Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-04
CHAPTER VI.

arbor for a thinking place. 1 am sorry l
broke into your thoughts"
CHAPTER VI.
] looked up as Miss Douglas spoke.
and, for the first time. l noticed how very
sweet and lady-like was her manner.
The slanting rays OF sunlight Just
touched her brown hair, lighting it to a
rich bronze; faint blush tinged the usu-
ally pale face, and the brown ewes looked
timidly at me from under brows delicate
and straight as ever gave character to a
forehead. Her dress was OF some soft
ilac-cOlOred stuff, gathered about her
shapely waist with ribbon. the color Of
which brought to my mind all the beauty
and freshness Of budding peach trees.
My thoughts were not at all pleasant,
and l am glad you have cOme,''.I said,
making room for her beside me on the
little rustic arbOr-seat. Il was thinking of
Liska; l have been trying to shape fu-
ture for her"
.'And you have failed?" she asked. in
that tone which makes one sure their idea
has been fully gTasped. Il have had a
similar experience" she continued. 1.-The
child has puzzled me. She is altogether
unlike any Of our family. Perhaps, how
ever" she added, hastily. II should not
speak so 'eX-cathedra. Ours is the pro-
verbal Scotch family. Its ramificatiOns
are endless; and l have not seen a repre-
sentative Of all the clans"
"Ihen you do not remember anyone
whom she resembles -
NO" she answered, speaking quite
slowly, as if calling to mind every feature
Of the child's face; mo, l cannot call to
mind single Douglas, or Conway or Nc
Rhea-unless, she cried. suddenly, Gun
loss If no flIin Tho phiIftsc ~
tainly very like Oin's. l remember
thinking Of that when / first saw her. If
it were not for that, I'd be tempted to say
the child is not one Of us"
Her face flushed painfully, and she
cried:
81 have spoken hastily. Pray remem-
Der that my impulse has betrayed me into
speaking thought which, otherwise,
would never have been uttered
Il shall not forget it." l answered, cor
daily. "YOur thought shall die in the ut
terance. But it is not new one to me.
Just such an one had stolen into my own
brain. Your cousin has been great wan
derer, has he not?''
Yes. An incOrrigibIe Arab. We have
all been disappointed in DIN. He got his
degree with apparently no effort. We
naturally expected him, after leaving Ok
ford, to stand for his uncle's borough. |
mapped out. But to the surprise of the
whole family he returned from his CONT
mental tour only to prepare for a longer
tramp through Palestine and the East.
And from that time until he came into his
fathers property he never stopped long
anywhere"
"HOw long did he remain on the CONT
nent before the Furies seized him?''
"Really l do not know. 1t has been
more than ten years since that time, and
l was quite a child, you know" looking
up into my face and smiling shyly. "Why
do YOU ask:v
She looked at me keenly, and l thought l
saw IN her eyes an effort TO ''read me
through"
''Oh, have no reason - answered, ris-
ing from the little bench. Il like your
cousin, and naturally feel curious about
events which seem to Indicate some NOV
Ing cause. Shall we return To the house
l heard the rumble OF thunder a moment
ago. We cannot see the Southern Sky
from here. If there's a cloud there, it
Will be pretty apt to come up quickly
Glow late is it!' she exclaimed, stand
ing in the entrance. And, oh, how
beautiful the clouds are over the noun
tainsl'
Beautiful, but threatening. / should
have called your attention to the thunder
when first heard it. Your dress is too
pretty to be spoiled"
''Oh, that's nothing" she exclaimed,
looking down upon the soft lilac folds.
But how nice it is of you to notice it.
Men care so little for such things"
DO they? l think that depends great
ly upon who wears 'such things Men
care more for pretty dresses than they will
admit"
Ave were walking rather rapidly along
one of the winding garden-paths, and a
sudden turn brought us upon BERTHE Hey
ward.
"Ah, here you arep' he exclaimed.
"Lois sent me after you. She said she
knew Maxwell would never think of the
clouds till he felt them pouring down upon
him. Now what have you to say for YOUR
self, Miss DOuglas?' he added. smiling in
the teasing way which made him eX-
tremely attractive at times both to men
and women. IF you will exert your
mind, perhaps you may recOllect that
about an hour ago you was asked to
charm Mr.. Maxwell into playing a game
of billiards."
Il have nothing to say; the offense is
too fragrant. But L am very sorry. /
hope You found some one to take our
places"
"Oh, yes. We got along finely. knew
YOU wouldn't return, tor it isn't in the
memory of man when Maxwell ever lost
so good an opportunity for sermOnizing."
"SermOnizing - Miss Douglas asked,
laughing.
YES. He viii convert you to a dozen
new theories before you've had time to
frame an argument for the defense Of one
old one"
''Then I'm afraid you've been playing a
part" she said, turning to me with the
smile still lingering in her eyes. 'YoU
did not preach at all; but made me do all
the talking. Dear meg as a flash of
lightning startled US.
You take Miss Douglas on to the Cas-
tie Bertie.' | exclaimed, seeing that the
storm was close upon us. Il left book
in the arbOr. and the rain Will spoil it."
Saying which l hurried back to the ar
Dor, seized the book, and succeeded in re-
turning as far as Lois Pavilion" when
the rain came down in torrents.
few months after her marriage this
little pavilion, or rather summer-studiO,
had been built according to Lois own di-
TectiOns.
1t consisted of two rooms, or, perhaps,
more correctly speaking, a vestibUle and
a large airy room, from the windows of
which could be seen all the beautiful
views 10y which the Castle was surround
ed. The vestibule was separated from the
main room by a thick lattice-woTk. 1t was
i'm this vestibule that l sought refuge from
the storm.
For many minutes the roar of thunder
and the play of lightning was terrific.
Nothing could be heard above the rushing
Of wind and rain. But, as the storm
abated, l heard voices in the studio, and
my heart leaped with sudden apprehen-
sion as ! heard McRhea say:
s.Have you satisfied Menzel that the
child is contentedy'
IF he isn't he never will be; and he's a
fool. Menzefs satisfaction isn't necessa-
~. Eve Linda's written promise which is
all-suflicient. Whatever she may be, she
knows how to keep her word"
III it is to her interest, yes" McRhea
assented, in a sarcastic tone.
you may be right. Eve nothing to say
on that point. You know the lady; l do
not But at any rate the child is safe"
ssAnd that is the main thing. What does
your wife say about it,"
Lois? She says nothing at all, of
course. She is too proud to ask questions.
Moreover she has already become attached
to the little witch. She thinks it a
duty to train her, and to protect her.
And, YOU know, Lois always does her
duty"
''Yes, know" McRhea answered, sad
". But it is a hard duty, Bob 1t is
very hard that LOis''-what a world OF
tenderness there was in the name!-
"shOuld be called upon to take up bur-
den brought upon others by their own
+ reckless impetuOsity."
Don't trouble yourself about that, my
+ boy. LOIS is well able to look out for her.