The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-10
THE PRESS.
fFrom All the Year Round.l
Along the Lakes OF Ain
mouth.
CONCLUDED
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
Certainly the walk was very pleasant
one. The sun had gone down, leaving the
sea rich violet blue tinged with rose-col-
ored reflection from the sky above. where
soft gray clouds, lined and fringed with
crimson, fioated over sapphire space. The
bracken had lost its gold and russell tints for
one sober uniform shade OF olive
brown; only far out at sea one little sail
glimmered like a golden spark against the
horizon; and high above single star, the
planet Jupiter hung like silver lamp,
quivering in the distant blue.
At such an hour, and along those dusky
links, it would have been difficult to distin-
guish those two darkly-clad figures, even if
there had been any one to see them; but the
Anmouth folk are not given to evening
raInbles along the shore, finding their leis
ure hours pleasantly spent in friendly gossip
at one another's doors, eand the Laidlaw's
cottage standing at some distance from any
others, Annice felt that there was no great
fear of her escapade being discovered pro-
vided she kept away from the town and was
back in good time.
AS for Evan, the sole charm of walk
with pretty girl for him lay in its being
tete-a-tete one, and he was, therefore enly
too ready to second her desires by leading
Nay, it soon became literal leading; for
by and by, as they were skirtng the steep,
grassy side of the links by one of the mario Y
cattle tracks which wind along their face,
Annice slightly stumbled, and Evan caught
her hand to save her from falling; nor would
he let go again, but held it in so close
pressure that the little brown fingers thrilled
warmly beneath it. He talked to her too,
in softer strain than usual, with many
hiah fall hinn-
ly on the girls ears after Johns stern gray
ity, and with less of his Onted jesting,
save when the naivete of his companions
questions and ans ers provoked him to
little saucy banter. 1t was tempting to
atch her blue eyes rounding and her pretty
red lips parting i'll innocent onder, and
then to see the childish blush and pout
ahen she found out tn he was laughing at
her and told him so, trying to snatch away
her hand, and thereby emboldening him to
hold it closer or even to lift 1t to his lips as
he begged her pardon, and promised not to
offend again. 1t v as a very pleasant walk to
Mr. Hardness, one of many hich be- had
taken in the course of his four-and-t~ enty
years; but to Annice it as like some piece
of dreamland, equally dazzling and unreal;
and she wandered on at his side in mood
strangely compounded of shyness and pleas
ure, and fattered vanity, With substratum
"a SclI-TSpTOdCu pain, WAACu gave ACi
eyes at times q sudden sweet Usefulness,
and lent to her manner an odd mixture of
petulent Independence and bashful gentle
ness, which made her more captivating than
ever to the young Londoncr. He demurred
strongly, whom the fading Of the red from
sea and sky and the slow uprising of ma
jestic silver circlet above the margin OF the
waves suddenly reused Annics to the con-
sciousness that it vas time, and more than
time for her to be 1t home again.
thine? Nonsense he exclaimed" Have
you never heard-but Of course you never
have, you precious little sea maidsn-that
time As made for slaves? Noe l object
strongly to slavery, don't your and am not
going back for ever so long,"
Annice did not understand being called
precious little sea-maiden, and rather liked
it; but the not going back for ever SO long
frightened her, and she demonstrated.
Granny ill be frightened eff Pm no in sumo;
an mind moo 1 didna put the cakes doom.
fear she'll be salr angeret Already"
''Well, and what if she is? She doesn't
beat you, does she, my beautyT
BEAT me! En-. no, sir. The puir old
granny! Why, she couldna' lift han to me,
an doobt she's scarce ever said a rough
word; but 1 dinna like to anger her faba
Anu you uOu Care Wlldt yUu w w lliCs
You are so fond of your grandmother that
you don't think Of me, who couldn't be an
cry With you, ahatever you did. All, "ell,
Annice, its the way with all you .omen.
You know your power"
Annice looked up, half puzzled, half
pleading.
"But I do theenk O. you, and its vera
guide O. we to ha' TUX Inc DOT at a sir, only
Oh. dinna we see, belong to puir granny"
G.r ,s,t. hola rod ,,
me instead. Say, Annice, wouldn't you
like it too? Look at me, pretty one, and
tell me.'
He wanted another upward glance OF
those wonderful blue eyes, and he got it
one hasty, shamefaced, wondering look;
and then Annice turned and sped off at
nearly a run homeward.
Il mustna' stay longer" was all she said,
and Evan had some ado to catch her, 80
swiftly did she skim along among the ruts
and through the stiff fern-brake, covering
the low hill-sides.
Ibid the silly child think was proposing
to her?' he asked himself with some amuse-
1nent, and called to her to stop; but Annice,
who did think that and nothing else, only
hurried on the faster; and he was obliged
to cease further remonstrance till he had
caught and held her by both hands.
"You willful little sweethe IT." he said,
LNen LOOKING GOWN lSuS 1llls,iy ilto ucI tiLb'u,
blushing face "ar'n't you ashamed OF your
self for giving me such a run, and do you 4
know that l have a good mind to punish i
you by running away with you in return?
you may think yourself lucky if 1 let you off
with a kiss instead; only it must be from
those sweet red lips themselves. I'll not
put UP with less What! Won't you give it
to me?" az Annice held down her head and
struggled to free herself from his grasp.
pleading to be let go. You shall be let co.
perhaps. when you've given me my kiss he
said smiling and holding her firmly. why,
what a fuss you make! One would fancy l
was an ogre and never had kiss from
pretty girl before"
Annics flashed quick look at him still
holding her head resolutely away She new
er doubted but that he was IN love with her;
but there was something in his light, mock
ing tone which touched her unpleasantly.
Even that proud John never vaunted other
girls kisses to her.
''Iudeed, an dinna see Why you SUD-"
she said boldly. "Ye'll no make me theenk
girls arc as easy as a that"
EASY, you little goose! Ono would
think you were talking Of some
tremendous matter, instead Of trife which
many fine lady would think nothing OF,
bnt give me in o minute, while you are
ducking about that provoking little head OF
yours
II dinna believe ye. It's no ladies will
be dom such things. You're talkin' hay