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87 THOMAS HARDY.
• 1 m
CHAPTER IV.
But whether th* Baron, In naming iuut)
m distant (put for tba roibiozvgy., i,,h fa
hope aba might (nil him, and to feijeve hlin
altar all of bit umlertaViig, cjn not be
•aid; though it might ant") .>OO9 strongly
suspected from hi* mannar that Me had no
grant at for the re*pon*iiiUtjr of m&rt
ing bar.
* Atnt na ilttlo knew of tba Amman* of the
young woman he had to deal with. Hhe was
one of tboaa aoft nature* whuaa power of
adhaaiTtneaa to an acquired idea aaamad to
be on* of tha apacial attribute* of that
•oftnae*. To go to a ball with thi* gforl
ou* and myetarlou* |ar*onage of romanoe
Waa her moat ardent desire and aim; and
none the laa* in that abe trembled with fear
And tlgitciwainfc *t bar position in aim- |
Ing. She felt Obe deepest awe, tenderness
And humility toward the Baron of the
strange nam, and yet she was prepared tq
stick to her point.
Thus jt wn< tln-4 the afternoon of the
day found Margery trudging her
way up from the slopes from the vale to
tha plat eof appointment. Bhe walked to
the music of innumerable birds, which in
creased as she drew away from the open
meads toward the groves. Hhe had over
come ail diifieultlev. After thinking out
the <|uestion of telling or not telling her
father, she had decided that to tell him wab
to be forbidden to go. Her contrivance
therefore was this: to leave home this eve
wing on a visit to her invalid grandmother,
who llv. i not far from tha Baron’s hou>e
to arrive at her grand mother** by break*
fast-time next morning. Who would sus
peefc ti existence of a lacuna of twelve
hours, during which she would be off to
the bull/ That this piece of deception was
extremely wrong she afterward owned
readily enough; but she did not stop to
think of it then*
It wan sunset within Chilli.igton Wood
by the time she reached Three Yelks I hid
—the converging point of radiating track
ways. now doored with a carpet of matted
gram, which had never known other scythes
than the teeth of rabbits and hare*. The
twitter overhead had ceased, except from a
few braver and larger birds, including tits
cuckoo, wiio did not fear uight at this
glcasant time of year. Nobody seemed to
s on the spot when she first drsw nsar,
but no sooner did Margery stand at ths in*
terse tion of the roads than a slight cha h
ing became audible, and her patron ap
peared. He was so transfigured in dress
that she scares y knew him. Under a light
great coat, wh.ch was dung open, instead
of his ordinary clothes he wore a suit of
thin black cloth, a waistcoat open all down
the front, a white tie, shining boot# no
thicker than a glove, a coat that made him
look like a bird, and a bat that seemed a#
if it would open and shut like an accordion.
"I aui dressed for the ball—nothing
worse,” he said, dryly smiling. “So will
you le soon.”
“Why did you choose this place for our
meeting, sir. 4 ’ she asked, looking around
and acquiring confidence,
“Why did I choose It? Well, because
in rifting past one day I observed a large
hollow tree close by here, and it oocurred
to me when 1 was last with you that this
would tie useful for our purpose. Have
you told your father i”
“I have not yet told him, sir.*’
“That is very bad of you, Margery,
How have you arranged it, then!”
She briefly related bet plan, on which he
mads no comment, but taking her by the
baud as if Mhe were a little child, he led
her through the undergrowth to a spot
where the trees were older and standing
at wider distances. Among them was the
tree he had spoken of—an elm; huge, hol
low, distorted, and headless, with a rift in
its sids.
••Now go Inside," h* nid, "before it gets
any darker. You will llnd there every
thiu( you went At any rate, if you do
not you mult do without it. I’ll keep
watoli; and don't be longer than you can
bulp to be.”
"What am I to do, elrf" make I the pux
aled maiden.
"Go Iniide, and you will lea When you
are ready wave your handkerchief at that
hole.”
