, 1880-01-26
CHAPTER II.
AFTER TIE SUMMER.

formed her one III ornlng, as he sat on
the table while sl, sewed button on
his trousers. Il should like to be a
sailor"
Goodness NJ lster Frankly, what's
put that into your head ?"
"Oh nothing only Tom Dawlish
was telling me about it; what they did
in wrecks, you know, and all that. l
should like to be on raft, should"
and he drew his naked toes up on to the
table, and wriggled them about at the
thought of the great things he would
do. Toms coming to-day, 1 heard
mamma say so and if ne isn't gone
when / come back this afternoon, /
shall ask him more about it."
I'D tell him not to go filling the
child's head with such nonsense, only
L don't want to get in his way" Mary
thought. But somehow Tom got into
her way that afternoon.
Look here, Mary" he said ; I
want to speak to you. 1t isn't that l
want you to look at me if you haven't a
mind to, though goodness knows I'd do
any thing for you but I don't want to
see nice girl like you lowering of
|
like Alfred Hill"
What's it got to do with you?" she
asked angrily.
Why, just this, that I've found out
bit about him, and he's only laugh
ing at you, and thinking you are nice
looking girl when you are dressed up,
to walk about with but as for marry
ing you, he'll no more do it than that"
and he snapped his fingers, though
what that action had to do with Mr..
Alfred Hills Intentions he did not ex
plain. Why, he's going to marry the
daughter of Mr.. Brooks, what travels
for the firm, that's what he's going to
do. Ask him, and see if he can deny
it. Why. it's coming off directly. only
she's nothing to look at, SO he isn't fond
of showing her off !; but she's got some
money, she has, and plays on the piano,
and looks lady"
How do you know it ?" Mary asked,
her very lips turning white, for her ex-
acting heart knew that he had fallen of
lately, and that he was not what he had
been in the spring (the summer was
over.) Not that for single moment
she believed Toms words.
Why, work there, and the servant
told me. Besides, I've seen him go
there courting."
"I don't believe it. You ought to
be ashamed of yourself )" and she
rushed away to hide her gathering tears
and frightened face.
She wrote to him, asking him to meet
her that night but he replied with an
excuse that made her heart sick. He
would meet her tomorrow Saturday
afternoon in Kensington Gardens if she
liked, he said and to this she con-
sented, and for the first time, and for
his sake, was false to her charge of
Frankly.
"You run about, Master Frankly,
DEAR" she said want to talk to
friend of mine-but don't go out of
sight" ;" and then in her bewilderment
she forgot all about him. Alfred Hill
looked rather bored than otherwise, but
he was smiling and shiny as ever. She
hardly greeted him when he appeared,
but she looked at him with all the ad
miration she had ever felt for him in
tensified by her fear. He sat down be-
side her, and elegantly crossing his
legs, began tapping his highly polished
boots with his bone-headed cane.
Alfred" she said, crossing her
hands and looking at him straight in
the face, " is it true that you are going
to get married directly?"
who's told you so?"
" It isn't any account who told is 1t
true as you are going to marry Miss
Brooks because she plays on the piano,
and has money, and" The tears came
into her eyes, and her lips quivered
with anguish, Oh, it isn't true l
know it isn'tI' and she touched his
hand in her dismay, and looked up into
his face with all her hearts story writ
ten in her eyes.
81 don't see why it shouldn't be, and
30 there's the long and short of it. It's
no use making fuss about it, my dear
girl"
"But it isn't? it isn't, ?" she said ap-
pealingly.
Well, yes, it is true" he said slow
ly, not daring to look her in the face !;
so you may as we'll know it at once"
She stood up before him. True |!
Do you mean to say, Alfred, after all
that's passed between us, as you are
going to be married to some one else ?"
{" I really don't know what you mean
by what has passed between u.s. You
really couldn't think was going to
marry yom?"
"Why couldn't II"
"Well, I don't wish to hurt your
feelings, but consider the difference in
our positions. One walks out with
pretty servant girl, but one doesn't
marry her."