself. And the second was that Bristles was Something in the City. That sounded absolutely awful. And the thlid was that he was as poor as d church mouse, which was worst of all. These discoveries made all sorts of queer little Ideas jump Into his head, and they did not jump out again like some of his ideas, but gr w into big Ideas which took up a lot of room, so that Botnotim.es they made his head ache. But for some reason whkii he could not explain to himself he aever spoke about these discoveries discov-eries to the gir". of the ground-floor ground-floor flat, and that was funny, because be-cause he used to tell her about : early all the discoveries wh'ch he made from time to time. She had a lot of her own discoveries, and they used to exchange them with each other, just as they exchangee' their fairy-tale books, and some of th toys they had got tired of. and fcome of the sweets which carr.e to them on blrthdayi and Holidays. This was Joan Darracott, who hadn't got a balcony because she lived next to the street, but who had a front garden in whlc 1 she planted seeds which never grew up. Joan was a girl with a hort 'white frock and long black legs and yellow hair liko a wax coil's, which was tied up over each ear by a white silk bow. Nick had known her a long time by night, before he knew her by heart, because be-cause she was the girl who always picked up the things which ho dropped down from the ba'.cony into her pardon, and never gave them back again. He dropped a big ball with a picture of Westminster West-minster Abbey on one side and with a picture of the Tower of London on the oilier side, and among othe; tliinps he dropped down wete his second best pistol, his b.'gest marble with the colored snaae inside, in-side, and his mouth-organ. Joau picked these things up as though they had fallen from Heaven and indeed they had fallen almost as tar and he actual'y heard her plavlug the mouth-organ in her front garden one day, just as If It belonged to her, although she couldn't get any kind of tunc out of it, but just hlew up and down flu a silly sort of way. This v. as a bit too much for Nicholas Barton He happened to he passing the railings of the ground-floor flat, and he put his jii?p between them, and said I(BH1! That's my mouth-organ !" jVhe girl with the short white rfjpeck ami tho long black legB stopped blowing, looked round to Bee wjiero the olce camo from, and then said, very calmly: "No. it Isn't " ' Yes. it is." said Xlck. "No, It Isn't, " said Joan. "Yes, it Is," said Nick. This went on for some lime, until they both got tired of faying tho same thing. Then the girl said, by v. ay of a change ! "I found it in my garden, and what I find in my garden Is mine See?" "No, I don't," said Nick. "If rouH hand that mouth-organ BirOUgh the railings I will prove It's jfciine." 1 "How will you prove It"" "Hv playing a tune on It." "Pooh! You can't play a tune," paid the girl. "Can't I?" said Nick. 'That's all you know about it." "It's my mouth organ, but I will hi vou play onr tune on It, If you know how." said the girl. v Nick seized the mouth-organ and after taking a good deep breath to last him for a long time, played. Hero wo go looby-loo, Here wo go looby-light. Hero we go looby-loo, All on a Saturday night He finished with a triumphant aote, put the mouth-organ in his pocket, said: "Now you know it ix mine!" and walked away. But ho stopped suddenly because his blood was frozen In his veins by the sound of a piercing scream. It came from the girl with tho short White frock and long black legs. "What's the matter?" asked Nick, ping back to the railings. Two hands wore suddenly thru: il between tho railings and clutched hold of him so that he couldn't escape. "Give it back'" screamed the qui. 'Civ.- rue my mouth-organ" 'It's my mouth-organ!" gaBped Nick "1 proved it to you." "If you don't give It back I'll scream till your ears break," said the girl. Then she started screaming 10 that Nick was quite sure his ears would break Ho simply couldn't boar it. so he shouted as loudly as ho could: "If you will let go of ray arms, I will give it to you." She stopped screaming instantly, and waited While Nick dived down Into his pocket, wrenched out his beautiful mouth-organ, and handed il through the railings, where it was grabbed by the girl "Sneak" said Nick, and with that word of scorn ho walked away. But he hadn't gone two yards before be heard a voice calling "Boy" boy!" He went back again, and saw the girl's eyes through the railings. "What do vou want?" asked Nick. "Here's your silly old mouth-organ. mouth-organ. Good riddance to bad run blsh." Nick took the precious instrument