Cupid of Campion

ns much of his gypsy companion, fi

s they neared the c

rl came runni

s one of your kind, and you’ll be good c

eyes all sympathy, her bright fac

” said the lad, taking her hand and shaking it cord

the little miss, dismay showing

you’ve done; it

ed Dora, her brows goi

ess of adventure. I was just half in earnest. You see, I’ve been at Clermont Aca

picion of a twinkle in her eye. “Th

You know w

alking of meals, aren’t you hungry?

“but somehow things have been happening so

Dora. “Of course, if yo

“I simply said I wasn’t very hung

usts of bread. The repast, if the truth must be told, was not very inviting. However, it did not seem to strike Clarence in that way at all;

ry hungry,” said Dora, t

larence, continuing

, I’d like to be aro

o our original subject. We were talking about

go on,

t night I finished Treasure Island, and it got me going. I was just crazy to have a

she c

But that’s not what I wanted to say. Just before I woke up in tha

rrow for a few dollar

d a dream. I saw the bright-eyed goddess long enough to get

ke

lists call dazzling, your hair is long and like the bearded corn when

mply. “When I was a baby, my mother

you a Catho

was seven years of age. Then I made my First Communion. On that day, I tol

the Blessed Virgin?” q

p the girl’s features added to the glow of enthusiasm which h

“Sometimes I feel that I’m thinking too much of how

ed Clarence, promptly. “Why,

gan to

at me,” said Cl

,” said Do

broke into sil

uth of fourteen, bare-footed, clad in a rusty calico shirt and trousers of uncertain age, to accuse himself of taking

een me this morning in my natty sailor suit. I really think

mind, I’ll tell you something

the boy to give the stolen boat a new appearance. The little children were paddling about in the water. Strangely enough, they scarce uttered a soun

ard with some exertion towards the fire. “Suppo

could one have seen them, that the two innocents, as they seated themselves on the log with their faces turn

” began Dora,

g his hand over his mouth and rubbing his upper lip. “A

paused and considered. “

would sa

he leader o

sies

regular band you know. I

e for me,” Clarence o

e and was sentenced to the workhouse for a month. He’d have been there longer, only Ben was

ete’s fine? What have you got to do with t

t hadn’t been for Pete’s being in

all about

ies are on their way to join their own crowd somewhere further north in th

have you

about five hundred miles

Clarence began checking off on his fingers,

, presently. “You haven’t averaged

ry in one direction and then we cut across back again in another, always keeping near to the river. You see, we don’t like t

y to see me either,” said Clarence. “

me an awful beating three different

y some time or other when nobody’s on the watch. Why, Dora, we’ve been talkin

keeping their eyes on us ever since we shook hands. They ta

at boy helping those fellows at the

to me; but I think that’s because Ben gave him a shaking up one day when he was

ullies myself,”

rts when anybody is friendly to me. Those little gypsies all like me. Bu

ous,” suggested

he be jealous? He d

Anybody who meets you would be sure to l

e artists engaged upon the boat stopped their

e the funniest

t come on, let’s finish up with the cro

e Ben’s, and the other two belong to the oldest of Pete’s sons. His wife is dead, and Ben’s wife, that young woman, takes care of them. She’s real nice, and so is Ben. Ben is very kind to me. He treats me like a little princess. When I told him about

ms to m

s wife sleeps with me every night; but she n

our pr

all of

e regretfully, “and one of them, th

ve finished my prayers, I sing a little hymn to the Blessed Virgin. Th

ed Clarence, “I haven’

g out and leaving me to myself till I go

arence, more affected by Dora’s d

We’ll get up

ey didn’t know any better. But you didn’t tell me anything about that old woman wh

of her. She acts as if she would like to poison

I’m

e you, C

to wait till I was fourteen before

nts presented itself,—their grief, their bewilder

e matter,

g school for nothing. With an he

, I’m fourteen now; have been since last June. It’s tim

es and the glowing face of enthusiasm upon her new fr

olic. It isn’t up-to-date. There

opened to

shocked. You need instruction badl

airly completed, had drawn near enough to see their faces without being able to catch the exact import of their words. He was plainly disquieted. Tiptoeing his way behind the trees he

h a courtly air caught the girl’

ughed Ezra. His

. “I’m not at all pleased

sputte

ent calm. “Also I desire to state that while I don’t mind

s fists and advancing to within

e thing for you to do now

ed Ezra, lou

re deaf,

a speaking-trumpet before his mouth

gize t

ly as to avoid entirely the force of the blow; and as he returned with a facer that caught Ezra between the eyes, the gypsies, man, woman and chil

gypsy patter. His word

ted full below his jaw sent him to the earth. He was up at once, and, on careful guard, warded off several more vicious attacks and

known in sporting circles as love-taps. In a few minutes, Ezra was breathing heavily. Suddenly the gypsy changed his tactics; he tried to catch Clarence in his arms and bear him to the ground. Clarence, not without difficulty, succeeded in breaking

ence, pausing, and standing st

ng knight was quick to adjust himself. Ezra’s head, intended to ram the lad’s chest, found itself noosed within Clarence’s s

e, with a hug and a punch that

e sharply

said the

ng his hold left Ezra free and evidentl

isk combat. It was impossible to tell from th

nto the ring, “I’d advise y

you’ll tell Dora you’re sorry for taking libertie

roke into half aud

he do?”

ce exp

, on hearing the story, “or I’ll

Ezra, with the wor

d and pumped it up and down wit

d heavy, had within the last half hour shut out the friend

et ready for b

ho at once made for the larger tent. One of the children came running to Ben with

, opened her lips and broke forth in as sweet a voice as ev

was one that holds music-lovers rapt the world over; not the accompaniment, though it was supremely exquisite in the sacred silence of the night. There was more th

down-pour grew heavy; but spellbound, no one moved. As the last note died into silence, there ensued a few breathless seconds; then c

wagon. She sings,” he added, “that song every night, and,” continued the musician,

she

, in a whisper,

wo older sons, and Ben. But he was, to all intents and purposes, alone. And then in bitterness and sorrow the young adventurer wept salt tears and checked with difficulty the

e same sweet voice, low and clear

ear, O pr

r from hea

in a fr

e’s tempes

e first notes,

that girl and me. I address myself to the bright-eyed goddess of adventure—and see where I am

d sleep. He tossed uneasily for a time, then murmuring as he turned, “Mother dear, O