The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-06-07
MRS. LANCASTER'S RIVAL.
~ THE AUTHOR OF "a FRENCH HEIREss
NHER OWN CHATEAU"
CHAPTER v.

the quay, she had dismissed I'll tfouoio-
some fears, and thought of nothing but
the pleasure Of having him with her
again. .gJ
All was quiet in the hot afternoon;
the fsherwomen were sitting in the
shadow of their houses; the tide, nearly
full, was FLASHING gently against, the
great stones and rusty chains. A blue,
hot stiffness lay on the scarcely moving
water: the air was very clear, and every
touch of color shone out brilliantly.
The boatmen had not forgotten Dick;
they came down one by one to speak to
him. They all knew his aunt, too, and
had rough sort of bow and smile Tor
her. The waterside people counted Miss
Northcote among their few friends. She
was not afraid Of speaking to them, and
they knew that what she said was always
true. Several boats were at Dicks SER
vice. and he chose one belonging to Mat
thew Fenner, son Of the old man in the
lane, fine, qulet-looking young man,
who had married the wrong woman, ana
thus had made life harder struggle
than it need have been. Sometimes his
wife was too much for Matthew. and
drove him to spend a day or two IN the
u,blichouss; after these experiences ne
would sneak down any back alley to
avoid meeting Miss Northcote, and hear
ing what she thought Of him. To-day
he came forward frankly enough, smiling
quietly when he met her eyes, and care
fully arranged cushion for her i'm the
stern of his boat. Dick took his place
there TOO, thinging it would be hot work
pulling, and he might as we'll arrive at
fensand cool. Matthew took the oars,
the most picturesque of boatmen, with
his long black beard, round straw hat
pushed back. and dark blue jersey, and
with d few strong strokes brought them
out into the river. Away from the quay,
they passed St. Denys Combe, wild,
romantic, and lonely, though so near the
town. One or two dark paths aud mar
row lane led down into it, and old trees
grew picturesqueiy on its steep banks
hanging over the rocks where st. Deny'
people loved to sit on summer evenings
when the tide was full. From the up
per windows of Miss Noethcote's house
and several other houses on the brow d
the hill, one could see right down int
the Combe, and the people who wen
there to read Tennyson or otherwise pas
their time were apt to forget this.
Then the boat passed along the shore
under the cliff, till it swung round tt
the right, into the Pcnyr, stiff bit o q,
rowing, as Dick remembered very we'll
Pulling up the stream Of the Penyr, wit
its strong currents, was also hard work
They advanced quite slowly, even W.T.
Matthew's strength OF arm, but MIS-
Northcote was quite satisfied. She ha
not rowed here fer years, and the beaut
of the bauks was delight to her.
Some way up the river they came
the mouth Of Pensand Combe, and ha
to pass carefully in between the sane
banks. There were few gray, scattere
houses at the mouth of the Combe. bui
along a narrow lane which skirted
There was the mill, of which Anthon
Strange had told Mabel, mass Of roug
stone buildings, clothed with the ivy an
moss of years. Under its rugged wa
the great black wheel was working, an
'n,sending out rush Of green and yeiio
water into the stream.
Then the Combe grew narrower an
the trees came down and hung over
while the Castle above seemed qul
close; the boat had glided on, right u
into Pensaud, where the fshing-boa
were pulled up on the beach, and Il
children we're playing in and out
them, and another rushing mass OF wat
came pouring out OF the low arch OF u
second mill. W. nF ~
Matthew Fenner ran the boat asho
q little below this; his passengers g
out and set off to walk up to the Castl
When they reached it, Miss Northco
rather tired from walking up the nj
they found the:.drawing-room empty .sB
Dick, looking out OF the window, "
aware of somebody in a low chair not t
off, in shady corner Of the lawn, II
butler, apparently, did not know she W
there, and vast gone away in another
rection to look for her. Dick point
her out to his aunt. "". ,u,
Crest yourself" he said. "The
chairs look promising. I'll 60 out al
fetch her." s~i&
Mabel was sitting with her head turn
away from them, facing the view, wi
a book in her hand, which she had tax
out of the small drawing-room. )
was little tired, after the mornlnl
walking and clambcring; and was
clined to be quite happy. 1t seemed
p II life in such beautiful place cou
never be wearisome. It seemed, too,
if from morning till night she VOL
have nothing to do but to please herse
Dicks step on the grass, q very diferf
one from the Generals. disturbed l
enjoyment Of book and view. She look
round, and saw him standing close
her. Poor little Mabel 1t was so unt
pccted, and her heart gave a jump
ioy, Then she remembered how bad
was, how much she ought to dislike hi
and, that first glad feeling changed it'd
into a cold shiver. 40 ~
Dick, not the most penetrating
mortals, was only, aware that she star
up, dropped her hook, picked it up az
,re - yts,., A o +os riuterfara II