Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-01-10
"How ignored, Mr.. Holmes 2"


oring to take my cue from you."
"What nonsense, Mr.. Holmesi i What did
you expect me to dof-to rush forward with
both hands extended, and express my de-
light at seeing you againf'
Rupert laughed.
mo, Miss Turner, hardly that. But
did not expect you to treat me as an utter
stranger"
"Not as n stranger but still there Is a
difference; you see-there, 1t Is your turn
to play"
"What difference, Miss Turnerf" Ru-
pert asked, as he came back to her side n
gain.
"Dear me r. the girl said half pettshly;
tone would think that Il was an unwilling
witness you we're cross-examining, Mr..
Holmes. A good deal Of difference-all
the difference in the world. Before, you
were a stranger, might never sec you a
gain. Mamma was there to do proprieties,
and of course was able TO laugh and talk
with you as I chose. Don't you know that
II Ia a well known fact that people always
do get much more intimate-well, yes, fiirt
more, II you like-away from home than
they do In their own neighborhood When
people are going to meet again Of course
they need not be quite so stiff and particu-
lar a. at other times. I have been angry
with myself ever since for having talked
so much. Yes, you may smile, Mr.. Holmes,
but really have"
The girl was so evidently in earnest that
Rupert forbore to point out the weak part
| of her defense In the fact that she had
found out at Reigate that he was going to
stay with the Wilmots-and only said quiz
ety.:
81 see what you mean, Miss Turner.
Yes, suppose there is some sort Of differ
ence but I do not see why You should be
angry with yourself. We certainly talked
| a good doal-that Is, 1 talked good deal;
but our conversation could not, even by
| the most ill-natured, be called Irritation,
and your mamma was by your side. To
| me II was the most pleasant journey 1 ever
| made"
"Ycs, II was a very pleasant Journey"
she said frankly; land we knew, you see,
who you were; that is that you were going
to stay hore, which served az a sort of In
PRODUCTION"
Rupert could not resist slight smile Mt
this bad attempt at self Justification, which
entirely contradcted the former plea set
up, and Miss Turner at once reading his
thoughts, colored slightly and said:
"Here, Mr.. Holmes, it's your turn again;
they are looking quite cross at us for not
attending. We really must pay attention
to the game"
lFrom this:period the girl gave Rupert no
opportunities of renewing the conversation,
but entered con amore into the game, cro-
quoting him he thought, with extra spite,
over and over again, and finally winning
the game for her side most triumphantly.
After this she said she would not play any
more at present, and Rupert also giving up
his mallet, volunteered to assist her to ind
Mrs. Turner; a pursuit, however, which
was not carried on long, for In few min
utes.they took a seat and looked on at the
other players.
That evening Rupert came TO the conclu
sion that Amy Turner was the incest girl
he had ever met, and that this time he was
seriously in for it,; The croquet-part was
acknowledged to be great success; and as
in the country, people generally contrive
to compress their years amusements into
the very smallest space, a constant success
sion of croquet and archery meetings and
picnics followed, and Rupert met Amy
Turner nearly every day. BY the end ofa
iortni ht he was thoroughly convinced Of
the justice Of the conclusion he had FORM
cd, and was resolved that he would take
the earliest possible opportunity of bring
ing matters to crisis. He thought, he
felt almost sure that she cared for him;
she was more quiet and shy now than she
had been at first, and her color went and
! came when he talked 10 her. Yes, he felt
sure that she loved him.
At the end of the fortnight a large ball
was to be given in the neighborhood, and
he hoped that he should then find an op-
portunity. Tho room was almost full that
evening when the Turner's arrived, and
Rupert had just stood up for quadrille,
and was unable to go near Amy for some
little time. He observed that plain, qui-
OF looking man of three or four and forty
years old at once went up to her and took
her from Mrs. Turner's arm, and stood up
with her in the qusdrille. While thedance
went on they talked together earnestly and
con6dentially, and when 1t was over con-
tinued walking round the room. As soon
as Rupert was free he went up TO her and
found that her card WAS already full for the
next five or six dances. He put down his
name and retired after a few words, and
Amy continued promenading with her
partner. Rupert took up his place In the
doorway, round which several men were
s,in fol thnk al,n..
were watching Amy and her partner, for
Rupert heard her name mentioned.
at is quite true" one said, Though II Ia
hard 10 believe. The idea of pretty Miss
Turner marrying Gaisford seems too alb
surd; but there's no doubt about Il.
heard him mention II himself"
"There is nothing very wonderful about
It," another said. "The usual rule-beau-
ty against gold She Is an arrant fiirt. But
II tisquite true. Gaisford sister, Mrs. Stand
sh, told me- 1t seems 1t was arranged at
Cheltenham three months ago. The Turn
ers were stopping with an uncle or some
thing there, and Gaisford happened TO bo
there too, and of course they ca ne togeth-
or, and the matter was soon settled. II was
not to he mentioned TO a soul, because Gals
ford had been widOwer only nine months,
So he stayed away Till the year was up.
There il no doubt about 1t now, and they
are to be married next month";"
Rupert Holmes stood very quiet and still
as he heard tho news. He could not doubt
ii, and yet he could scarcely believe II. II
was sometime before no recovered, and he
felt that he was 30 pale that 1t could not but
be noticed. A waltz had begun now Amy