Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-05
A TALE OF THE RED PIKE.

81 thought should find you with the girls,
Mr. Goodwin. You should have been with us.
We've had such a scramble over Honister Crag
and brought back no end of flowers for Ger
trude. But one thing must say-that fellow
Losford is a jolly mutt, though he doesn't look
1t. Just funk, girls, and nothing else VIII
you give me some tea, Mrs. Godwin?"
''What nonsense you talk Bob" cried his
sister, conscious by some feminine ms met that
her friends face was hotter than moment
before You are perfect naGuudis erfant
bursting in like that. / wish Mr.. Losford
would teach you Manners
''fd like to see him try. IT would take a
pluckler man than he is. Why, he wouldn't
come within yards Of the edge, Mrs. Godwin!'
He showed his usual good sense Master
Robert, was that lady's tart reply, She had
her reasons for looking favOrably upon Walter
Losford, of LosfOrd Court. Monmouthshire by
no means the best hOnored guest at Mr.. Cod
wins lake villa. And they were very CHEEKY
and pleasant party, the peasantest set, Ger
trude thought, that her mother had ever got
together, and Gertrude was young lady of
decided tastes and somewhat difficult to please
Even Bob Marston when he was not saving
malapropos things and appearing where he was
not wanted at inOppOrtune moments. was as
amusing as any other Elton boy. Nevertheless
at this moment two people at least were
ardently longing to make his ears Jingle.
And what is the program tor tomorrow,
Mr- Godwin?" resumed the young gentleman,
not whit daunted by the unfavorable recep-
ton of his last remark "Can we picnic on the
Red Pike? 1t would be Jolly fun"
The host hummed and hawed; he rather pre-
ferred an open-air entertainment at place ac-
cessible in an open carriage. But if you have a
house among the mountains, up them you must
60 The climbing disease is infectious, and
there is no evading it until by permanent resi-
dence you become proof against its attacks
Mr.. Goodwin would have to succumb sooner or
later.
Yes, Bob" said Gertrude suddenly LAYING
down the fan with which she was playing we
will go to the Red Pike tomorrow"
And Bob, who thought that In his own Ian
guage he had rather put his foot in it." was
comiorted, and knew that to the Red Pike he
would 90.
Gertrude's face as she went up to dress for
dinner was thoughtful. He showed his usual
good sense Mrs. Goodwin had said and the
words kept ringing in her daughters ears until
her lip began to curl with sc0rn. If there was
one thing which Gertrude admired it was cour-
age; was she beginning, almost more than be-
ginning, to like man who could be called a
coward even Dy a boy? 1t made her cheeks tin
gle with shame and anger. Proud and high
spirited herself good sense of the kind Mrs
Goodwin meant was not in high esteem with her.
And, alas. the insinuatiOn chimed in with other
things. Walter LosfOrd was hardly one to
sible and wanting in enthusiasm even In his
ambition, trying nearly everything by the ar
guments of reason with impartial severity. he
would have made a Just and not too merciful
Judge. Living by rule OF thumb no wonder
that he looked older than his thirty wears. or
that he repealed chance acQuaintances who
called him prig. Generally reteent he would
sometimes tell the truth with rude abruptness
Altogether, his friends said q little wanting in
charity: too practical. too matter-of-fact. And
A. TT hon Oh, r,nt IL \ xlf,
ner, the hauteur she assumed melted away and
she blushed and smiled at his glance; for what
is so fascinating as the homage of one who
seems utterly. almost cOntemptuOusly careless
OF all beside9 If Walter had spoken that even
ing he would have asSuredlv gained his object
and Mrs. Goodwin been made happy woman.
Inc Red Pike was red indeed in the evening
sunlight, every cliff that buttressed its rugged
top FURNISHED to ruddIness. and yet the party
fingered, reluctant to abandon the view Of sea
and land from Forth to Wndermere that held
them entranced. Tea was over and the ser
wants had started dOwnwarls with the baggage
Yet the party, which all day had wandered sep
arately or IN pairs at their several wills still sat
together on the top. Bob only was on the move.
diminishing hither and thither untiringly.
Il say. Gertrude, here's specimen for YOU,
Here's blue gentian growing OH this cliff, and
a rare good climb it will be TO it,
The party fastened to the edge Of the cliff:
in Granny of the rock about twelve feet down
SiCh Ile iuHtI heItEuue IiaU been long Seek
ing 10 obtain. slight opening in the wall of
the cliff made it just feasible, if somewhat dam
gerOuS TO reach it.
Robert, don't 90 too near" cried Mrs. God
win.
Gertrude turned with her face little flushed
10 Losl0rd Can you get 1t for me- Mr.. Los
fOrd:' she said gently and with some;hinr of
appeal in her voice.
Not without rope" he answered calmly;
we VIII bring one up tomorrow"
Tomorrow cried Gertrude, with sudden
heat. Il want it now. Bob would get it for
me in moment if | asked him. Mr.. LOsford"
'Bob's head is perhaps steadier than mine"
answered the other, keeping at safe distance
from the edge. He was in no way dscomposed
until, az he finished, his eyes met the girls full
OF contempt and anger. Stung by the look he
took hasty step towards the edge of the cliff
and bent down to make the attempt. For q
moment he remained in that position as If en-
tranced, scanning the depth below a sheer
three hundred feet and then green ledge and
then, far beneath. pale-blue CrummOck Water
With quick shudder he passed his hand across
his eyes and recoiled. white 10 the lips.
II can't get it for you he said h0arsely fall
ing back. while the others looked at one another
in astonjshment.
any such fOOlhardincss, | beg" cried Mrs. God
win loudly. Loudly. but not so that he failed
TO hear the one word Coward" or to distin-
guish the tone of contempt in which it tell from
htf udughefs NnS, as she turned away. The
next instant he was his old calm self again. but
but he knew that he had his dismissal
As for the bit OF blue gentian Bob brought It
up in twinkiing, and Chartered on in such a
way as 10 earn every ones gratitude. Yet it
was duh party that wendell its way down the
hill. and clear it was TO more than one that n
budding romance had come to an end over the
little blue Hover which nestled SO harmlcssIy in
Gertrude : fair hair. let mothers are Sanr,line
ana Mis-. GOODWIN face grew scarlet with AMER
spcuously fastened i'll the bosom of her daugh-
ters dress.
If it was only an awkward hour at dinner
that Mrs. Goodwin feared. Fate was to save her
hospitality from, TO do her justice, an unwonted
SUR.
where is Robert:' she asked pettishly.
after helping the soup. do you know,
NiOlet:'
Miss MarstOn did not. Bob was not wont to
be Punctual. and she was about to say so when
the butler. who had been called from the room.
entered hastily and whispered something in his
masters ear. Mr. Goodwin rose quickly
My dear, this is bad news There has been
o fall at the lead works"
How unfortunate l am thankful the mer
were not at work. Or. even worse we might
have been viewing them, as Robert has been
plaguing Us to do. and been all crushed TO-
gether, like any common l2b0rers, Shocking,
But where can Robert be-"
81 am afraid. ma'am." put in the butler in a
low voice " hch every one heard well with pre-
ternatural distinctness. that Master Robert
ieaStWlSc he went that way when he came back
is in there. John has gone to the village for
help"