instru-ment and walked away with il. but somehow the tunes seemed to have gono out of it for a little while He sat down In his own room upstairs, and had a long talk with Peter "Peter," he said, "are all girls like that? Do they scream for things they don't want, and then give them back again to the people the things belong to?" Peter was silent, si-lent, but Nick took hi6 answer for granted. f " ' "Well, all I hyV' t r v can say Is that r girls must be wnm fMg A awfully rotten." " fBf.SM said Nick MJi And yet the ' a curious thing is that, although -3 ' Nick came to this opinion about girlhood in general and the girl or the ground-floor flat in par.icular, ho found himself longing to have further convocation convo-cation with that remarkable young lady The -, portunlty came one day when he had gone quite alone Into Batter-sea Batter-sea Park he was old enough now to go alone in order to have few words with tho old owls, to pass the tlmo of day with tho squirrel, in case he had come out from the back parlor of his cage, to throw a pebblo at the water rats under the rustic bridge, and to stand under tho big tree which stretched its arms down to catch small hoys, or at least one 6mall boy who had tremendous thrills, although h- knew tho tree couM not stretch low enough to reach him. It was down the path close to this tree that the girl of the ground-Hoar flat came with .1 big dog, a fair-sized nurse, and a very little sunshade, which she spun like a teetotum over her shou'.dcr. She stopped spinning tho parasol when she saw Nick, and said, with a friendly grin: "Hulloh. boy"" "Hulloh!" said Nick. The nurse said: 'Come on, Miss Joan," and moved on with her nose in a novelette which she was reading read-ing as she walked. But Miss Joan did not come on She said to Nick: "I bet I'll race you to the other end of the grass. One, two, three and away!" She was away before she got a6 far as two. which was not quit'-fair, quit'-fair, and she won the race easily, because she had a start of at least five yards, so lhat Nick came up panting and humiliated. "You cheated," ho said. The girl of the ground floor flat laughpd and flung her sunshade on 'o the grass, and sat. down next to the sunshade, with her short white skirt spread all round her and her long black legs sticking out, while her big dog. which had joined in the race, rusned round Ave trees and then cain to lie down by the side of his mistress, grimacing happily, with his tongue lolling out. "You cheated," said Nick again. "Did IT" said tho girl. "Well, father says girls always cheat, so 1 suppose I can't help it ." 'It's rotten to cheat." said Nick. "Boys don't cheat " 'Don't they?" said the girl. T suppose they're not clever enough. They're frlghtfull stupid things boys." 'How do you know?" asked Nick. The little girl lay back on tho grass and stared up at the ky. "It was one of my discoveries," nald the girl, kicking her heels up and down Nick was star'led. "Do you mako discoveries, too'" he asked. "Oh, I'm always making ihem. rather says ho doesn't Know how I Hnd out half the things I do" "Do you mind teiiinn me some of your discoveries?" said Nick, sit ting down mi the grass, with his knees tucked up to his chin, and his hands clasped round h;s knees, That grown-up people think small boys and girls don't know they arc being deceived; That small boys and girls don't let the grown-up pooplo know that thoy know they are being deceived; de-ceived; That grown-up people are always telling boys and girls to do things wbieh they wouldn't do themselves. "What sort of things?" asked Nick. ' Oh, being obedient, and saying 1 f iil'i -1. V v-:-v while he stared at the ulri kicking hi r heels up and down. She did not mind telling htm In the least. But she said lib could only tell him a few, until nurse finished her novelette on lha seal over there and then came to say: "Whatever have you been doing. Miss Joan? I've bi-en looking for you everywhere, and I shall tell your mamma what a naughty little girl you've been." "But that would be an awful whopper!" said Nick. "Doc s : h" Kenerally tell whoppers'.''' "Always." said the little girl. "That was one of my discoveries." Among h r other discoveries were (he following remarkable facts ; That grown-up people are always deceiving small boys and girls; (C) 102C. International fotu you're sorry when you're "' not sorry, and glad when .y.A you'ru not glad, und eat ing puddings you hate, v:$ and going to bed at the prop, r 1 niie like a good girl, and, learning l 1 sons which you don't A want to learn, and heaps -.no hundreds of other thin make you want to scream the house down. ' "Do you ever try to scream tho house down?" asked Nick "Oh. often." "Well. I hope you won't," said Nick, anxiously "Because I live in the top-lloor flat, you know." Joan Darracott considered this idea In nil its bearings. 