Bhe elooped Into the opening. Tlio cav
lty within the tree formed a lofty circular
apartment four or live feet in diameter, to
which daylight entered at the top, and aleo
through round hold about els feet from the
ground, marking the ipot from which a
limb bad Imen amputated ia the tree*
prime. The decayed wood of cinnamon
brown, forming tha inner eurfare of the
tree, and the warm evening flow reflected
in at the top, lutfuaed the cavity with a
faint mellow radiance.
But Margery had hardly given herself
time to heed these thiugs. Her eye hail
been caught by object* of quite another
quality. A large white oblong paper bo*
lay against the iuside of the tree; over it,
on a spinner, hung a small oval looking
glass.
Margery wiled the Idoa in a moment.
Bhe presse 1 through the rift into the tree,
lifted the cover of the bo*, and behold,
there was di.ctoed within a lovely white
apparition in a somewhat (.aliened stale.
It was the hall drees.
This marvel of art was, briefly, a sort of
heavenly cobweb. It was a gossamer tex
ture of precious mauuiacture, artistically
festooned in a dosaa fluuueca or morel
Margery lifted It, an I could hardly re
train from kissing it Had any oue told
her beiore this moment that such a dress
could exist, she would have said, "No; it's
impossible!" Ktac drew hack, went for
ward, laughed, raised her hnuda To say
that the maker of that dress had been au
Individual of talent was simply under
statement; he aas a genius, and she suuued
herself in the rays of Us creation.
She then remembered that her friend
without had told her to make baste, ami
she spasmodically pivoted*! to array her
self lu removing the dress she found
■aUu slippers, gloves, a handkerchief
nearly all lace, • fan. and even flowers for
the hair. "Oh, hew could ha think of it!”
she laid. Clasping her hands and almost
crying witk agitation. "And the glass
how good of him!"
Everything was so well prepared that to
olothc herself in these garments was a
matter of ease. In a quarter of an hour
she was ready, even to shoes and gloves.
But what led bar more then anything else
into admiration of the Baron s foresight
was tbs discovery that there were half a
dozen pairs each of shoes and gloves, of
varying sisee, out of which she .elected
a tit
Margery glanced at herself in the mirror,
or at as mu, ii as she oould see of herself;
the Image pre-n.ed was superb Then she
hastily rolled up her old d>, put it in the
box, and thrust the latter ou a ledge as
high as the could rsa h. Bunding on tip
toe, she waved the handkerchief through
the upper aperture, ami bent to the rift to
so ou*.
flue wnat a trouble stared her in* the
face! The drees was so airy, so fantasti-
Ml, and so extensive that to get out in her
naw clothe* by tha rift which had admitted
Bar In her old one* waa an impoesibility.
Bba heard tha Baron’a (tap* crackling over
the dead stick* and leave*.
“Ob, *ir—” the began, in despair.
“What, can’t you drew yonrsolft” he in
qnired from the back of the trunk.
“Y*a; bat I can't gat out of this dread
fyl tyeei* 1
tfa am* mad to tha opening, stopped,
and Joqkad fa, "ft ft Obvious that yon can
not,’’ he *ld, taking fa Mar compass at a
glauce; and adding to MI *MT, ‘ Charming!
Who W&M Maya fhvqgb* that clothe*
Could do so mucM!— Walt a minute, my
little mW: 1 have ft!” he mid mom
loudly.
With all his might ha kicked at tha sidea
of the rift, and by that means broke away
several piece* of rotten touchwood. But
being tblnlv armed about the feet b*
abandoned that process, and went for a
fallen branch which lay near. By using
the large end as a lever, he tor* away
piece* ol the wooden shell which enshrouded
Margery and all her lovellnesa, till the
aperture was large enough for her to pas,
without tearing her dress. Hhe breathed
her relief; the silly girl had begun to fear
that sh* would not gut to the ball after all.
