Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-05-15


In about half an hour Cuthbert arrived
accompanied by the blacksmith and his tools
!" / am very much obliged to you" said
Mr.. Madoc.
" Not at ALL Sir" replied Cuthbert 4"
ON glad to have been of use"
We must haul up the carriage before we
can get at 'he spring" said the blacksmith
in Welsh
Mark offered to take care Of the horse.
and the ladies while the coachman went to
help 80 he remained near them while the
others put their shoulders to the wheel, aud
with much difficulty aud some personal risk,
got the carriage into position again. Gwen
doliu, anxious for her father, walked to aud
fro, her pretty figure and golden locks now
dancing in the sunlight near the horses, now
waving in the shadow OF the carriage
Mark watched her, and talked to her aunt,
who was pleasant woman enough, but his
senior by 50 many years that he scarcely
paused to note that she was yet young enough
to remember that she had been beauty,
aud was still handsome.
It was past six o'clock before the carriage
was in state to proceed. The sun was be-
ginning to decline westward. Purple shad-
ows fitted over tue mountains, and the slant.
ing sunbeams crossed them. The sheep and
goats left 'heir noontide retreats to browse in
the open, and wealth Of gold lay on the VAL
ley and the river. The scene which sur.
rounded the travellers was very beautiful, and
they were none of them likely to forget either
it or the adventure that introduced them to
it.
At length the horses we're in, and the car
riage was ready to resume its journey.
1--WE are greatly indebted for your ready
help Sir" said Mr.. Madoc to Cuthbert. 3"
scarcely know what we should have done
without you Can we give you and your
friend a lift? We are going to Llanon, and
we shall get there in an hour or So"
THANK you We will not burden your
horses. We are out for walking tour and
cannot afford to lose the evening among the
mountains" said Cuthbert, glancing at Marx
who overheard the invitation.
The carriage drove of, amid thanks, apo,-
ogies and ciyilitics on both sides
" | wish you would answer for yourself
and not say me, ," said Mark, when they were
out Of hearing. &" ! am not so content to
lose my chances as you | would have given
up all nv chances of an American EIDoradc
for drive by the side Of Gwendolin. Who
is that gentleman p turning to the black.
smith,
Madoc, the banker, Llanon, Sir very
rich mans-yery dood to poor pipples."
There, Cuthbert assure you | made
an imnression. Iii be bound she's twenty.
thousand.pounder."
at would have been dangerous drive il
the shepherdess is as good as she is pretty,
rejoined Cuthbert 81 But as we are TO sleeT
at Llanon, you have still a chance
They reached Llanon at nightfall, and
Mark ascertained that Mr.. Madoc's house
was more than a mile out Of the town.
The following morning Cuthbert missed
Marx. As this was the last day Of theiI
holiday, and he wished to make the most oi
it, he went in search Of him He found hin
after brisk walk, lettering about hand
some lodge at the entrance to drive.
al Just come to see where Gwendolin
lives, he said, lazily. Now don't walk as
if you we're in for a wager. Her father is at
his bank punctually at ten, and | mean him
to overtake me-"
." But | don't want him to overtake me-
said Cuthbert However, the lucky Mark
had it his own way. A brisk step sounded
behind them Just before they re-entered the
town, and Mr.. Madoc hailed them.
"Good morning | thought knew your
backs. am glad to have an opportunity Of
thanking you again for your help yesterday
Perhaps, If you can spare the time, you will
do US the favor Of coming to luncheon this
morning"
Thank you very much; but VIC are to be
-" began Cuthbert.
Thanks" interrupted Mark eve shall
be delighted. But you do not even know
who we are" He took out his card-case,
and presented his card. " Mr.. Mark Streyn-
sham"
"Ah! know some Streynshams. We
will talk about them by and by. Excuse my
leaving you now, for | have an appointment, "
said Mr.. Mad9c, hurrying on.
81 cannot CO. Mark 1 hate strangers,
and I'm sure Mr.. Madoc never entertained
one of his own clerks in his life"
"Neyer too late to mend he shall enter
tain US. dare say he was clerk himself.
Besides your father was an officer, and mine
is clergyman what would he have?"
Cuthbert was overruled, and they went to
Plas Llanon as invited. Miss Madoc and
(iwendoln received them very graciously,
the latter looking quite as lovely in her own
house as she did among the mountains. Mr..
Madoc had the felicity of knowing something
of Sir James Streynsham, distant rela-
ton of Marks, whom he managed to draw
near for the occasion and so his respecta-
biity was settled. Cuthbert took refuge un-
der its shadow; and not being asked his
name, did not volunteer it, until chance call
from Mark induced Mr.. Madoc to inquire il
he belonged to the Cuthberts of Oldmington
and compelled him to say that his name was
Noble.
1t was a pleasant luncheon, and even Cuth
bert thawed under the influence Of the con
.versation. As to Mark, he was quite al
home, and hattered himself-not without rea
son-.that he was making an impression OF
the ladies' He discovered that Miss MadoC
and Gwendolin sang, and gave them to un
derstand that he also was musical. Miss
Madoc proposed an adjournment to the draw
ing.room to have some music and to try hei
nieces new grand piano, and Mark assenteC
joytully Cuthbert fancied that Mr.. Madoc
frowned at this, considering good luncheon
return sufficient for favors received; never
theless they adjourned. Mark was musica
genius, and sang and accompanied himself de
lightrully. He could play almost any instru
ment by ear, as he could have accomplished
most thing, had he been endowed with perse
verence. Cuthbert was sure that he had wor
Miss Madoc's heart before the end Of hi
first song, and perceived that Gwepdolin lis
tened admirngly.
Mr.. Madoc went out, and left the musi
clans His sister was frst-rate periormei
and an accomplished singer 1t was she, anC
not Gwendolin, who was the amateur. l
msttered little to Mark at the moment, fo
he forgot everything else in his love Of swee
sounds; and while he listened to Song
Without Words from the aunt, he alowe'
Cuthbert to snatch "song with words
from the niece. They turned over photo
graph.book together, and whispered comment