'Yes," she said, "you would come down an awful whop, wouldn't you?" That was about the end of the first conversation, for the nurse, having finished the novelette, came over and said exactly the things loan said she would say But afterwards Nick often met Joan in Battersea Park, and whenever Nick had any Bweeta In hla pocket Jean ir Serrioe. inc Jreat Hrltaln Rlrht Reerve 0 look more than half of them, and Whenever Joan had any sweets In hor pocket she gave him ono or two as a great favor, and said ho ought to bo very grateful to her. If be had a new toy she "swapped'' it for something ho didn't want, so that ho hated her for making him "swap" (which was a word ho didn't know before), but became her victim again the very next time. Ho couldn't make up his mind whether ho hated her most or liked hor most, because sometimes ho hated her n much that he wanted to kill her, and sometimes ho liked her so much that he was afraid of liking her 1 veD than Beauty, - I I ' .. '.f I "Welcome home my j dear!" Said v Danvers, f Making a Low Bow to Beauty. and more rtinn Tet..-i Rabbit. sn more than Robin the Rocking Horse He liked her most when she played games of hide-andseek with him in and out of the trees, crying "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" in a voice like Iho top notes of his month organ, and then darting from behind a tree, with her J 1 low-hair low-hair glittering like gold, and her eyes like dancing stars, and her white frock like a puff of white smoke. And he liked her when she sat down under a tree with him, with hor head against his shoulder and hor arm around his waist, telling him Queer dream-tales about cats with pink e yes, and princesses with glnss slippers, and flowers that came out of the flower-beds at night aud danced until the sun got up And he liked her w hen she told him about a man called Daddy, who wroto books which nobody would over read, because they were much too good, and about a lady called Mum By, who said that she wished she had married a man who sold butter Instead of books, because everybody wanted butter but nobody no-body wanted books; aud about a man called Uncle Jack, who said the country was going to the dogs a Moan could never find out why), and about a lady called Aunt Sarah, who said that the Radicals woro perfect dovils (though Joan had never met a Radical nnd didn't know what It looked like), and about all the other people who camo to the ground-floor flat. But Nick hated her when Joan Cheated him at marbles, broke his humming top and said it was his fault, and scratched his fao be cause he had given her a new silver sixpence, the whole of his week's pocket money), which she dropped over the rustic bridge into (he place v. here tho wuter-rnta lived. After dropping the silver six-penco six-penco sbo dropped several tears, which fell Into the water and made liny ripples, nnd when Nick said Never mind. Joan." she turned round and scratched his face and said: "It was my sixpence and I do mind so there!" But he hated her most of all when she told him of ohc of her discoveries. "My mother 3ys jf tha' .ur ne .t hi-r ,' Beaut y is s fat 7 1 eature, .:ml thut f there'll bo a scandal on0 these fine 7 - ? J '"What's a fccan- ; dol?" aalced Nick, 1 getting very white In y 4 the face. . jj "I don't exactly 7 know," said Joan. "Something frightful, I xpect." "And what's a fast creature"'' asked N kj breathing very hard ) A ( reature that is fast," said Joan In her wisest way. "Wound up 100 much, llko a fast clock." Nick knew that the Something which had a hiding-place deep down In his heart, was tearing its way up. stretching out great claws Into his brain, setting his eyes on fire. He made oue grab at Joan Darracott Darra-cott and look out a handful of her yellow hair. He still held It as ho set off running to the- park gates, while Joan Darrarott's screams wen blown faintly to his ears by the ursning w Ind CHAPTER IV. The House of the Beast. TT was about tho time that Nicholas Nich-olas Barton took forcible possession pos-session of some of Joan Darra-COtt's Darra-COtt's golden curls that he became awaiv of a secret between himself ami Bristles He discovered that Bristles hated the Beast as much as he did, and perhaps a little bit more. This idea jumped into his head suddenly one day. and afterward grew into certain knowledge. It 1 ame to him first on a Saturday afternoon when Bristles came home early, usual, took off his black eoat