M* now rarafully wrapped round her a
cloak ha had brought with him; It was
hooded, and of a length which covered her
to tha batik
“The carriage ft waiting dowu the other
path," ha mid, uad gava her his arm. A
short trudge over the soft dry leaves
brought them to tha place indicated. There
stood the brougham, the horses, the coach
man, all as still as if they were growing on
tba -put, like the tree*. Margery’s ryes
rose with some timidity to the coachman's
figure.
“You need not mind him,’’said tha
tha Baron. “Ha 1s a foreigner, and beada
nothing.”
in the space of a short minute she waa
handed inside; the Baron buttoned up his
overcoat, and surprised bar by mounting
with th* coachman. The carriage moved
off silently over the long grass of vista, the
thailows deepening to black ss they pro
ceeded, Darkor and darker grew the night
aa they rolled on; the neighborhood famil
iar to Margery waa soon left behind, and
she bail not the remotaet idea of the direc
tion they were taking. The stars blinked
out. the coachman lit hla lamps, and they
bowled on again.
In the course of an hour anil a half they
arrived at a small town, where they pulled
up at the chief inn and changed hoi-eee, all
being done so rsadily that their advent had
plainly been expected. The journey waa
resumed Immediately. Her companion
never descended to apeak to her; whenever
•he looked out there he sat upright on hla
perch, with the mien of a person who bad
a difficult duty to perform, ami who meant
to perform It properly at all costa. But
Margery could not help feeling a certain
dread at her situation—almost, indeed, ■
wish that she had not come. Once at
twice she thought, “Buppuee be Is a wicked
man, who is teking me off to a foreign
country, and will never bring me homo
again."
But her characteristic persistence in an
original idea sustained her against these
misgglvlngs except at odd moments. One
incident in particular had given bar
confidence In her escort: she had seen a
tear In his eye* when she expressed her
sorrow for his troubles. He may have
divined that her thoughts would take an
uneasy turn, for when they stopped for a
moment In ascending a hill be came to the
windo . “Are you tired, Margery f" he
asked, kindly,
“No, sir.”
“Are you afraldtf
“N—no, sir. But It Is a long wav "
“We are almost there,” ho answered.
“And now, Margery," be said, in a lower
tone, “I must tell you a secret I have ob
tained this invitation in a peculiar way.
1 thought it beat for your sake not to coins
In my own name, and this is how 1 have
managed. A man In this county, for
whom I have lately done a service,
one whom I can trust, and who Is person
ally as unknown here as you and I, has
(privately) transferred hla csrd of Invita
tion to me. Bo that we go under his
name. 1 explain this that you may not say
inything imprudent by accident. Keep
your ears open and be cautious.” Having
said this the Baron retreated again to his
place.
"Then he is a wicked man, sfter all!"
she laid to herself; “for he is going under
a false name." But she soon had the te
merity not to mind it: wickedness of that
sort was tbo one ingredient required Just
now to finish him off as a hero in her eyea
They detcended a hill, passe.i a lodge,
then up an avenua: and presently thev
beamed upon them the light from other
carriages, drawn up in a row. which moved
on by degrees; and at last they halted lie
fore a large arched doorway, round which
a group of people stood.
"W* are among tho latest arrivals, on
account of the distance,” said the Baron,
reappearing. “But never mind; there are
three hours at least for your enjoyment."
The steps were promptly Dung down,
and she Alighted. The steam from the
flanks of thsir swarthy steeds ascended in
clouds to the parapet of the porch, and
front their nostrils th* hot breath jetted
forth like smoke out of volcanoes, attract
ing the attention of aIL
CHAPTER V.
The bewildered Margery was led by the
Baron up the step* to the interior of the
house, whence the sounds of music and
dancing ware already proceeding. The
tones were strange. At every fourth bent
a deap and mighty note throbbed through
the air, reaching Margery's soul with all
the force of a blow.
"What is that powerful tune, sir! I
have never beard anything like it," she
said.
