Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-13
CHAPTER III.

She walks fast toward the lower end of
the broad garden, and sOrely fretting with
herself all the while, climbs the lower
boards of the arbor and gathers her
grapes. She is reaching for a last bunch,
when u smooth, white hand touches them
first, and a voice, suave and low, says:
LET me help you, Charlie. Why
should you hurt yourself when L am
near?"
From her perch she looks down on a
pair of appraised eyes, and the form OF
tall gentleman posing most gracefully
for her benefit.
In an instant she is down on the
ground, and drawing her small figure up
to its fullest height says, with no little
temper:
II don't want your help, MIR. Beltham,
either here or elsewhere. This is
roomy garden; surely it will accommodate
both of us apart"
He looked down at her, away down, and
smiled indulgently.
''My dear Charlie" he said, ''why
don't you learn to control your temper?'
Il might might if L rever saw you.
/ might If l were dealt with fairly.
might if l did not have pins stuck into me
daily"
Charlie, want you to dissociate me
from all these veXatiOns. l want you to
know me as a friend.'
OiooOCldlC gOu NUN AOu dIC
the head ana front, the prime mover. |
hate you, and you know it! There
is one difference between us. l am hon
est. -"
This Incorporate speech had not the
least perceptIble effect on the gentleman.
He had evidently heard the like before.
Very quietly he strOked his moustache
and looked down at her, not smiling this
time, but trying to throw into his eyes
an GiOn Of N 1fIpuf main and mt
ceeding remarkably.
The girl stood picking the faulty grapes
from her bunch, and waiting to hear him
speak.
DO you know that you wound me
sOrely, CharlieY he said, at last, in a
whisper.
81 intended to-"
''Why? Please tell me Why
because l love true and honorable
gentlemen, and because L dislike those
who are not"
''Tell me how l have offended"
The girl considered Il minute.
You will be sorry you asked, if |
tell"
Il can bear it, think, though l fancy it
will be severe"
You are dealing unjustly with my
trusting and good mamma"
Good graciOusr' he eXclaims, with
a well, admirably we'll feigned surprise.
Il deal unfairly with my dear and long
loved sister?'
"Yes, with your dear and long-loved sis
ter"
Charlie, Charlie, what can you
mean?'
ASK yourself, sir. You know your
own heart far better than l care to-"
''Do you know that such precOcious
surmises are unbecOming in a young
girl? When am your guardian, dear
Charlie, which heaven grant may not be
soon. | will make it my business to show
you how cruelty you have misjudged me,
and prove to you that | am. one of those
true and honorable gentlemen whom you
declare you love-"
Il think you will not be my guardian,
sir"
81 certainly WILL"
''Then," said the girl, laying down her
fruit, and clasping two small white hands !
tightly across her low forehead, ''then if |
don't die. | will know it is because |
many guardians, many uncles and many |
grandmothers can't kill me. Oh! | am |
beleaguered with friends, hedged round |
about with kinsmen and fathers, enYirOned |
with teachers, and beset with guardiansl |
Oh! | wonder how those feel who have no |
belongings: | wonder if the friendless /
of this world know half how blest they
are?"
"You have no idea how well you did I
that, Charlie. Permit me to encore you. /
What a clever actress you are, and how /
charmlngly pretty you have grown
Before the last words have left his lips !
he is alone. Where the girl has gone so
soon he cannot tell. Darling past him she /
managed to lose herself in the shrubbery, /
and though he looked carefully he sees
nothing, and only hears fast receding foot
steps. He is perpleXed and displeaSed.
He wants to be liked and respected by his
ward. He admires her extremely. But
he also fears her, and he has believed it
his best wisdom to secure her friendship;
but how is it to be done? Through all |
his DISCUSSES her clear eyes seem to read his
soul, to know his thoughts, and he is al
ways nervous under her scrutiny. In his
deep-laid schemes for the future she can
be at once formidable and troublesome; so
to gain her good will has become neces-
sity. Heretofore he has thought of her as
a child, one precOcious and strong
willed, whom be would gladly see die out
of his way. She has represented only an
imDediment, an obstruction in his path.
To-day she has shown herself older,
wiser, almost woman-and it seemed a
new and strange realization, a remarkably
/ vely one too. He bent his head a few mo-
ments in deep thought. Some plan he laid
before his mind and reyolved it we'll; but
clearly he reached no conclusion. He
looked perpleXed and little tired as he
leaned thOughtfully against the thick
vines. At last, taking a cigar and a
match from his pocket, he seats himself |
for comfortable smoke, trusting that the
quieting effects of the tobacco may faciH-
tate his conclusions. For twenty min
utes he is a deliberate smoker he has
slowly enjoyed his cigar, when Mrs.
Barrett suddenly parts the thick cluster
ing leaves Of the arbor, and says;