and chimney-pot hat, put on an old gray coat aud a pepper-and-salt cap, and said: "Now, Nick, old man, let's go and feed the ducks " To Polly he said: "When will the mistress bo home?" (He always called Beaut v the 'mistress.") And Polly said: "Not till late, as she's got one of her rehearsals, poor dear!" Nicholas had never yet found out what a rehearsal wa?, but he kuew it was something horrid, because Beauty was always in a bad tem-por tem-por When she had to go to one, and Bristles always said "Hang the re-a re-a ear sals I " and Polly always said, "Poor dear! ' when Beautv came home with a rehearsal headache But this nlternoon he did not thlrk much about the matter, because be-cause he hid been saving a number num-ber of crusts of bread all tho week for this very' Saturday afternoon when Bristles would come home and say: "Now. Nick, old man. let's go and feed the ducks." So he had a nice, waira. happy feeling under his lerscy when he set nff with Bristles and the bag of c-ni3t;, and thought of the tre- mendous quacking there would be, and the exciting chases and fights J as soon as ho began to throw tne 1 brpad into the water. It all happened as he had hoped It would and Nick shouted with laughter, and Bristles chucKle-l . H with laughter, and other small V boys laughed and shouted, and I; other fathers chuckled, when he lb flung crusts Into the struggling 1 crowd of ducks who gobbled them up us fast 13 be cn'ild throw. He V'W knew most of them by sleht and by 'l name. There was old Yellow-blll. J A the greediest of them all. and lit- F A tlo Black-eye, the next greediest, and Green-tail, the Japanese duck, nnd Pob-tall, the fellow who was always fighting. It was Bob-tail who made the biggest noise and who scurried across the water with flarping wings and paddling feet in hot chase of any rival to whom sksi N'ick had flung a crust. M The fun came to nn end too ouickly and a store Oi crusts which had taken a week to save w.-im all gone In five minute? i " 1 "What shall we do now"'" asked Nlok, with that desire for adventure adven-ture which sometimes made him tired of !im old frfends, like the W ! squirrel and the sleepy owls. m Bristles put his cap back, so that the gun was warm on his face, and he stared at the lake which was like a big looking glass reflecting the little white clouds and the blue "How abonl a boat?" asked wki Bristles. "We nituM go In search 13 Of the New World " Br: Nick did a doublo shuffle on the pathway. M," i Oh. rather! I will be Sir Francis Fran-cis Drake, and you can bo Admiral M '. Nelson. Only. ou must pretend to ft i have only one eye and one arm." R ' ( Bristles suggested that as be H 1 ild hive to roil he had better be tqm Sir Frances Drake, with two arms Jw While Nick might be Admiral Nc 1 w U I son. except when he steered under H 'I the bridge, when he would want Hifl both his aims and very sharp eyes, Kissl After some d'scussion this was Uissl agreed, and in a boat called the IjH Oakapplo. which was a little leaky LstBI at the bottom, they set out In EH search of the New World! They BiSM had many adventures, including KiBBI hairbreadth escapes from rod In- 13 dians in other boats, and a provl- Kv ;H dential escape from shipwreck fflw when Nick, who was looking one K fl for wild tigers on the distant shore, He steered the boat Into some floating VI Umber Bur then they ,ight. j '!,- SB coast of America, and Brlstleg pullnd steadily toward some over-hanging over-hanging trees by the low-lying bank. But suddenly he stopped rowing B end rested on his oars, and Nick ta saw that his father had a queer ex-presslon ex-presslon on his face as he stared toward the trees ai 'houeh he -aw 6ome hideous cannibals or the one- j eyed giant who hurled 3toncs at J Ulysses and his men I "What's the matter?" asked N cli with that sudden sense of fear which came to him sometimes when 'sfB Bristles played the game a: if it Ln ere really real, He looked to-ward to-ward the overhanging tree it m' a which Bristles was staring, and 9rlfl ihen gave a shout of surpri c. m ,M "There's Beauty' Beauty!" SBKfl Beauty was lying at lull length Li sfl in a boat in the little shadow world B under the overhanging tree, with I I 'jU her head propped up on a scarlet LaH cushion, while at the other end of the boat Danvers sat with the rudder rud-der string in his bunds and with his elbows on his knees, and his head drooped forward a little as he 3 smiled at Beauty. But she did not stay in this position after Nick's IIS shout rang out over the water. H Danvers turned his head sharplyr nnd then sat up very utraight, and Beauty raised her head from the pillow and then scrambled up