"The Drum Polka,” answered the Baron.
Her surprise was not lessened when, at
the entrance to the ball room, she heard
the names of her conductor nnd herself
mnouncod as "Mr. and Mrs. Brown.”
However, nobody seemed to uke any
notice of the announcement, the room be
yond being in a perfect turmoil of gayety,
and Margery's consternation at sailing un
der false colors subsided. At the same mo
ment she observed waiting them a hand
tome, dark-haired, rather penis lady in
cream-colored satin. “Who U she!” asked
Margery of the Baron.
"She is the lady of the mansion,” be
whispered. "She is the wife of a peer of
the realm, the daughter of a marquis, has
live Christian names, and hardly ever
speaks to commoner*, except tor political
purpose*."
"How heavenly! What Joy to be
here!” murmured Margery, as she con
templated the diamonds that Hashed from
the head of her ladyship, who was Just in
side the ball room door, in (rout o, a little
gilded chair, upon which she sat in the in
tervals between one arrival and auotber.
She had come down i roiu Loudon at great
inconvenience to herself, opeuly to pro
mote this entertainment.
As Mr. and Mias Brown expressed abso
lutely no meaning to Lgdr Blakemore tfqr
mere were ntree xrrowns aireeoy present m
this rather mixed aseemb'.y), and as there
waa possibly a slight awkwardness in poor
Margery’s manner. Lake Blakemoru
touched, their bauds lightly with the tips of
her long gloves, said “How d’ye do,” and
turned round for more comers.
"Ah, if she only knew we were a rich
Baron and his friend, and not Mr. and Mia
Brown at all, she would not receive us like
that, would .her whispered Margery, con
fidently.
“Indeed she wouldn't," dryly said the
Baron. "Now Ist us drop Into the done*
at once; some of th* people hare, you see,
dance much wore* than you.’’
Almost before she was awara sh* haul
obeyed his mysterious Influence by giving
him one head, placing the ether on hla
should*.", end swinging with him around
the room.
At the first goxd the apartment had
seemed to her to be floored with black Ida;
the figures of toe dancers appearing upon
it upaide down. At last she realized that
it was highly polished oak, but she was
none the less afraid to move.
“I fIJ3 efraW of falling down," said the.
“L44n on me, JOn will soon get used to
It," ho replied.
Ml* words, like all hit words lo Mar, wars
quite true She found It amazingly easy
in a brief tpaea of time. The floor, far
from hindering her. was a positive assist
ance to one of her natural agility and lithe
nesa Moreover, her marvelous dress of
twelve flounche* Inspired her as nothing
vlie could have done Externally anew
(Venture, she Was prompted to now deeds.
To feel as Well dressed as the other women
•Wound her is to set any woman at her
cue>, whencesoever she may have come; to
feel much better dressed is to sdd radiance
to that ease.
Her prophet's state,dtent on th.i popularity
of the polka at this juncture was amply
born* out It was among the first seasons
sf its general adopt ion In country housos,
the enthusiasm it ekeited to-night was be
yond deecriptlon, and • arcely credible to
the youth of th* present day. Anew motive
power had been introduced into tbs world
of poesy—the polka, at a counterpoise to
the new motive power that had been intro
duced into the world of prose—steam.
Twenty finished musicians sat in the gal
lery at the end, with romantic mop-beads
of raven hair, under which their face* and
eyes shone like fire under coals.
Tho nature and object of toe lutll had lei
to Its being very Indusivo. Every rank
wa* there, from the peer to tho smallest
yeoman, and Margery got on etceedingly
well, particularly when th* •scuperative
powers of supper had banished tne fatigue
of her long drive
Sometime, she beard people saying,
“Who are theyf—brother and sister -
father and daughter! And never dancing
except with each other—how odd I” But of
this tha took no notice.
