St. Landry democrat., 1884-10-04

"Y eS, Sir. Sne duSWeFtue ueehtyi
''but I'm doing my best to get out of
them"
..You came in by the lower gate.
You saw the sign, of course?" he went
on, in the same magisterial tones.
'.Yes; but [ was in a hurry, and II
was afraid it was going TO rain. I'm
Mrs. Alexandsr's governess. She
ventured a glance at him as she said
this, but it evidently made no impress
sion. Ill beg your pardon; and l
can 90 back, suppose. l thought that
for once-and didn't want to spoil my
dress" she finished, impetuously, as a
great drop of rain fell on her hand.
She looked up with eyes whose appeal
might have softened him. 1t seemed to
her very ample excuse, but there was
no relenting' in his face. In his own
mind, indeed, he was making conces-
sion. AS she was his neighbours gov
erness, he would not carry the matter
farther, and SO he stitfly SAID, as he
stood back to let her retrace her steps.
al am sure I--or Mrs. Alexander
| will be much obliged for your--your
| unexpected consideration, MISS Ben
| nett answered, as she took up hers kirts
| and prepared to beat dlgnitied re-
| treat.
There was no use in hurrying; she
was sure to be caught in the storm now,
and so she turned and swept Mr.. Hale
q profound reverence. whose disdaln he
could not understand. But there was
a dimress in her eyes as she raised
them to his.
After all, she was only q child, and
SO far the world had smiled into her
pretty face and treated her indulgently.
| That was not Mr.. Hale's attitude; but
as she walked away, something-per-
| haps the pride of self-assertion over
this intruding governess, perhaps the
thought of those eyes-made him re-
lent. In five minutes it would be pour
ing, and he was not quite brute. He
stepped forward and called: MADAM"
Miss Bennett heard, hurried her steps
an instant, and then stopped. She would
like to be proud to the bitter end, and
anyway she could not go back till she
was told.
Mr.. Hale had to take half-dozen
more steps before he was near enough
to say: GAS it is raining, miss, if it will
shorten your walk, / have no objection
for this once.''
''Oh. shall not do it again." Ruth
cried; I'D sooner go through wilder
ness
''But that is not the shortest way,
he went on; .'it is much nearer by the
coach-house. Here-let me show you. "
"Oh, couldn't think of troubling
you. Thank you, but you'll get wet
yourself
"Since [ have undertaken it, an
swered Mr.. Hale, as if apologizing to
himself for his concession; and with
the words he spread his neat umbrella,
and walked with her. It was only two
minutes. The path he took was shorter,
and Miss Bennett hurried al she could.
She spoke no word till she reached the
Alexander hedge; the1S she said, as
hastily: II am very much obliged
and-I shall not trespass again. "
"A pretty GIRL Mr.. Hale said to
himself, as he watched her flying
toward the shelter of the porch. ''Mrs.
Alexander's governess! Hum"' But
what the last word meantin his thought
he could hardly have told Perhaps it
only reminded him that his three moth
erless children would soon be needing
one.
''Miss Bennett, Mrs. Alexander said,
a week later, "where did you meet Mr..
Hale? He seems to know you; and last
night at the garden party he delgned to
say that if it would save you time and
fatigue, you might go through the park.
He has noticed you. perhaps coming
up from the village" And when Ruth
had told her story, she lifted her eye
brows little, ats CONCESSIONS
great concession from him." she said.
Butt don't want it, cried Ruth.
SET d rather go miles around now. You
can't think how his manner Inundated
me. felt as though I'd committed the
objectionable sin.
Mrs. Alexander smiled at her vehe-
mence, but she had her own reasons for
net encouraging it. '.It's quite on an
other footing now, since he permits
it," she said, ''and really l wish you
would. Since the hot weather came |
notice you are sometimes very tired
with the walk Anything that will save
your strength for your work, you
know" And to that Ruth yielded.
4 She need not have been so fierce
about it, she said to herself, after a
week. She had the park all to herself,
and it was certainly pleasanter than the
dusty road At first she hurried through
as if dragon haunted every bush; but
gradually she moderated her pace, and
at last she made it a gentle saunter, and
even stopped on the brink of the little
stream which crossed one end of the
park to cool her hot head in its breath
of freshness, and soothe her eyes in the
soft green depths of the wood beyond.
Once or twice she saw Mr.. Hale's chill