The Woman-Haters

solved, and the trust between them mutual and without reserve, they no longer were on their guard in each other's presence, but talked freely on all sorts of to

uncertain status remained the same, there was a tacit understanding that, by the first of September, if the y

ith nobody to care a hang whether he lives or dies, but you're different. And even for me the lonesomeness of it drives me 'most crazy sometimes. I've noticed you've been ha

h the work on the Daisy M. and with his occasional trips behind Joshua to the village. Brown might have made some of these trips,

oro and attached it to the door of the boathouse on the little wharf. The lock was, at first, a good deal more of a nuisance than an advantage, for the key was always being forgotten o

nending as those of that early summer. The monotony was almost never broken, and he began to find it deadly. He inven

nce of the ancient fish nets stored within it was not that of attar of roses. A cheap bathing suit was one of the luxuries Atkins

ain, "that you'd had salt water soak enough to last you for

he washtub every Saturday night f

narrow, or in that deep hole by the end of the wharf, where the lobster car's moored. When the tide's comin' in or it's dead high water, the current's strong there. On t

t realized that he was far from that happy condition. He did not want to meet people, least of all people of his own station in life-his former station. Atkins was a fine chap, in his w

perience in his present situation, was odd. He explained his loneliness

ing chaps?"

ly, sociable young chaps, and I kind of liked to have 'em runnin' in and out. Seems queer to have it July, and they not here to hail me and come over to borrow stuff

id the helper

the bungalow all shuttered up and deserted this time of year. Yo

that's why I shouldn

ught of that. But 'tain't likely they'd know

ame from New York? I

ssed New York. But that's all right; I don't know and I don't care. Names and places you and me might just as well n

ide, and those toward the sea open. Seth, having finished his night watching and breakfast, was audibly asleep in the house. Brown rubbed and polished leisurely, his thoughts far away, and a frown on his face. For t

nt rattle of wheels from the direction of the village. Was another "picnic" coming? He walked briskly to the corner of the house and peered down the winding road. A carriage was in sight certainly, but it was goi

re was nowhere else to go on that road. Brown, puzzled, looked about him, at the sea, the lights, th

person or persons to the bungalow and left them there. Instantly, of course, Brown thought of the artists fro

tarted, scarcely believing his ears. Before he could gather his wits, a stout woman, with a checked apr

Lighthouseman! come quick! do pl

ach grass, down the hill, in obedience to the call. As he ran, he wondered who on eart

n, dancing an elephantine fandango

en no other way-excepting by boat-to reach the cottage. But the tide was out, and the narrowest portion of the creek, the stream conne

the woman. "They

at?" pan

'em. If there's one thing on earth I'm scar

ture and sharp slaps. Evidently the artists were having a lively time. But they must be curious chaps to be afraid of wasps. Brown op

rt of the picture. A young woman was there, also; a young woman with dark hair and eyes, the sleeves of a white shirtwaist rolled abo

"don't stand there scream

r an instant she, too, seemed ast

e exclaimed. "Here! take this!

lively company. When, at last, the battle was over, the last wasp was dead, the nest was a crumpled gray heap over in the corner, and the assistant's brow was ornamented with four red and smarting punct

. He found them standing direct

lled them?" begged th

dead?" demand

. "I guess so," he sa

e dark haired girl. "I'm-we

the stout woman, "that I can't stand, it's wa

ted her companio

in the corner I was pretty nigh knocked over-and,"

said, absently, "I should think it migh

burst into a peal of laughter, in which the stout woman joined.

mean that exactly as it sounded. I'm

ou would be. Hauled in bodily, as you might say, and shut up in a room to fight wasps! And by folks you never saw afore and don't know from Adam! You nee

ugh the corners of her mouth still twitched. "The whole affair is perfectly ridiculous," she sai

come, I'm sure. N

gain a little of its normal poise, and he was dimly consc

n' that we're likely to be next-door neighbors for a spell, I cal'late introductions are the

offered a hand.

membering a portion of what Seth had tol

ngalow. They are abroad this summer, and I am going to camp here for a

eeting the pair, and once more headed for the door. But Mrs.

at you must be one of the keepers. Not the head keeper-I knew you wa'n't him

ro

guess you ain't n

stant keeper a

per," continued the former. "Oh, I don't mean your clothes!" noticing the young man's embarrassed glance at hi

N

me this

es

. You ain't a

N

wa'n't. Where DO

noticing his hesitation, has

k to his work. Good morning, Mr. Brown. No doubt we shall see each other often, being the only n

tand still a minute, Mr. Brown, won't you. What's them lumps on your f

cerned. "Oh, no!" she exclaim

ep by this time and moving rapidly. "Noth

ek at the wading place. As he splashed through,

reamed. "Put it on thick. It takes

y to be a confounded nuisance, but two women! Heavens! And the stout woman was sure to be running in for calls and to borrow things. As for the other, she seemed a nice girl enough, but he never wanted to see

il his superior discovered with his own eyes that the bungalow was open. Then

ere's two WOMEN goin' to live the

urself, then," was

neither. W

ey

D? Was y

es

you swore never to go

ell, it wasn'

? Go

t to help some one else, in fact. I expecte

l, g

r. Brown, gloomily, a