When not dancing the watchful Baron
took her through the drawing rooms and
picture-galleries adjoining, which to night
were thrown open like the rest of the house,
and there, ensconing Iter in some curtain
ed nook, ha drew her uttention to scrap
books, prims and albums, aud left liar to
amuse herself with tuning them over till
to* dance In which sho practiced should
again be called. Margay would ninch
have preferred to roam about during these
intervals; but the words of the Baron were
law, and as he commanded so she acted.
In such alterations the evening winged
away, tilt at last came the gloomy words,
“Margery, our time ia up "
“One more—only one!" sh* coaxed, for
th* longer they staid the Jfore freely
and gayty moved toe dance This entreaty
he granted; but on lwr asking for yet
another, he was inexorable. “No,” he
laid. “We have a long way to go."
Then she bade adieu to the wondrous
scene, looking over her shoulder as they
withdrew from tlie hall, aud in a few
minutes she was cloaked and in the car
riage The Baron mounted to his seat on
the box, where aha saw him light a cigar;
they plunged under ' toe tree*, and she
leaned bock, and gave herself up to con
templating the images that filled her bra.il
The natural result followed: she fell asleep,
Bhe did not awake till they stopped to
change horses, when the saw against the
stars th* Boron sitting ns erect as ever.
“He watches like the augel Gabriel, when
all the world is asleep!” she thought.
W ith the resumption of motiou she slept
again, end know no more till be touched
her hand and said, “Our Journey is done
we are in Chillington Wood."
It was almost daylight. Margery scarcely
knew herself to be awake till the was out
of the carriage and standing beside the
Baron, who, having told the coachman to
drive ou to a certain point indicated, turned
to her.
"Now,” he said, smiling, "run nerves to
the hollow tree: you knew where it is. I'll
wait at before, while you perfurm the re
verse operation that you did last night"
She took no heed of the path now, nor re
garded whether her pretty slippers became
Scratched by th* brambles or no. A walk
of a tow atepe brought her to the |>articu
lar tree which she had left about nine
hours earlier. It was still gloomy at this
spot the morning not being clear.
She entered the trunk, dislodged the box
containing her old clothing, pulled off the
satin shoes and gloves and ilreai, nnd in ten
minutes emerged in the cotton gown and
shawl of shepherd s plaid.
The Baron was not far off. “Now you
look the milkmaid again," he said, comiug
toward her. "Where is tha flneryf”
"Backed in tha box, sir. as l found it.”
She spoke with more humility now. The
difference between them was greater than
it had been at the ball.
“Good,” lie said. “I must dispose
of it, and then away we go. ”
He went back to the tree, Margery fol
lowing at a little distance. Bringing forth
the box, be pulled out the drees as care
lessly as it it had beeo rage But this wes
not all He gathered a few dry sticks,
crushed the iovelr garment into a loose
billowy heaps threw the gloves, fan anJ
shoes ou the top, then struck a light and
ruthlessly set tire to the whole.
Margery was agonized. She ran for
ward; she implored and entreated.
"Biease, sir—do spare it—do! My lovely
dresa—my dear, dear -dippers -my fan—it
is cruel: Don't burn them, please!”
"Nonsenosl We shall have no further
use for them if we live a hundred years.”
"But spare a bit of it—one little piece,
•ir—a scrap of the lace—one bow of the
ribbou—the lovely fan—just something!”
But be was as immovable as Khadmnan
thus. "No,” he said, with a stern gave of
hit aristocratic eye "It it of no use for
you to speak like that. The things are my
property. I undertook to gratify you iu
what you might desjre because you had
saved my life. To go to ball, you said.
You might much more wisely have said
anything else; but no, you said to go to a
bait I have taken you to a ball. I have
brought you hack. Th* clothes were only
the means, and I dbpxue of th m my owu
way. Have 1 not a right tor
“Yea, sir.” she said, meekly.
