Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-08-21
"Rather, or l shouldn't have done such

"I on must De somewhat OF al
well, you know" He stops and looks
at me quizzically.
eff you mean that l must have a
dreadful temper" l say, slowly, my eyes
turning from the direct gaze of his, and
wandering over the lovely, misty land
scape. 81 am very much afraid you are
right"
E'Now you are rough on yourself, !" said
Lisle, gravely.
For answer shrug my shoulders. If
he likes to think so, tell myself, why he
can-that's all. We do not, as rule, l
believe, eXaggerate our vices, whatever
we may do sometimes with respect to the
virtues we possess.
From some snug round hole deep down
in tuft of the billowy grass lark has
risen, with trembling brown wings out
stretched to bear its morning thanksglv-
ing to the crystal gates of heaven; its
song floats on the cool air-liquid, rhyth-
mlcal, soothing. The water-fies sup and
glide on the still dark surface of the
trout-stream like so many elfin skaters
over fairy field of ice, l think dreamily
as l watch them. All at once the lilies
which lie above the old green punt part
Will a lOuU Splash, anu a oCO1O VI ihOAO
of these thoughtless little insects, skim
ming unconsciously ever the speckled
back of the enemy, have served for a
morning smack to some ravenous trout.
1t is pity to die so early IN the day, l
think, when ones lease of life is spanned
by the four and-twenty hours.
"Hew much better we could talk to
each other if we could only sit down
somewhere Mr.. Lisle says looking about
''The grass is too wet; that is out of the
question"
"There is the punt" suggest l, nodding
toward the sun blistered old ark; "a little
damp, perhaps, but nothing to hurt"
"a splendid ideal" says Isle, with
unusual animation for him. 'Come
along"
We stroll side by side through the sweet
wet buttercups, our feet going ''swish
swish,'' in the glistening grass, and then
Mr. Lisle springs into the punt and holds
out his hand to assist me in. The fiat
bottomed old thing wobbles tremendous
ly as we settle ourselves. Mr.. Lisle on
the gudgeon-box and at the end of the
boat The fishing rod and bait can are
discarded now, and lie unheeded on the
bank we have left. George Lisle clasps
his hands round his knee, and bending
forward, says:
"Shall unfasten the chain and let the
punt drift down stream?"
Thanks" l say, "don't bother; it
doesn't matter in the least; and IL ana
very happy as we are.''
He is very handsome, this George Lisle,
with manly, vigorous, careless kind of
beauty that contrasts most favorably in
my eyes, at any rate, with the womanish
good-looks and natty figures of the other
men who are staying at Maggie's country
house. Maggie and her husband have
plenty of London friends; but they all
strike me pretty much in the same light
all, mean, except George Lisle, who
had seemed to me from the first day of
our acquaintance, like one apart from
the crowd He is a barrister by profess
sion, Maggie told me yesterdays But
Fortune being coy in her advances with
George Lisle, he has, like many another
of his briehess brethren, taken up the pen
in the toilsome field of literature. More
than one clever article which had ap-
peared of late in the Review" had been
traced to the pen of George Lisle
l fancy he is little lazy-indolent,
perhaps, by nature-but there are will
and power, Notwithstanding, in his frm
square jaw, and passion and feeling in
his beautiful eyes and brow.
awe have known each other only a
few weeks, you and 1, Miss Murray" he
says, presently, 'but think within that
time we have become capital friends, do
not you? 1 do not know how it was, but
we seemed to take to each other from
the first"
have rolled up my sleeve above the
elbow, and leaning over the punt's side,
am moving my arm slowly to and fro in
the water The lark has dropped from
heaven to earth again, and its sweet,
wild music, for the time being, is hushed.
Within the last ten minutes or so the sun
has grown stronger, and is making his
power felt; the rainbow mists are almost
gone Three stout old Alderney cows,
breathing heavily as they come, lurch
down to the waters edge to slack their
morning thirst. Standing knee-deep in
the rushes, they gaze in mildest wonder
ment at my companion and myself, while
their cool, rich breath is waited over to
us as they stand there chewing and
staring.
eyes," l repeat mechanically, shaking
the diamond drops from my pink, wet
fingers. and carefully drying them on my
pocket handkerchief; "we-we took to
each other from the first. People do
sometimes"
II am going back to town early to-
morrow morning. Mr. Lisle says, rather
abruptly, "but it"
"Already?" 1 interrupt, looking up,
blankly. ~ thought"
"Well?"
tilt my hat over my eyes and turn my
head aside.
az thought you would at least stay here
as long as the other people, myself, for
instance" say, in some confusion.
eve didn't all come together" said
he; Though if remember rightly, you
and arrived on the same evening. Do
you not recollect our meeting at the sta
tion?"
Perfectly"
"Well, as l was telling you, business
calls me back to town early Tomorrow
he repeats, gravely. "But if to certain
question you will give me the answer
want from you, shall return to Ring
wood On the following day."
am dumb, and he goes on:
Barbara, love you. For days past
have been watching for an opportunity
to tell you'so. | am poor man, know;
nevertheless, if you will give me a little
hopa 7 mill f,,r,, oro, n ,oxx-