The St. Cloud journal., 1872-11-07

public help, grew strangely distracted,
and wished them both among the rocks
yonder, face downwards. She felt
humiliated for Jose's sake ss we'll as
for her own; yet Why for bis Still,
between the two, if she must have one,
che would rather have it known that
George helped her. At the worst, be
Vas one Of her own kind aud she, like
oil the poor, thought help among each
other brought neither glory to the glver
nor shame to the receiver. When it
comes to taking money from q married
Squire who meets you in the garden on
a mooaless night, and wants to give
you a kiss against your WILT was
we'll Mrs. Tresoat knew no more of her
husbands ways than if she had been a
oaby-the thing is very different. So
Mary looked at George With wonderful
kindoess, and let the Squire see her
look the instant after raising her eyes
to his with pretty mixture of bold.
ness and shyness, as she said frankly,
yet with her face on fire all the same,
eyes, Sir, they all help US j.; George
here is the best'
Oa which the Squire rode off again,
with muttered oath at them both.
care you going to take mo at last,
Mary p SAID George, when the Squire
had fairly gone, and drawing near to
her.
~ might take worse, perhaps"
said Mary, softly ; her head full of the
shrubbery, and the half.crovn, and
those wicked looks ; and thinking, not
unreasonably, that it would be better
tor her to be . wife aud protected, than
as she vas now-with those dreadful
lessons in laoemsking to be undertak-
en-.
Gevrge took her hand between both
Of his and pressed it. True, both his
and hers were vet and soiled with sea.
weed ; but perhaps there is, after all,
as much love between hands soiled by
labor as between those which meet and
press in kid gloves. The young man
was supremely happy, for he felt that
no" he was safe. Mary Peard was
not the girl to fling abroad kind works
at random but Mary, looking pale
and scared, her dark eyes dim with sud-
den tears, went off to where old Carne,
Jose's father, was working; and
George Martin got no more out of her
for this day.
When evening came Mary "cleaned"
herself and mounted the hill which led
up to Glentrescat. To-day vas Mon-
day and Oh Monday kind of tumble
down old omnibus came down past the
bend of the field road that led down to
the Cove, taking passengers from Pen
zance, the metropolis of the district, to
the little village Of St. Mary, which
lay about: four miles beyond Trescat
Church Town. Walking slowly, feel
ing very sad and sorry, sorely perplex-
ed With her life, and not knowing what
to do between her mothers needs aBd
tho Squire's opportunities, George
Martins love and Jose's image, the
poor girl mounted the steep cliff road,
her face bent gloomily downward, and
her 1.-the figure looking loose and limp
with the trouble that lay On her, and
as she walked she heard the c]atter of
the horses hoofs as they trotted-wear-
lily enough, poor brutes lover the last
miles of their long journey.
A sailor was on the crowded roof, ly-
ing among the luggage, and singing
snatches Of popular songs more gay,
perhaps, than nice. He was a broad
browed, fair-haired man, IN the prime
Of life, with bushy brown beard and
moustache, and pair Of tho frankest
blue eyes that ever looked out If hu-
man head. 1t was a face that you
would have instinctively trusted wher-
ever you had INST it !; while bis strength
was of that kind men involuntsrily re-
spect and women secretly adore. He
was familiar with the passengers, be.
cause he was so happy; and he told
them that he had just come home after
a four-years' absence that be was out
on spree for the present, and should
see his mother and father ts-night.
And then he picked up his bundle,
stuffed his gay bandana handkerchief
further into his bosom, bade them all
| goodnight, as if they were old friends,
and scrambled down from bis lofty
perch just IS Mary crossed the granite
stjle and came cut on to the road.
"M.ry, is that you!" said . rich,
full, manly voice and the girl, putting
both her hands in his, answered, iu
tones that were in themselves a caress,
"Jose home again, at last p
| The next minute the sailor was
holding her in bis arms, kissing her
pale, vet face-pale aud fearful from
joy ; and the love which had been cher
ished for al these years unspoken need
ed no more expression than that kiss.
| Aud now al fear Of the Squire, Of
George, of her mothers poverty, all
her own perpexity, fell from Mary's
heart add she, as George had done
not so many hours ago, felt safe and
rewarded. As she clung about the
strong, brave man who had come at
last to claim her, it scarcely seemed As
if the earth was the same tonight it
had been this morning.