He gave the fire a stir, and lace and rib
bons and the twelve flounces and the em
broidery, and all the rest crackled and dis
appeared. He then piut in her hands the
butter basket she had brought to take on
*-> her rnmdmotber's. aud accompanied
her to tns edge' or The wood, aruere it
merged in toe undulating open country in
which her grandmother dwelt
“Now, Margery," he said, “here we part.
I have performed my contor t—at some
awkwardness, if I was recognized. But
never mind that How do you feel—
sleepy t"
“Hot at alt, air,” she said.
“That long nap refreshed you, eh f
you most make me a promise. That * I
require your presence at any time, you will
come to me. I am a man of more than
one mood,” he went on with sudden
solemnity, “and I may have desperate need
of you again to deliver me from that dark
ness as of Death which sometimes encum
rese me. Promise it, Margery—promise
that, no matter what stands in the way,
you will come toms 1 I require you."
“I would have If you bad not burned my
tilings!" aha pouted,
“Ah—ungrateful!"
“Indeed, then. 1 will promise sir,” she
MUu from U>r heart “Wherever I am, if
I have bodily strength, I will come to you.”
He pre-e-d her hand. “It is a solemn
promiej," he replied./ “Now I mutt go,
lor you know your war.”
“I shall hardly believe that it haa not
been all a dream," the said, with a childish
instindt to cry at hit withdrawal. “There
it nothing left of last night—nothing o t
my drew, nothing of my pleasure, nothing
of the place.”
“You sb*U remember it fn this way,”
isid Ue. “We’ll cut our initials on
treo at a memorial, to that whenever you
walk thi* path you will see them *
Then with a knife ho in*c*tUfid on the
smooth toarh at a beach tree ttfe hitler* M.
TANARUS., and underneath a large X.
“What, have you Christian name,
sir/” Mte aatd.
“Yw, Wfc l don't uo it Now, good-by,
my little frVftdL What will you do with
yourself to day when you are gone from
me:” he lingered to ask.
“Oh, I shall go to my granny’s,” she re
plied, with him gloom, “and have break
fast and dinner and tea with her, 1 sup
pone, and in tho evening 1 shall go home to
Htiukloford Dairy, and per ha jot Jim will
come to meet me, und all wdl te the same
as usual.”
“Who is Jimf”
“Oh, bes uub-jdy—only the young man
I’ve got to marry some day.”
“What! you engaged to be married!
Why didn't you tell mo this before?”
“I—l don’t know, sir.**
“What is tlie young man's namef*
“James Hayward, sir.”
“What is he,”*
“A master lime burner**
“Engaged to a master lime burner, and
not a word of this toiue! Margery. Mar
gery! when snail a straightforward one of
your sex be found! Hubti * even in your
simplicity! What mischief have you
caused me to do, through not tolliug m*
thUI I wouldn't have so endangered any
body’s happiness for a thousand pounds.
Wicked girl that yon were, why didu t you
tell me?"
“I thought I’d tetter not, sir,” sai*>
Margery, beginning to be frightened,
“Hut don't you a** and understand that
if you are already tho property of a young
man, and ho were to find out this night s
excursion, he might be angry with you and
part from you forever/ With him already
in the held I had no right to take you at
all; be undoubtedly ought to have taken
you; which really might have been ar
ranged if you had not deceived io by say
ing you had nobody.”
Margery's face wore that aspect of woe
which carnes from the repentant conscious
ness of Mavmg been guilty of an enormity.
“But be> wasn't g od enough to take m,
sir,” site said, almost crying, “and he isn’t
absolutely my master until I have married
him, is he?”
“That • a subject I can not go into.
However, we must alter our taction In
stead of advising you, as I did at first, to
toll this experience to your fr.euds. I must
now impress you that it will be best to
keep a silent tongue on the matter—per
haps for ever and ever. It may come
right some day, and you may be able to
say ‘All’s well that end* wall.’ Now,
good morning, my friend. Think of Jim.
and forget m.v*
“Ah, perhaps I can t do that,’ gin soid,
with a tear in her eye and a fullthroat."