liko p r. big white bird startled from Its I nest. Nick knew that his voice had frightened her. and was sorry- for having shouted so suddenly. She H had a very scared look In her eyes. But only for a moment Then she jmM waved her hand and called 1 out; "Hulloh" and laughed so that the sound of her laughter seemed to ripple over the water. Danvers I also waved his hand in a friendly, swjfi way, but Nick pretended not to see Let's row under the tree." said f Nick. "I expect Beauty wants to MM talk to us " II But Bristles, who still had a queer 1 look1 on his face, plunged his oar into the water and pulled the boat round, and then rowed in the oppo ! site direction, and above the squeak H of the rowlocks as the oars went, to j and fro Nick heard Bristles say i something about "that beast Daoij I vers" between his clenched tootlgm H He was not a bit playful for tliij f rest of the afternoon, and forgot all about discovering the New t mI World. But Nick had made an- flfl other discovery. He knew now lhat Bristles hated the Beast. j He knew it for certain that after- noon, when Beauty came home alone, with her h-iir untidy, after j the wind had heen playing with It. and with a queer little 6ml)e about f her lips when she put her face up for Bristles to kiss. But Rrlstles did not kiss her. He wrinkled his forehead In the wav j he used to Ho when Nick was iu I one of his bad moods, and pre- tended M be husy with his pipe "I thought you hnd got a re- if benrsal this afternoon," he said f (Contlned on Next Page) JANTJAF I 1 'ttM ' a EfrVkr I ff3asemtin X " Xnl Ijoirfh anaXclay I K (Cont nued from Preceding Page.) I' W! rr quietly. "Didn't jron tell m ; , "dm tr Mid bi "I suppose I' was a Me," ald BrI- HB quiet voice tha. he swmeil to be H ip n m( with h troth filiut. 1 Ilk-- H no many other thlm;.- yu have to'd H N'U k was list nlriK hard, and hl H M tvere watching the faces of i:. . i ! ecauee hi H knew that, in -pile of their quiet war of vpeaMi the qOMT Some H thine which Is In people's hearts H tryin : lo pet up in their H 'tl routs. He new th.it because. H It- 10171 nc wml ery white all H f a midden, and bOCaosa two spark H seemed to light up In her eyes, and H because the wrinkle whbh Bristles H put n to his forehead were ho deep t Hi. i' ill- v tool Lb claws of M , "Don't bnllf me In fr nt of the H J bOJt" Mid BemntJ, "becnuno I won't L i atand It Se. "l am not coins to bully you at II 4 .ill ' inid BrI striking a I match. Imt fi rgottlBg to light his tH pipe. "All I want to know is wbj you told me you hud a rehearsal L when you bad arranged to go. in ftH biat with thut beast Dan vera. Per- H hap you will give mc a straight MH answer to a straight question a! nH H Nick believed that Bristles was ssaH lTerv snsrv until he said tha word IV "Beauty." Then his voice seemed to to f ton i M t 'High he was rr H. for being anr:n, and wanted to be Mot Beauty i lured up," as Polly BFj to judge' manner," she said. "I earn my own living, and I -own trlCUdSj and I decline to be cross-questioned cross-questioned ns though ( 'I wre a criminal in the dock. I If K I not very big. but at that moment there was revr-ded to him a me-thing me-thing of the onflb t of hearts something of the great mystery of human pass I n, something of 1,10 i ,p,.. . ..( .., 'I liere wen- th two pep:c whom he loved beat in the w..rld. but hi COUM only stand . ntslds tlie -'oor and listen to th quarrel of tb?l voices. He did 001 go Into tlie kitchen to play with Polly, but cr pt away to a6k que' (iieatlons of Peter Babbit, lie ! In ills room until the llcht went out from the window panes and the room wsS, ohadow-haunted until Baauty'i 'dce called to bin "Whon are ou, Nick." and until Mip came to search for him. won tiering at bis sitting there so still In the tuillKht. When, she turnea n tlie eletne luht ho saw that her laahoa were wet and shining, and that the splash of a tear was atid on her cbook. Nlofc ran to her and Kisse 1 her ha 1 Ih feeling frightful !.. sorry because iic and Bristles had 10 hate the Heasi so much. For a lone timn after this Nicholas did not see tho man iJanvi'rs. Ho never caJOfl to the Hut agaln.'perhaps bocanaa ba had beard that rtristles wanted to kick him downstaira-mil downstaira-mil there weie ever Ko many atair from the to.-floor flat to tiie gronod-floor Hut so that Nicholas only kept the munory of him in on-. of the hack cup'.-oardy of his mind. Nick had .1 lot of other 1 in.