The Early Bird: A Business Man's Love Story
TTER OF
ket under his arm, he went into the reading-room immediately after breakfast, bought a paper of the night before and glanced hastily over the news of the day, paying more particular attention to the market page. Prices of things had a peculiar fascinati
the tennis court he found a set already in progress. Both Miss Westlake and Miss Hastings barely nodded at Mr. Turner, and went right on displaying grace and dexterity to a quite unusual degree. Decidedly Mr. Turner was being "cut," and he wo
Westlake heartily. "I'm trying to get up a pi
eturned Sam, laugh
husiasm. "Bully sport, it ought to be. Only trouble is, Princ
rday," confessed Mr. Princeman in cold return to the prying Bi
dwelt in his black hair, attractiveness was in every line of his athletic figure. It was upon the tip of
r there by the road, i
s a good bit; but there is a path across the hills
d to Mr.
match," he suggested. "Why not put it off until to-morrow mo
lenge in his tone, and Princeman, kee
you want to enter into a conte
ay with Mr. Westlake, very much to Billy's consternation. He was alone with this dull Turner person once more. What should t
n a couple of automobiles, though scarcely any one uses them." There was a certain amount of careless contempt in Billy's
he garage?
of the hotel. Just
eath at the suddenness of Sam. After all, though, he was glad to be rid of Mr. Turner. He knew the Stevenses hi
ir, shiny and new, and before they were half-way to Hollis Creek, his innate democra
m observed. "I notice there is a heavy outcro
rs," replied th
all these farm-houses call themse
e running water. The oth
said Sam,
pocket valley between two high hills, swept under a rickety wooden culvert, and r
t a summer resort," observed
surmountable objection. All the "summer resorts" in this neighborhood were of one p
rough of those two picturesquely wooded hills, and f
in a summer-house on the lawn, chatting gaily with a young man who was almost fat. Sam had seen other girls since he had entered the grounds, but he could not make out their
self-confidence which was beautiful to behold. "I ha
the caller quizzically
sudden," s
r himself
er like dropping out of the clouds. But the auto is here, and
t fat, and introduced him, curly hair and all, to Mr. Turner as Mr. H
d after the introduction had been properly acknowledged, "but I know he
young Hollis with forc
aid Sam promptly. "Just ju
e?" she asked as she sett
say. A couple of
to young Hollis; "we'll have
d the other graciously,
driver looked back inquiringly. "You k
e wheeled, and at the same time waving her hand gaily to the disconsolate Hollis, who was "hard hit" with a different girl every season. "It's just about a two-hour trip. What a fine morning to be out!" and she settled back comfortably as
d horse myself,
ide?" she
ssed; "but you ought to see my kid brother ride. He look
asculine way of showing affection, you speak of hi
have been his mother, and his father, and his brother, too, for a
st you?" sh
ve; just yet, at leas
uessed, with a quick intuition that when
't quite old enough to think of it seriously as
her, and, having a very wholesome sense of humor
cation where the girl is," she obse
ughed
if I knew the gi
h from a different impulse. "I presume, then, that you entertain tho
that way about it; that's all. I have never had time to think of it before, but this
laughed as heartily as she pleased. She had heard men say before, but always with more or less of a languishing air, inevitably ridiculous in a man,
ughter, for he had suddenly le
" he said, eagerly pointing them out. "A
nty-acre grove down in the bottoms that's mostly all walnut trees, and I heard him say
could find old man Giff
off to the right, a
in his eyes. "It does seem as if everything happens lucky for me," he observed. "I haven't any particular li
to have taken them over the pretty Bald Hill drive. Sam had not even thought to apologize for the abrupt change in their program, because
pausing to consider it a moment. "I certainly d
opportunity upon me, although I'm right with you at the time. It
red to your father,"
think that under the circumstances he would
cally, "but just now I can't afford it. His 'seeing about it to-morrow' cost him b
Even if a bit startling, he was at least refreshing aft
" she said. "I think father rather sta
iously. "It's a good attitude in which to have
she observed, highly amused. "He will e
a particle. If anything, if he likes me so far, that will only i
t about time that she should find it wearisome. On closer analysis, however, she decided that the time was not yet com
of them," Sam promptly informed her. Then, "Sto
to a halt just a little way past a tree glow
; "but see how pretty it is. Except for the shape of the leaves the effect
don't know how you discovered that I have a
ly. "So have I. If I had time
ne over so that he could look at the broad side of it before clipping, rejecting many and studying each one after he had taken it in his hand. He was some time in finding the last one, a long straggling branch which had most of its leaves and berries at the tip, and she noticed that as he
as he stopped for a moment to brush the dust f
to see my kid brother make up bouquets of goldenrod and
ng glance, and she reflected that ofte
to meet this paragon of a brother," she re
rning to her very earnest eyes. "H
surveyed the group of bra
ves will wither in so s
e get back to the hotel, their beauty will give us pleasure for an h
me liberties with it that you did," s
might have made was prevented by a hail from the woods above them at the ot
in pleased surprise. "Think of finding you w
rother wrote me that you were expected to arrive there yesterday evening, and I was dropping over to call on you right away this morning. I see, however, that
ited me to walk wit
he paused abruptly and fixed a contemplative eye upon young Mr. Turner,
man, and that horseman Billy Westlake, added a new angle to the situation, and
ation of Mr. Turner, and letting the cat completely out of the bag. "Each of us was trying to steal a
the ball; but it's impossible for an hour or so in this case," and she turned to her escort with the smile of mischief which she had wo
pon her a glance wh
rs, and I'll do it," he stated, "but w
ed Princeman, exchanging a glance of amusement with Miss Stevens
ettled herself back in her seat with a little air of the interview being over, and the chauffeur,
isn't he?" co
. "There's one thing certain; he's enterprising and vigorou
er was impressing upon his compani
olated my confidence,"
in surprise, and with a tr
ut grove. You ought never to let slip anything
he said
nd delivered his simple but direct lesson, Mr.
ard the chauffeur, "are there any
know of," rep
o you object to fast d
uch amused by it. She could scarcely tell which, as yet. "I don't particu
st gracefully formed, but a strong one, too, and Sam Turner had an extremely quick and critical eye for both strength and beauty. "You
undue warmth of pressure, but restored it gently to her lap. She was remarking upon this herself as she took that same h