Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-06-19

but we Will now descend for a time
from these bleak attitudes and return to
the little hamlet. which seemed to lie
there snugly enough and sheltered in the
hollow, though the wind was hard on the
dark and driven loch. Some honr or so
after the shooters and heaters had left,
Meene Douglas came along to Ronald's
cottage, and, of course, found Maggie the
sole occupant, as she had expected. She
was very bright and cheerful and friend
ly, and spoke warmly of Ronald s kindness
in giving her father days shooting.
My mother was a little angry" she
said, laughing, that he should go away
just the first thing after coming home;
but you know, Maggie, he is so fond of
shooting and it is not always he can get a
cay, especially at this time of the year,
and | am very glad he has gone, for you
know there are very few who have to
work so hard. y
" wish they may come upon a stag"
said the little Maggie, with reckless and
irresponsible generosity.
" DO YOU know, Maggie" SAL the elder
young lady, with shrewd sn { on her
face, " am not sure that my mother likes
the people about here to be so kind she is
always expecting my father to get n better
post-but know he is not likely TO get
one that will suit him as well, with the
fishing and shooting. There is the Mudal
the gentleman at the lodge let him have
that all the spring through: and when the
loch lie not let, he can always have day
by writing to Mr.. Crawford: and here is
Ronald, when the kinds have to be shot
at Christmas, and so on. And if the
American gentleman takes the shooting
rs well as the loch, surely he will ask my
father to 90 with him day or two on the
hill: ii Is lonely thing shooting by ones
self. Well, now, Maggie. did you put the
curtains up again in Ronald 5 room?"
Yes, did" was the answer and he
did not tear them down this time, for
told him you showed me how to hang
them; but he has tied them back so that
they might Just as well not be there at all.
Come and see, Mcenie dear"
She led the way into her brothers
| room; and there, sure enough the win
dow-curtains (Which were wholly unnec-
essary, blythe way, except from the femi-
nine point of view, for there was certain
ly not too much light coming In by the
solitary window had been tightly looped
and tied back, SO that the view down the
loch should he unmpeded.
No natter SAID Meenie; "the window
Is not so bare-loOking as it used to be. And
suppose he will let them remain up
now"
"Oh yes, when he was told that you had
something TO do with them, was the SIM
| pie answer.
Meme went to the wooden mantel-
piece, and put tho few things there
straight, Just as she would have done in
her own room, blowing the light white
peat dust off them, and arranging them
! in neater order.
81 wonder, now shs said, "he does not
get frames for these photographs; they
will he spoiled by finger marks and the
dust"
Maggie said, shyly:
That was what he said to me the
other day; but no about these-about the
one you gave me of yourself. lie
asked to see it, and ! showed him how
careful ] was in wrapping 1t up but he
said no-the first packman that came
through ] was to get frame, II he had
one. and glass too, or else that he would
send il in to Inverness to be framed But
you know. Meenie, it's no near so nice
looking-or anything, anything like SO
nice looking-as you are,
Nothing could be that, | am sure"
said Meenie, lightly; and she was casting
her eyes about the room, TO see what
further improvements she could suggest.
But Maggie had suddenly grown silent,
and was standing at the little writing
table, apparently transliXed with aston
ishment 1t will be remembered that
when Ronald, in the morning, heard that
| the doctor was at the door of the inn, he
had hurriedly FASTENED away to intercept
him and that, subsequently, in order &c
save time, he had sent back n lad for his
gun and cartridges, while I've went on tC
the farm. And ii was this last arrange
mcnt that caused him 10 overlook the fact
that he had left his writing materials
the blotting pad and everything lying
exposed on the table: u piece of neglect o
which he had scarcely ever before beer
guilty And rs ill-Iuck would hay,
IL, ms Maggie was idly wandering rounC
the room, waiting for Meenie to make
any further suggestions for the smarter