- to think aiuut now trnnif-nHonslv e x e i tlnir dr-adly hatred lor the first week, until be liked it better than an other place, exeept his own top-floor flat. He went to the kindergarten grory morning with .loan Durracott, the girl on the ground-floor flat, who was nearly always late In atari- . ing. because she had bad a quarrel with her boots, or because she had got -out of bed the wrong Waj . or because she had refused to eat her porridge. But she made up for her lateness "by running races to the kindergarten with Nick. a rOM the- park, and always heating him. because of the long black leg which lianlh touched .he ground when she ran. She had forgotten all about tha way in which he uau pulled out some of her irolden hair, and sh?did not scratch bis face again, but once in the kindergarten she stuck a pin into his arm because lie would not let her copy his spelling from dictation, dic-tation, and when he gave a yell bs had to stand in the corner with bis face to the wall, because Miss Felicity Smith said that be must learn how to behave himself, roan also brought him into disgrace by throwing his spelling bo k into .1 puddle In th- park, because he said she was rldlCOlOUd to get out of bed the wrong way, ; nd he was smacked I 11 K l H She always spoke that little word Q "see" with a sudden lift of tho voice, HH like ouo of the treble notes in the I Ttristlee strut', another match, jH and forgot to light his pipe again "Look hero,'' he said. "I tell yo 1 once for all, Beauly. ihat I forbid Sfl you to have anything more to do with that man Danvers. I dislike H both bis manual: i n rl nil q irall H and if he come:, inside this flat I BbI shall kick him out again. Do you PLH understand?'' InB Beauty did not seem to under- illH stand. She Just gave a qu er little tof laugh though Mck noticed tb .t be BH nostrils quivered, and that tha f park a in her BTt - llghtl I Up again Hp ' i am afruhi i don I und rstand i tha' word forbid laid f..- i-.t . nH 'It always sect, ad to me a very I H foolish word to be used by any man CfljH to any wife. 1' is perfectly absurd IkI from you to me, my dent old Bristly Bristles. Perfectly absurd'" Then she told Nick to go and play In tha kitchen with P dly. but out aide the door Nick stood and listened for a little while, not hear-ing hear-ing any WOrdSi but heariug tbe H voices of Beauty r.nd Bristles speak- flH ing quietly In a kind ol duet, low H notes aud high notes Olaablng to getber. Nick was not very old and difference between tlie letters of the alphabet, each one of which seemed to him like a person with a different character tho O was a fat. smiling fellow, the T was always holding hlB arms out to catch the letters on either side, the B was a little man with a big paunch, the I was a lean and lanky creature and then fitting them together so that they made the words which Nick had used as long as be could remember, and then making sentemes which seemed to have secret meanings, as though they were hiding something behind the tilings thej said, like "The cat sat on tin matt" "Tho by hud big to," "The fat cat sat on the big toy of the boy." Mere was a domestic drama which seemed like tbe beginning of a fairy tule, but which left Nick pnnalod .s to th end of It. Then he learned about tho bigness of the world on colored maps, ami traced out long journeys from Battersea Pari; to Buenos Aires, and from the river Thames to the West Indie-, and he learned to make baskets With colored straws nnd mats with Colored papers, which ho brought home as presents for Beauty and Bristles. All these things he learned at wonderful place called a Kindergarten, Kinder-garten, which he hated with a on tbe hand six times with the flat of a ruler because she drew a picture of Miss Felicity Smith on his copy book, and made it so ugl; it was like a turnip face with u very large mouth and very large teeth that It was no wonder Miss Felicity was angry. "Why didn't you say I had don It'" asked Joan Darracott lu t whisper, when he returned to his desk, very red in the face, nnd very hot In the heart Why didn t yob sav?" asked Nick. "Because I should have been smacked with the ruler." said .loan Darracott "Well, it was your fault," eaid Nick. "I shall tell on you next time." "If you do," said .loan. "I will put my finger into your Ink-pit and smudge it all over your face. Besides, you won't tell on me. Boy never tell on glrla." Why not" "Because they're not supposed to." Nick could not argue against that. (C) 102.. Jnlcrualioii He knew It was true. He knew that although boa and glrla ut to getber In the kindergarten and did the same lessons and played tbe same came, there was always u difference between them. Tho boys slways got the worst of It, because tbe girls wero iet off mistakes for which the boys were kept in, an' because the glrla could be as rough as they liked with the boys, but thj ' hoys must never be rough with the girls. t "Ladies first!" sold Miss Fellclt Smith. hcn tn'1 class went out Into the playground, and tbe boys had t stand on one iue while the ladles, with thfir no.