Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-12
aud witches" no nodded to the young

mcns =.
They. seated, like the girls, on the
battloments fthe miniature tower, vert
gazing here and there, IS one quarte'
and then another was made slight
Bs,cops. like stars, blazed out fsl
avsy. Evidently the whole neighbor'
| hood was Of one mind.
.We will not accept that idea to-
night, SIR" Doyle answered. "No
| no let us not tempt the powers. Bul
can we not 20 among 1t oil II Two min.
| utes will take us where jim is"
"Oh IL you like"
So they LEFT the gardens and trampsd
over q field to the hillocky ridge.
| There was good deal of talking and
laughing, as might be supposed, but
among 1t all Meta was. again silent
She was wearing her one marsh mari.
gold stuck under her chin, as girl
might wear brooch. She was very
careful Of it, keeping her light wrap
we'll away from it. What danger Of
cold could there be on such sweetly-
warm summer night?
She fingered behind; but among
such gay string Of merry folks, who
would notice one strsgeler?
Nessie was by Jim and talking hard
and fast. No one paid any heed to her,
but we must, for the subject of her
talking affects our story.
"There we're nine lots, JIM"
Sch, missile. I'll know that; aud
pine have set the light teu," refining
his words reel Manx fashion.
"Then where are they? Six
seven eight" she counted.
ats beyond me, missile; but nine'll
be the number l kindled. Sure, by
token, I'd only ten matches in my box
here, an ore | left for the pipe. Pfah !"
be blew on to the pipe-bowl. "It's
nigh out she'll be, missile, with me
talking an talking"
He here took good Whit to ward
off the fulflment Of his words.
1.-THE boys must have matches. I'll
by no means 60 without my nine "
Nessie was always bit self-willed.
"Eh, missile ?-let be. / wouldn't
interfere"
&" Interfere !"
"Sure-"
"What stuff" Nessie's play had
no faith--no faith Of the timorous sort,
at least. Sim as strong as the fairies.
If they put the fire out I'll light it
again That will !"
She ran back to the young men.
Whefeat Jim faced the inevitable and
bestowed all his active care upon his
pipe. He shrugged his bent shoulders !;
perhaps it was at the foolhardiness Of
young maids.
All at once q now blaze Of light
sprang into the gray night. 1t came
with a sudden flash just behind where
Nessie and the boys stood and talked.
One golden flash there was; dry
gorse had caught smouldcring spark,
left at the very tail, as one might say,
Of Jim's ninth match. Then the flash
died down; tben-another blaze, AMI
brighter, more golden blaze. A
quick, short cry on the top OF it
All"
Metals foot treading on the unseen
dry gorse had pushed it toward the
dying match-had kindled the flame
and her dress, soft muslin thing, had
been caught by it.
There was a rush. All were flrst and
all were last. it seemed. Meta was
down upon the ground before the rush
and cry were done. Every fame was
out, every smouldering spark was hur-
ried out of life.
For one moment Meta lost sight and
sound. Then memory flashed back one
sight and one sound-Doyle Philipson
she bad seen tear off his coat, and she
had heard him give one cry
"Meta my own !"
How the soft gray night echoed the
words Had she dreamed them? Was
she dreaming still? There was now no
fire, the Pickering lights Of the distant
hills were psliDg under the breeze, her
father stood over her, bidding her not
to L" be afraid"
"Your coat has suffered" This she
heard Mr.. Qualtrough say to a dim,
shadowy figure. The voice was low,
and such as comes when mans inner
self is trembling.
Doyle made light answer. Men do
answer lightly, even when perhaps the
gravest question Of their lives is fighting
for its answer within them. Hepushed
his arms into his coat-sleeves, and all at
once he found that 10 crushing down
the rising fame Of Meta's dress he had
got his hand burned.
"A week hence the young men had to
60 away from Man.
Willie Qualtrough was to drive them
to Douglas on the morrow, so as to be
in time for the boat. A good hours
drive this was, and they must be up
betimes. He and his friends had
strolled over the fields from his fathers
house they would naturally say good
bye to the girls and the Qualtroughs of
Brae Hill.
Again it was summer night, again
the girls were wandering about the
old garden. Meta was aloft in the
lookout" Kate was below meeting
the young men, Nessie was chasing a
white butterfly.
Doyle Philipson had, many days
back, come to the solution OF enc grave
question but, not being q rich man,
and being honorable to what some folks
might call an extreme degree, he had
commanded himself to hide the love he
had for Meta Qualtrough. Nay, he it
was who had fastened the departure
from the island because, seeing Meta
day after day, he could not keep eye
and tongne in cool obedience.
And the sweet, lazy hours Of eve
ming had come, and Meta had CHANGED
to be aloof, and the others had chauce1
to drift into the company Of each
other-who talks Of chance?
The would-be mstter-offact young
artist was mastered. He told his story,
and all his wise commands were scat
tered to the winds.
What they two said only the night
heard. 1t was an old story made new,