“Well, do your best* I can say no
more. ”
He turned and retreated into the wood,
aud Margery, sighing went cm bur way.
CHABTER VL
Bktwcks six and seven o’clock in the
evening of the same day a young man
might have boon seen descending the hills
into the valley of the Kwenn at a point
alwut midway between Stickloford end the
residence of Margery'e grandmother, four
miles to the west.
He was a thorough-bred son of the coun.
try, as far removed from what is known as
the provincial as the latter is frern the
out and-out gentleman of culture His
trousers and waistcoat were of fustian, al
most white, bat b* wore a Jacket of old
fashioned blue West of England cloth, to
well preserved that evidently the article
was relegated to a nail whenever it* owner
engaged iu such active oc, upationx as he
usually pursued. His complexion was fair,
almost florid, aud had scarcely any beard.
A novel attraction about this young man.
which a glancing stranger would know
nothing of, was a rare and curious fresh
ness of s tin .sphere that appertained to
him. to his clothes, to all his belongings,
even to the room in which he had been sit
ting It might almost have been said that
by adding him and hie implements to an
overcrowded apartment you made it health
ful. Thi* resulted from his trade. He
was a lime burner; he handled lime daily
and In return the lime rendered him an in
carnation of salubrity. His hair was dry,
fair, and frissled. the latter possibly by the
operation of the same caustic agent. He
carried as a walking stick a green sap
ling, whose growth had been contorted to a
corkscrew pattern by a twining honey
suckle.
As he descended to the level ground of
th* water meadows he cast his glance west
ward with a frequency that revealed him
to be lu search of some object ia the dis
tance It was rather difficult to do this,
the low sunlight dessling hie eyes by glanc
ing from the river away there, and from
the “carriers” we they were called) in hi*
path-narrow artificial brooks for conduct
ing the water over the grass. Hi* count
was something of a ngsag, from th* am
lity of flndmg points fat these carrier, eon
veuieut for jumping. Thus peering aud
leaping and winding, he drew near the
Swenn, the central river of the mike long
mead.
A moving epot became visible to him ia
th* direction of his scrutiny, mixed up
with the rays of the same river. The spot
got nearer and revealed itself to be a
slight thing of pink cotton and shepherd's
plaid, which pursued a path on the bank of
the stream. Th* young man so shaped his
trackless course as to impinge ou the path
a little ahead of this colored form, and
when be drew near her he smiled aad red
dened. The girl smiled back to him, but
her smile had not the life ia it that the
young mans had shows.
"My dear Margery, here I am!” he said,
gladly, iu .as -nsjer-toae. a* with a last
leap he crossed rue interfiling’ bar*l_r
and stood at her side.
“You’re come all the way from the kiln
ou purpose to meet me, and you shouldn’t
have done it,” she reproachfully returned.
“We finished there at four, so it wo a no
trouble; and if it had been, why, I should
ha' come.”
A small sigh was the response.
“What, you are not even ao glad to see
me aa you would be to see your dog or
catr* be continued. “Come, Mia'ese Mar
gery, this is rather hard. But, by George,
how tired you do look! Why, if you’d
been up ail night your eyea couldn’t be
more like tea saucers. You’ve walked too
far, that’s wbat it is. The weather is get
ting warm now, and the air of these low
lying meads is 'not strengthening In sum
mer. I wish you lived up on higher ground
with me, b'slde the kiln. You’d get as
ftroag as a bow! Well, there; all that
wifi come in time.”
Instead o{ saying ye*> the fair maid re
another sigh.
'•What, won’t it, then/* he said.
“I suppoee so, M she “If it i*
to be, it is.”
“Well said—V&fy Wfell sold, my dear.”
‘VAnd if It isn't V> be. it isn't”
“What/ Who’s been putting that into
your I#ad? Your grumpy granny, I sup
pose. However, how is she/ Margery, I
have boon thiukiag to-day—in fact. I was
thinking it yesterday and all tbe week—
that really we might settle our little busi
new this summer.”
