The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-10-11

doctor grew worse, and by the time the one
could go on crutches the other was quite
helpless.
If practice makes perfect, it is not to be
doubted that Miss Iascelles said No with
the utmost grace-at least she would have
done SO, only that this time, perhaps for va
rietys sake, she choose to say Yes instead.
Was she crazy enough, then, to engage her
self to an utter stranger? No, for, as it
happened, he was not quite a stranger to
her. She speedily discovered that this Dr.
Hilton was person of whom she had heard
a great deal before ever having seen him no
other man than certain cousin of her friend,
Mrs. Chudleigh. His devotion to his pro-
fession in general and his poor patients in
particular, his Indifference to society-in a
word, his oddity-were grievances on which
Mrs. Chudlegh was never tired of descant-
ing. so that Nina was almost as familiar
with his character and pursuits as if he had
been a personal acquaintance. Here she
had the advantage of him he knew nothing
of her antecedents, and took her simply for
what she seemed here. Nina felt some
twinges of conscience at continuing to mis-
lead him, but she had that mlstrust OF her
possessions frequent with heresses, and the
little summer idyl she had been living was
SO pleasant to her, she shrank from breaking
in on it with other interests she promised
herself to make full confession Immediately
on her return, and quieted her scruples with
that.
But the summer idyl came to an end of
itself. Jimmy was getting so strong that
DR.. Hilton had no excuse for remaining, and
the work he had left behind seemed to be
summoning him away from this unwonted
idleness. Nina too had her own reason for
return so the party broke up, Jimmy and
Kitty, by their own and Mrs. Hutchins'
desire, being left to her motherly care to be
initiated in the various mysteries of farm
life. Their delight at the idea of always
living in the country served to dry their
tears at Nina's departure, and her promise
to come to them next year made them quite
cheerful again.
1t was a very pleasant journey to Nina,
and she could have found it IN her heart to
wish it longer, particularly as she had a
guilty dread of the revelation its end must
bring. Not that she really supposed DR..
Hilton would be annoyed at finding her po-
sition so different from his idea, only that
she did not quite know how he would relish
having been kept in the dark so long,, The
doubt grew with thinking, till she became
almost nervous, and as the miles flew by
she speculated to herself how she could
best say what she had to say, and half wish
ed for some chance to save her the embar-
rassment of the disclosure.
The wish was destined to be fulfilled, but
in a most unloOked-for manner, calculated
rather to increase than lessen the embarrass-
ment of the situation. Coming on board
the boat for the last stage of their journey,
they came face to face with Mrs. Chudeigh,
sitting quiet by herself in a corner of the
deck: 1t would be hard to say if the sur
prise on her face or Nina's was the greater
at this rencontre.
You two of all the people in the world 3"
exclaimed Mrs. Chudleigh, holding out a
hand to each, land together! Where did
you drop from?" then, with sudden fIown,
she gave DIR. Hilton a spiteful little push
with her parasol. There, l haven't word
to say to youl" she cried, continuing, never
theless, to talk very volubly; II wonder
you're not ashamed to look me in the face,
Fred Hilton Only fancy, Nina, this wretch,
who won't leave his horrid patients long
enough to make me days visit, has actually
been spending aoeeks, whole weeks In a
place nobody ever heard of-Stone some-
thing or other and what must he do there
but fall in love with milkmaid, as he cool
ly announces to me
No, no ; only that she was milking when
first saw her." hastily interposed Hilton,
invoking any thing but blessing on the
letter in which he had INDUCED in some
mlschevous exaggeration for the special
benefit of his cousins prejudices.
You hear him " said Mrs. Chudleigh,
with a shrug of the shoulders that express
ed at once impatience and long suffering.
"But that is not the worst, my dear; he is
actually engaged to this-this Neeny Pratt.
Did you ever hear so extraordinary name
Neeny, indeed Ninny would have been
more in keeping with the whole affair. No,
it is of no use your making signs to me,
Fred /; shall say what think, though am
glad you have the grace to be ashamed of
yourself. And to think of the plans had
made for him!" sighed Mrs. Chudleigh,
lapsing from anger to sorrow.
"'The best-laid schemes o'mice an men
gang aft a-gley,'" demurely said Nina, who
understood very well what the plans in ques
ton were, and who, in spite of herself, could
not help enjoying the double-cross purposes,
and DIR. Hiltons evident mystifcation.
"Oh, yes" said he, lightly, trying to rally
from an uneasy sense of some mystery,
know your plots against my peace well
enough, Emma. A spoiled heiress for
they are always more or less spoiled. am
thankful for having escaped the marcy as
my old Patrick says"
"a polite speech, considering!" said
Mrs. Chudleigh, sarcastically. "You must
excuse him, Nina. OF course those rustics
have completely demoralized him. Blythe
wav. Nina" with a sudden recollection, "do
tell me where in the world have vou been y
Nowhere in the world" answered Nina,
with smile, but long way out of it. 1t
is another case of rustic generalization
So you see can easily excuse your cousin
being quite as bad myself"
"Not quite, hope!" cried Mrs. Chud.
leigh, laughing" unless you have come
back engaged to hay-maker!"
"Well," soberly replied Nina, appearing
to consider, ' [ can not deny that l have
seen him handle a rake"
Ninal" cried Mrs. Chudleigh. sharply.
ait is not true? You are iokings"
"What about? the engagement or the
hay-making?"
Either-both. You have not really en-
gagged yourself in the country"
% Really and truly! But, dear Mrs. Chud-
leigh. pray don't look so Mortified. He ia
the most respectable Of hay makers, as
sure you.
Well" Mrs Chudleigh clasped her
hands, and sat staring away at the water
for full twenty seconds, actually unable to
express herself-"I don't know what the
world is coming to- Both of you! Why
the fact of their being together once
more recurring to her preoccupation-" per