Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-07-14

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tremendous landslip; so it is impossible
to 5 nd the carriage to meet you. /
have therefore forwarded a note to my
great friend, Hugh Lambert, asking
him to send for you and give you and
your maid shelter for the night, till we
see what is to be done. He is the
only neighbor on that side of the land
slip, and is so charming you need not
mind going to him; it is indeed the
only thing to be done. In great haste,
"Your loving aunt,
MARY NEWTON"
The coachman had also given Hugh
Lambert note.
II was to have left it at Leyton, sir"
he said; "but heard you was coming
by this train"
Lambert glanced at the contents, and
then turned to Dorothy.
"Your aunt has kindly trusted you
to me; so now you won't mind accom-
panying me home, will you ?" he asked.
81 think it is you who ought to
mind" was Dorothy's answer. 81 am
afraid we shall be giving you so much
trouble. 1t is very good of you"
A minute later she was seated beside
him in the dog cart, spinning along the
dark roads into what was to her an un-
known country.
Dorothy was very tired, and was
thankful to reach the house and be
handed over to the care of the house
keeper. Very soon she was fast asleep
in an Old-fasllioned oak-panelled room
that would have seemed very ghostly
to her but that she was too fatigued to
take much heed of her surroundings;
and, beside, her maid was in the dress
| inG-room and within call.
The next morning Dorothy was
down for half-past nine breakfast, and
was shown into bright little morning
room. Mr.. Lambert met her, and was
so kind and anxious to make her happy
and at home that she very soon found
herself talking to him as if she had
known him for years, instead of his
being an acquaintance of few hours
only She was rather an unconvention-
al little person, and by no means stiff or
cold. She had warm-hearted manners,
and looked at the world in trustful
way, believing people and trusting in
them firmly, unless she found that
they were not to be depended upon.
instead OF proving before trusting, as
colder-natured and perhaps wiser folks
do. She had been brought up by an
old uncle, for whom her elder sister
kept house. They had no brothers,
and their parents had both died years
before. Mrs Newton was their
mothers siste. in-law; but her husband
had quarreled with the girls uncle and
guardian, Mr.. Nayton; SO it was not
till after the death of the Latter that
Dorothy and her sister had been allow
ed to so to Priarton. Now however
they had hoped to spend u good deal
of time there; but this was Dorothy's
first visit.
Mary Nayton, her sister. was about
twcnty-seven, and exceedingly placid
I and sensible, but she took things so
quietly that Dorothy was ALWAYS allow
ed to go her own way and do whatever
she liked; consequently, at twenty
three, she had learned to think and act
for herself, and, as her nature was
| impulsive and warm-hearted she in
dulged in great many theories of her
own, hated cOnventionalities, believed
firmly in Platonlc friendships, and not
unfreqreutly got into trouble in con-
sequence.
1t very soon struck Hugh Lambert
that she was different from most of the
girls he had met, and she interested
him accordingly
1t was with a feeling Of relief that
he found the road would be impossible
for some days; so he wrote to Mrs.
Newton, begging her to let Dorothy
remain with him, instead of returning
home, and asked an elderly cousin who
lived few stations off to come and
act as chaperon.
The old lady accepted the invitation
and the post allotted her; but, as she
was great invalid, Dorothy and
Hugh wer2 constantly left alone
together. He liked to sit in the dusk
and hear her sweet voice singing to
him, to watch her arranging flowers,
and to consult her about the garden.
The girl felt supremely happy-he was
SO kind to her, such an agreeable COM
panion in every way, that she thorough
ly enjoyed his society.
A fortnight went by, and the road
was pronounced perfectly safe; even
the floods had subsidized. So Hugh had
no excuse for OBTAINING his fair guest
longer; and, though very reluctant to
part with her, he drove her over to
Priarton.
She was standing in the hall as he
left that night, after dinner, and held
out her hand to say good-by.
b 81 can't thank you enough for all