Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY 15 in view. I wonder how many more weary weeks of this is before me? I wonder why no one seems to want me to work for them? Well" — he smiled ruefully — "I can't blame them, with this outfit stretched over my back ! They take me for a regular tramp, I guess !" He pressed forward a few yards, then he raised his head. "Hello," he exclaimed. "I smell smoke. Looks like something doing over there !" He altered his direction, and went directly for the smoke. An instant later he had broken in on a motley-looking camp. Tramps they were, tramps of the worst kind. Every one of them had the most evil-looking face the stranger had ever seen. "Huh," grunted one. "Here's annudder brudder. Howde, brudder? Where bound?" The stranger looked at the questioner. "Oh, just around for my health," he grinned. They all smiled back at him. "Dat's what dey all say," husked another of the gang. "Say, bo, yer look better'n de rest of us. Listen, we got a crib ter crack, an' we want yer to help on it. All in the fambly, ye know !" A roguish grin spread over his face, as he approached the youthful adventurer. "Wat d'yer say?" A look of anger flashed to the stranger's eyes, and he stepped forward a step. "Say, look here, my friend," he said sharply. "I may be a tramp, and belong to the road, but robbery doesn't enter into my category !'^ The other put his arms onto his hips, and stood leering at him. "Listen at de perfessor," he jeered. "He doesn't do robbery ! Say, bo, why don' yer open up a Sunday school?" "Look here, my friend !" hotly flashed back the stranger, dropping his pack, and starting forward. "That'll be about all from you." He let drive and caught the fellow on the chin. Instantly the gang had surrounded him, and from all sides he was punched and kicked. Suddenly one of them cried : "Cheese, somebuddy's comin' !" They disappeared as if by magic. Swaying, the stranger, much the worse from the beating, picked up his pack, and staggered from the bushes. Coming toward him were two mounted persons. He stepped back to allow them to pass, turning his head, and wiping the blood from his cheek. "See," cried one of the riders, none other than Allen ; "see, Sallie ; my fears are true ! There's one of them now !" Sallie glanced apprehensively at the disheveled figure, crouching close to the protecting bushes. "But," she said, "he does not look like a tramp, Allen. I never saw a tramp with such an honest face !" The stranger glanced up. "Honest face?" he muttered. "That sounds good, coming from such a beautiful horsewoman. Guess I'll follow them, and see where they are going." As swiftly as he could, he walked painfully after the two riders. At times they disappeared from view, but he followed the prints of the horses' hoofs. Suddenly the brush became less dense, and he found himself in a long path. It led to a stable. The two riders were nearing a fine old mansion. Hesitantly he made his way toward it. Three figures were there now. They looked up as he approached. The young lady stepped back as if in fear, while the old man glanced superciliously at the intruder. "I beg your pardon," he said, as he drew near. "I must be a sorry-looking figure. But I am neither a professional tramp nor a highwayman !" He smiled as he spoke, and the lady smiled back at him. "I — I have had the misfortune to be forced into hitting the trail," he went on. "Just now I am in search of employment, and I thought that, perhaps, you may have something for me to do about here !" The younger man had not spoken up to this time. Now he stepped forward. "Excuse me, Colonel Taliaferro," he said, in a nasty tone. "But this fellow is undoubtedly a tramp. There is a camp of them down on my plantation, and we, Sallie and I, passed him a short time ago, coming from it !" The colonel's eye glittered, and he flashed a glance of scorn at the young fellow before him. "Suh," he said, in a cold tone, "you heard what Mr. Allen said ! I think it will be better if you make yourself scarce around this plantation !" The stranger's eyes flashed, and he stepped forward. "Sir, my very speech should speak for me. I am neither a tramp nor a blackguard. I was near the camp, which I stumbled onto accidentally, and had a set-to with them. I am very anxious to obtain work, sir. I am handy around horses. I love them. I would do anything, sir, if you could see your way clear to giving me a chance, anyway !" His appeal had no apparent effect on the two men, but on Sallie it stabbed her to the heart. The young fellow looked so dejected, so sad, that she flew to her father and said pleadingly: "Daddy, he doesn't look like a tramp. Why don't you give him a trial ? I want you to, daddy," she said softly, stroking his cheeks. A smile of love flitted over the old man's face, and he kissed her lips. "All right," he said gruffly to the young fellow. "Go to the stables; I need a groom, and you may do." "I thank you, sir," returned the stranger quietly. "My name is Copeland, Harry Copeland. And to you, miss, I more than thank you !" He bowed low, and, picking up his bundle, moved off to the stables. Sallie followed him with her eyes. Her heart had told her that this young fellow was good and kind, and she was beginning to feel a sort of compassion sweep her soul. "Huh," coughed Allen, moving off to his mount.' "Good day, Sallie; I thank you so much for your company.' She started, and looked up. "Oh, I had thought you were gone, Allen," she said. "Good day, and good luck !" Allen bit his lip, as he hopped the horse, and rode off. Sallie lingered on the veranda. Just faintly visible was the well-set-up figure of the new groom, and he seemed happy in the work of exercising the fiery Gorgon. She sighed, from what she knew not, and walked slowly into the drawing-room. Harry Copeland was more than acceptable. Even the colonel, whose nature was not of the "welcome-to-myheart" character, openly allowed his praise to be heard. "Why," he exclaimed to Allen, one day, "that boy knows horses so well that I most believe he is a Kentuckian, Allen. He can talk to them, and they seems to smile and whinny at him every time he walks past. And ride? My, my, Allen, he's born in the saddle, suh, born in, and for, the saddle!" Sallie was more than delighted with the new groom. He was deferential, kind, and so knightly that she was captivated.