“This summer/” she repeated, with some
dismay. “But the partnership! Remem
ber, it was not to be till after that wa>
completed. ”
“There I have you!” said he, taking th
liberty to pat her shoulder, and the furthei
liberty of advancing hla band behind it tc
the other. “The partnership is settled
Ti* ‘Vine A Hayward, line-burner*,’ now,
and ‘Richard Vine’ no longer. Yee, Cousin
Richard has settled it so, for a time at
least, and ’fcis to be painted on the carts
this week—blue letter*—yaller ground. I’ll
how one of ’em, and drive en round to your
door as soon as the (mint is dry, to show
ye how it looks.”
“Oh, I am sure }’ou needn't take that
trouble, Jim: 1 can tee it quite wall enough
in my mind,” replied the young girl—not
without a flitting accent of superiority.
“Hallo ” said Jim. taking her by tbe
shoulder* and looking at her hard. “What
do that bit of incivility mean) Now,
Margery, left sit down here, and have this
cleared.” He rapped with his rtick upon
the rail of a little bridgo they were crow
ing. and soa f (ed himself firmly, leaving a
place for her.
“But I want to get home-oieng, dear
Jim,” she coaxed.
“Fidgets! Bit down, there’s a dear. I
want a straightforward answer, if you
pleaaa In wbat month, and oa what day
of the month, will you marry asef”
“Oh, Jim!” she said, sitting gingerly on
the edge, “that's too plain spoken for you
yet. Before I look at it in that business
light 1 should have to—to—”
“But your father lias settled it long ago,
and you said it should be as soon os 1 be
i < ame a partner. Bos dear, yom must not
mind a plain man wanting i plain answer.
Come, name your time.”
She did not reply at once. What
thoughts wen> pawiug through her brain
during the interval? Not images raised
by his words, but whirling figures of men
and women in red and white and blue, re
flected from a glassy floor, in movements
timed by the thrilling beats of tbe Drum
Roika. At lost she said, slowly, “Jim.
you don’t know the world, and what a
j woman’s wants can be.”
“But I can make you comfortable. lam
! In lodgings as but I can have a house
for the asking; and as to furniture, you
shall choose of tbe bast for yourself—the
j very beet.”
! “‘The best!* Far are you from knowing
what that is!” said the little woman.
“There be ornaments such as you never
•iream of; work-tables that would set you
in amaze; silver candle-itioks, tea and
coffee pot* that would dazzle your eyes;
U*a cups and saucers gilded all over with
guinea gold: heavy velvet curtain*, gold
clocks, pictures, and looking-glasses beyond
your very droanw. bo don’t say I shall
hare the beet”
“H’m,” said Jtm, gloomily, and fell into
reflection. “Where did you get those high
notions from, Margery?” he presently in
quired. “I’ll swdar you hadn't got 'em a
week Bhe did not answer, and he
added, "lo don't expect to have such
things, I hope, deserve them os you may.”
“I was not exactly speaking of what I
wonted,” she said, severely. “1 said thing*
a woman could wont."
“\ou're a pink and white conundrum,
Margery,’ he said; “and I give you up for
to-night. Aiiybody would think the and
had showed you the kingdoms of tbe world
since I saw you last.' -
She reddened; then arose, he following
her. and th y soon reached Margery s
home, approaching it from tbe lower or
meadow side—the opposite to tbat of tbe
garden top, where she bad met the Baron.
“You II come fn, won’t you, Jim/ ’ she
eaid, with more ceremony than heartiness.
“No; I think not to-night,” he answered
“I’ll think of what you’ve said.”
“You are very good, Jim,” she returned
lightly. “Good-by.”
[to bf. continued.]
groan* w .iatmn
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IU PHBCBASERS Cll N SBITEl)
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P SMEPSPAIMf
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