Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-13

efvu that the man il scamp ana sCouH
dreI and am very sure that in your heart
of hearts you don't care straw Ior MN
60 shall make it my business to arrange
matters civilly and literally with the gen
tleman. And if you are only good ana sup,
uaiesixe, / believe ] shall be able 10 ten
YOU in q week that you are as free as the
air."
@Dear-dearest colonel~ cried Grace, for
getting herself @But you viii not behave
unkindly to poor Victor"
Tmean to treat him very Handsomely.
will give him a fair start, with nice lit
tie sum In hand, in q new country, at
considerable distance from Darnel Park"
aBut that will take heap of money"
1.-THE money shall be forthcoming. You
and l can square accounts when you are
of age"
my best of friends"
sand when all is settled, and your Paris
ian friend has returned you those foolish
letters, you can 60 to Sir Allan and tell
him all about it very quietly. And then
your mind will be at ease ever after
ward"
at will be dreadful to tell papa" said
Grace ruefully. He will preach me such
a sermon"
Even a sermon may be endured from
so good father" replied the colonel, with
a kindly smile, "and, after all, sermons are
good things in their way"
Eyes, will tell him ALL godfather, when
Victor has released me from my promise;
and if he should send me a letter to come
to the house, which he could hardly do,
poor fellow, in that dreadful coat, l will
let you know directly"
They put their horses at a trot and fol-
lowed Sir Allan and young Colchester,
who had got good start of them by this
time, and there was no more confidential
talk between Grace and her godfather
That breakfast after the cub-hunting
was most genial meal. Edward Col
chester was as hungry as the proverbial
hunter, and eat and talked with the most
cheerful clatter, his talk naturally being
a recapitulation of the mornings work,
and OF other mornings; what they had
done and what they ought not to have
done: whether one particular fox was the
hunted fox, or a new fox-a point nicely
debated, as exemplified by the conduct of
the said fox, between Mr. Colchester and
the colonel Even Grace frightened and
Joined in the conversation, and showed
herself wonderfully au fait as to the little
ways and devices of old dog foxes, and the
haunts and manners of cubs.
Edward Colchester fingered till nearly
luncheon time. He went to the stables
with Sir Allan while Grace was changing
her dress, and there was that general over
hauling of horsefesh which seems source
of perennial delight, even to the grooms
and lads who have to bear the heat and
burden of bringing the animals out and
trotting them up and down. And when
the stable inspection was over, Grace was
discovered on the terrace in front of the
drawing room. all bloom and freshness in
her pretty walking gown, and at Mr.. Col
chester's request she took him to see the
Conservatives and that superb collection
of crysanthemums which was the
autumnal glory of Darnel Park.
you'll come too, won't you, auntie"
said Grace, appealingly.
1t was but rarely she called Dora
"auntie," and the unwonted tenderness
seemed like cry of distress. She would
have done almost anything to escape a
tete-a-tete with the master of the hounds;
she who was audacity itself in the field
when she trotted up to him to give him
little wrinkles as to the whereabouts of
foxes.
So Dora went the round of the glass
houses, and explained the crysanthemums
to Edward Colchester, who found himself
called upon to be interested in the different
breeds, and rapturous about the japanese
varieties, and attentive to Dora Darnel at
every point. 1t was altogether disap-
pointing business, and he fell into fearful
yawnings before he had done.
"You seem dreadfully sleepy" said
Dora.
~ was at the kennels at a quarter to
four" he murmured, alphabetically.
"And you are dying to go home for a
nap" said Dora ave won't look at any
more flowers to-day"
"Oh, yes, let me see them all" pleaded
Colchester, clinging to straw, still
family hoping for few words alone with
Grace.
But there was no detaching Grace from
her aunt, and although young Colchester
stayed till the luncheon gong sounded he
had to leave at last, without having spoken
those few words. But it would be in his
power to make another opportunity be-
fore Sir Allan carried his daughter off to
the south, if he had made up his mind to
speak those words.