-es perked up. marcb'l past them. "ManiuTS. please!" said Ml-s Feli' ity Smith, when one of tbe boya pulled a cirl's hair because she had pinched him when he wasn't looking look-ing "Young gentlemen should always be polite to young ladles,'' sold Mas Felicity Smith when one of the young ladies said that one of th. young gentlemen had called her a "silly, kid." She forgot to ssy tha. ihe bad first called the young ntleman a "dirty toad' Mck sometimes wondered at thesi infalr rules of life. But after n time he gave up wondering about. Li think I am a very clever little girl." But you're not."sdld Nlek. "Oli. yes. I am!" said Joan. You're only a girl!" SAid Nic1. "And you're only a boy!" so! I Joan. I his brought them to deadlock and they were both silent for 0 little while, wondering what mlg:it be the next top in this argument. Ii was Foai who gained Ihe victory by a brilliant stroke. 'T will let you turn over the leaves of my prize hook if you ge. your nur?e lo wash your hands well She know that would crush him It v. as a smashing blow, because Nick's hands were always grubby, and tiers were always 111 -white. Nick put bis hands In his pockets, and went away trying to whistle a pleasant tunc. But his whistle drl. 1 up. and bis lips were trembling tremb-ling There v. as a terrible hute in his heart for Joan Darracott who:, he heard her cocky laugh behin i him. And yet the hate did not last very long, fo.- among all the girl? at the kindergarten Joan suited him best She had her gobd da s. Whejn she was very kind and nic, when they went on their way to boo! with arms about each other 1 waists, and when they made prom ises to be friends forever and evet, Beauty Was Lving Full Length in a Boat in the Little Shadow World Under the Overh?nginjj Tree. it, and accepted It as a natural and inevitable thing. Or, as he put it, "it couldn't b helped." like a lot of other little things, such as Joan's uncertainty of temper and her cocky waya with him. She was frightfully fright-fully cocky with him when she came out into the Park with her bes clothes on, and passed him with a 'Hood mornlug. boy," as though ho wero a ragamuffin. And she was still more cocky with him when she won tbe prize for history, th .ugh be haii told per all about William the Conqueror and WY Ham Unfits and Stephen the very day before the questions bad been aaked, when she knew nothing about it at all. because she had used that part of her history book to make paper boats. "I don't think you ought to hpve got the prize'saul Nick. "I knew much more than you did. Only you always put our hand up as if you knew everything." "My father and mother are ver proud of me." said Joan. "They al Statute Service. Inc. Grrat nrtuin Rish because they Mked the same kind of jokes, ami exchanged each other's fairy-tales, and made the same discoveries dis-coveries about the queer habits of grown-up people. He found Joan's friendship very useful and necessary to him when Beauty went away on tour. That was a few days after bis reminder of the Beast. The reminder came lu a queer way. Beauty had been "resting" for some time. That Is to say, she did not go to the theatre, and used to nay in bed longer in the mornings morn-ings and read a great many mare novels with lovely ladies on the covers. Thut left her free in the afternoons and evenings, bo that she could play m.-re with Nick and . quarrel more with Bristles, In her i' aslng way. Nick was glad that Beauty was reeling, for on Wednesday Wednes-day afternoons. when he had a half holiday from the kindergarten, she Used to take him n what she called q "Jaunt." which meant that they WOUljl g" to the Zoo together, where tn Reecrvcd Beiuty made faces at tbe monkeys tud gave lit t lo squeals of laughter at them, and pointed out monkeys which reminded her of various friends; or they would go to a big shop' where Beauty bought things which she did not want when they were s,nt home, and where they had tea together to tbe tune of a string band, and whero the. watched a lot of ladles exactly like those on tbe covers of Beauty's novels, or they would go to tli r people! houses, where Nl-k had to ill very still and quiet while Beauty and tlie Other people talked about ti.lngn whic'. seemed to emusi them a gre.it deal, because they always !.i .:ht. and made a great noise whllo they all talked at tb same time, so that he hid to laugh t..o although he was never quite sure of the joiie. It was on one of these