, 1872-12-25

-z--s----------- -4---->-- -=@---s-=
stand. $50 my reward will be simply to ask !"
he said. Thanks for your generosity, Miss
Earle. Perhaps may put it to the test. For
the present, however, must bid you adieu if
night"
that-then made his adeux to tie rest Of US,
and left the room. Several Of the gentlemen
followed him, and q few minutes afterwa1d wo
saw him riding toward the river, attended by
quite . ca7alcade anxious to see him across.
This rivsr-l should heYo said before-Nas
distant not more than o quarter of q mile from
the Lodge, the road which ran past Colonel Beres-
fords gates leading directly down to q we'll
known ferry. The stream had been more or less
swollen for several days, but this morning it
had been reported especially high, and quite
"paBt fo1rying." How Stuart Carew possibly
expected to transport himself and his horse to
the other side was o problem which We, whe were
left behind, set our wits yainly to work to
solGe.
That we did not succeed in solving it may
readily be imagined-just as it may also bo i'm
aglned that RoEalind took no part in our wild
conjectures and nervous alarms. She sat per-
fectly stlll-reading with o composure which
pu1so-too proud to leave the room, lest
we should suspect that she was keeping
furtive watch to see if that graceful horseman
would ride up the bank on tho other side OF the
stream. After time, our anxiety. Wes set at
rest. He for whom we were eagerly looking
with little OF no hope Of seeing-absolute1y ap-
peared and rode up the bank in question. When
he gained crest which commanded tho Lodge,
be took of his hat and waved it in triumph.
We threw up. the Windows and answered by e
dozen futtering handkerchiefs. After this dis
play Of sympathy subsided, he soberly set forth
on bis way-it vas Gerry sober mode Of pro-
gression which the mud compelled while We
lowered the windows, shivered, and looked at
each other. '.How on earth do you suppose he
did it 2" We asked. but nobody could answer;
and it was not until the party Of gentlemen re-
turued-muddY but enthusiastic-that re heard.
He had swum his horBe-a famous and power
fu1 thoroughbred, Of whose proMess re had
across the swollen, rushing stream. It VAS lit
tie abort of o miracle that horse and rider ever
kept ahoat, thoao who had witnessed the reck-
less adventure declarod-and then they would
break of to dilate again and yet again upon the
marvellous power and sagacity Of the horse, and
the equally marvellous skill Of the rider, whose
GOODNESS had never foreaken him for q moment,
not even when the breathless gaZers on the
bank were sure that the terrible force OF tho
current could mover be successfully breasted BY
the bold swimmers. Nobody approved, but
everybody admired the feat. except Colonel
Beresford, who could not be drawn into single
expression Of commendation.
"l thought better things Of Stuart Carew,"
he said. sit was q daredevil exploit which
proved neither sense nor courage. Some men
do such things for noto1iety; but they are most
ly men who can neyerhope to win notoriety in any
other form, and certainly did not think that
Stuart had any ambition in that direction. am
sure I hope that nobody was SO foolish or 30 I'M
prudent as to encourage him in snch an under
taking, he added, CHANGING round the clrcle With
his keen brown eyes.
There was o profound silence in response to
this appeal. If ho had asked the question in
private, no doubt there would have been plenty
Of people to tell the story of that Christmas roso
which was to bo pluckcd in Rosaliud Ear1o's
greenhouse !; but, Gs it was, nobody felt inclined
to take upon himself the ignomlny Of playing
the Pi Of nfo5nss 1psnea i Ppec s Colonel rendered
little suspicious by this silence, "hat nobody
gave him even the passive encouragement of a
note or message to any one in ". In my
opinion tho handsome, genial old gentleman
knitted his brows emphatically-" it would hare
been exceedingly wrong to do 3d."
''Don't look at me, papa" said Hope, smiling,
" did not send any note by Mr. Carew, for the
very good reason that he did not wait for It.
He told me to write ono and he would take it;
but, befors had said moro than Dear Archie
he Was gone.
$50 much the better" scid the Colonel, I'M
fee1;ng1y. "You had no business to give even
tltat much sanction to such reckless piece Of
folly. Can anybody tell me what he went for,
anyway?" he added, in IN irritated tone.
70 my surprise-f think to the surprise Of
every one-Kosalind Earle quietly answered this
question.
]" Mr. Carew went for me, my dear Colonel"
she said. :'He was good enough to go for q
rose which I wanted to wear in my hair to-
night"
The cool audacity of this reply struck the
Colonel dumb, I think He certainly stared at
the speaker for q full minute, As il he could not
credit what she asserted.
she went for ac]tat !? >? be asked after while.
ga rose" answered Rosalind, With the same
perfect nonchalanco. "You do not give them
place in your greenhouse, you know" she added,
smiling.
"You-you let that young fool risk his life
for q rose to wear in your hair?" said tho Col
onel. orite overcome. ssAnd do YOU moan that
be IS going to be n mad enough to try and come
s She shrugged her shoulders.
s.He has pledged his world won't pretend to
say what it is worth-that I shall hive the roso
in time for the ball tonight"
'sVery well, then," said Colonel Beresford,
grimly, ''you had better set to work and say
some prayers for him, since I pledge you my
word that he will not cross that river again to-
day. The gentleman who witnessed this feat
can tell you that it was J. very close thing in
broad daylight, and when his horse WAS perfect
" fresh. You are woman. and don't know
much OF danger; but suppose you can imagine
what the same effort will be when his horse is
tagged out-nothing does fag horse like plod-
ding through heavy midland night has fallen"
,a ona s
lAAeAA1 A-AA
'sThere is not another horse in tho country
that could or would do such thing" the Colo
mel answered. Then ho turned and left the
room, muttering, aa lie went, something quite
audible about ''heartless vanity" and .''infatu
ated folly"
The rest Of the day was rather m 1ncomforta-
bio one to eYarybody in the Lodge. With the
most of us, Stuart Carew was great fayorite,
eense IS OF something torrible-impendi over
us. We confded it to each other in corners, and
shall never forget how Hal Beresford Expressed
himself over the library fire, where We set to-
gether, as the short December afternoon WAS
waning into evening.
Don't talk to me Of her feelings or Of her
heart" he said, almost fercely. as made some
feeble plea OF extenuation for Rosalind. "l
could believe in the feelings or in tho heart Of
my boots much sooneri What she said to
at his face saw that be was set like a rock to
so, if twenty floods had been between; There
are some infatuations that can understand,
md some that cannot" he pursued "This is
one of the latter. There neyor was man bet
ter fitted to succeed with women than Stuart
rorn7, op3 7r},u +o ahn1,11 sat },;a foncv m n