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