Jaunts that they met the man Dunyors, commonly called tha Beast, whom Nick had not seen for a very lon time. He was driving along the road in a hansom cab it was somew here near the big ihop where they had musical teas and when ho saw Beauty he put up his umbrella s- that the cabman Jerked up his reins, and the cab horse sprawled OUt Its y ' ; I hi i. feet, and tho cab came to a standstill stand-still quite close to Beauty and Nick "Well met!" said the Ueast, jumping jump-ing out of thv cab and taking of! his hat to Beauty. He did u I pay the slightest attention to Nick. When Beauty shook hands with him she laughed, ns If It were rather funny and her face put on its flaming poppy-color. "I was dashing home to get some tea before dashing off again to a concert. Come home with me and pour out the tea.' 'T don't think I had better," said Beauty, and she glanced dwwn at Nick, as though he might be in the way. "Oh, that's all right," said Dan vers, carjp!essly. "1 will keep the boy amused." Beauty whispered a word or two which Nick did not hear, but then Danvers 3ald, rather imputiently: "Surely you are not the man's slave, are you? Don't come if yon don't want go." "I do want to," said Beauty. "I am ready for any kind of adventure this it'tcrnoon any old thing to break the monotony." "Splendid!" said Dauvers, and be raised his umbrella again, so thai a hansom cab which had been crawling crawl-ing along by the curbstone drew up with a clatter of hoofs Nick sat or Beauty's lap iu the cab, and Dan Yen sat rather close to Beauty, ami tried to hold her hand, although she did not want him to bold it, r.nd slapped his band quite hard when ho would not keei-It keei-It bo himself. This game, which Nick did not like, lasted until th; -ab stopped before h tall white house with stups leading up to a red front door Danvers opened the door with a tiny latchkey, and making a very low bow to Beauty, H aid: ' Welcome home, my dear!" H For a moment she stood on the H doorstep, as though hesitating to go H In. Nick felt her . hitching his hand very tightly, as though bold- ing on to him for safety from H something, lie was quite ur h H IV soiuohtlng. Just like H be uel to be when be opened tho H door of h's toy cupboard in tho H dark, in case something might J in H out at him. However. In another H moment or two she went Into tbe H hall and laughed, as though laugh J Si her own f ar. and then sarg H the first line of n nursery rhyme H Which Nick knew quite well. "Will you (.omo into my parlor.'" said tbe Spider to the Fly DaaTera sang the next line, aa H he shut the front door: "It's tbe prettiest little parbr that ever you did spy'" Thru he led the way into his par-br. par-br. which was not n little one, Ituc a hig room With panels of wood round the walls, and a ceiling painted all over with cuphls end rose-, and a "ong window divided into little bquare. panes. Nlck'.?. waring eyes law that the room was furnished with 1 round table with a oollshed top 1 n which was a bl vase full of roses like those palnte.l on the ceiling, and with a abort piano, Whl b 1 pened on top like a big bOX, ami with glass cases full of tall books b und In red leather. There was also a tnll pedestal with an undressed lady on top, and several big pictures in gold frames of ladies who t re ver few clothe , and who sat, looking rather cold, In gardens llks Batteraei Park. H "This is my den," said Dnnvers. "How do tou like it?" "Charming, ' said Beauty. "Bui. T don't see why you want such v big den all to yourself." "1 don't want it all to myself,' said Danvers, "but I can't get any body to share it with mc. Perhaps ol these days 1 may get 1 com- H pan Ion to decorate the room," He stood looking at Beauty and smiling, with bis hands in hi? pockets. "Anyhow, it Is good to have you . here this afternoon. You go wito Beauty turned her face sway from the Beast's smiling eyes, an 1 said: "I thought you were going to giro us some tea. I am sure Nick is fi-ightful! hungrv. Aren't you, Nick-" "Not frightfully," said Nick For the first time Danvers seemed to notice Nick. "I think the boy had better hate tea with my man. Johnson. The? would get on together famously." "No." said Beauty, in a sharp voice. "No. I won't allow thaL Nick must stay here." "Very well, dear lad.v!" said Danvers in his soft voice "I onlv want to make everybody happy. That's all." 'f He touched a button In the wa1.', and a moment !ater the door opened mtv quietly, pnd a tall young man with swallow-tail coat and litt' brass buttons on bis waist oat came Into the room and said: "Yes, 'T.et's have some tea. quickly Johnson knd bring sonsr cal 1 (To Be Continued ) JAiM |