Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-11-15
A LITTLE COWARD,

titinDltl anu tHllVH pau "NN"H'' w
black mare reared with her, sh
begged Sir Robert TO take her OF, anO
stood In ignomlnlous safety Will
Agatha MerIyale mounted stella an'
rode OF tfiumphantly down the avenue
She was q coward, shedld not den,
II, and was sometimes very mucl
ashamed Of II, but no one had seemed
to mind II until Agatha Merlyale came
with her bold. dark eyes and her dash
Ing ways. her riding and hunting ; anC
everybody admired Agatha 30 much
even Sir Robert
She almost hated Agatha! Yol
see. until Agatha Crmc they had beer
No happy NJ De l,ossrit, Little orphan
Madrlalne Leigh had never been =,
happy In her lie rs here at the hall
with sweet Lady de liossett, who wa
her guardian. and her son, Sir Robert
They were 80 kind and good to her
They petted her ndloyed her 30. Ant
now Agatha had come, and for tive
weeks had monopolIaed Sir Robert, ant
kept the house In turmoil OF gayety
and laughed at Lima, and made heI
life wretched.
Lina's maid reported that everybod,
said Sir Robert was to marry Mis-
Meriyalc. Lima made q stern resolve
that she would run away from the hal
when that event took place. Run
away She would run away now
Not far though-shc was too much OF
q coward TO venture far into the world
alone; but she would 50 away across
the fields to "Aunt Margaret's," as she
called Lady dc Rossctt's widowed sis
ter.in.law, who lived in u quite com
Portable house mile away from the
hall.
Mrs. Harrington was an invalid, par.
alyzed and confined to her bed. She
was rather grim old lady, and most
were inclined to shun her; but sweet
bright little Lima had won her way
into the old lady's heart, and was al
ways welcome at the lodge.
Yes, she would run away to Aunt
Margaret's, and perhaps, when she was
missed, Sir Robert might feel q mo-
ment's uneasiness about her. Selling
her hat and light shawl she flew OIL
across the park, calling Leo, Sir Rob-
ert's pretty colley, to 90 with her. Lima
did not like to cross the fields alone,
being possessed by great terror of
bulls; but with Leo she would not
mind 1t much.
Leo was calmly taking nap on the
front portico, but he started up and
raced after her with joyous bark.
But at the little gate that led from the
park into the fields Lima was greatly
disconnected by an unexpected en-
counter with Sir Robert and Miss
Merivale, who came laughing and talk
ing along the path, both looking bright
and handsome in the golden rays of
the setting sun.
She brushed past them with a hasty
"good-evening," but Sir Robert turned
back to speak to her,
"Where are you going, LinaP" he
asked.
."To AUNT Margarct's," she ay
swered, not looking at him.
"Alone, Lima? Are you not afraid
If you will wait little while / will 60
with you," Sir Robert said, looking
down kindly at the girls flushed cheeks
and averted eyes.
"No, thanks" Lima answered, has til
II will not trouble you. Leo will tax
care Of me. End you would be late
for dinner if you went with me-"
"May l come for you, then, after
dinner?' Sir Robert asked.
"Thanks, | am not coming back.
Ishall stay all night" was the hurried
answer, and Lima turned to 90.
But Sir Robert detained her for a
moment.
"Lina," he said, in a low tone,
"what makes you avoid me so lately d?
What have l done to offend youW
Lima raised her blue eyes hastily to
his, for one moment, and then dropped
them again.
81 have not avoided YOU" she said,
coldly. "You have been very muc
occupied with other people. There, 1
will not detain you"
She waved her little hand haughtily,
and walked away from him. He
watched the pretty, white-robed figure
for a moment, and then Leo came and
fawned on him.
"Leo, Leo" called Lina's voice.
"Go, Leo" said his master, and the
obedient dog trotted off down the path
after the girl.
1t was rather dreary at the "lodge"
that evening. Mrs. Harrington was
out Of humor because her agent had
failed to call that day to receive a
thousand pounds that she wished him
to deposit for her. And Parkins, her
nurse and housemaid, let the maid
servants all go off to a fair in the vii
lage, "where they will certainly get
into mischief" Mrs. Harrington said.
But when Lima had talked to her
and made her laugh a little, she for
got her grievances and chatted away
very pleasantly. At 10 o'clock she
declared she had laughed till she was
tired, and Lima must give her her
drops and let her 20 to sleep:
"There the spoon is gone. Where
can Parkins have put it Child,
would you mind running down into
the pantry and bringing me a spoon
/ would ring for Parkins, but she told
me she wanted to get up some muslins
this evening, and would come up as
soon as she had finished"
Lima did not altogether like to pass
down the long stairs and silent entries
leading to the pantry, but she went
and Leo trotted after her. As she
stood in the pantry, looking around for
spoons with no light But a faint CLEAN
from the hall lamp, a sound Of low
voices caught her ear.
The pantry was on the ground floor,
its iron-barred shattered window look
Ing into the garden. The sound was
outside the window, and Lima paused
10 listen. The first word that caught