Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-15
ENGAGED IN HASTE.
CHAPTER |.


he had been where nature has layished her
richest colaring. her grandcst forms. He
had been a soiourner in the ancient world,
the cradle of civilization, of religion, Ian.
suasr. science art, poetry, and war-the
immemorial East from which antique
Greece. with all her glory, was but an OF
shoot. He had been a Traveller in the
Himalayas, had looked upward at the I'M
approachahle summit of Mount Everest.
And now as the little hired landeau from
Scadleigh station came round a curve in
a wooded road. and the village green with
its pond and herd OF lazy kline drinking
breast deep, in the shining water, its old
inn, and hurse-trough, and sign-post, and
three fine elms spreading their broad Shad-
ows on the patch of grass between the
porch and the highway, and the lahnrcrs
in their russet brown frockS lounging on
the stout uaken bench in front of the
ruugh-cast wall-it seemed TO the return
ing traveller as if this simple rustic English
landscape this little picture Of hOmely vii
lage life. surpassed all the lowell
ness Of the tropics. And yet it was such a
commonplace scene-a scene we all know,
which needs perhaps the glamour of a sum
mer sunset the feeling of eVentide repOSe,
20 make it beautiful.
Thank God for England" said Col
Stukely, as he looked at the village green.
While he was looking back at il the fly
drove in at the gates of Daruel park, and a
large matrOn was cOurtsying and smiling
at him at the gate of her tiny lodge gar
den, a garden SO crammed with flowers as
to leave no room for the sole of foot.
"How dye do, Mrs. Drabblesr said the
colonel heartily as TO an old friend AS
young as ever but not any thinner, see
Mrs. Drabl lie laughed and shook her
head. She ad been a slim slip Of a girl
once upon a time, but it was SO long ago
that she had forgotten the sensation.
DarneI park was one of those places
which leave within the mind an impress
sion of perfect beauty, especially when
seen for the first time in the summer sun
set Fine old oaks and beeches dotted the
broad sweeps of grass. plantations of larch
and Douglas fir sheltered the park from
the outer world; while on one side of the
house there was wide eXpanse Of broken
ground. region Of deep hoilows and
cragCy banks, mighty Jhiekets of rhodod-
endron and azalia, which Col. Stukely
called the jungle.
lie was an expected guest at Darnel, but
that nv which he was supposed to travel;
hence the hired fly; and hence also the
fact that on alighting at the hall door he
was told alphabetically by Purden, the old
butler, that Sir Allan and Lady Darnel
had not yet returned from their drive.
There was a flower show at Walton.
colonel, and Sir George and my lady were
obliged 10 he present. Your rooms are
ready. colonel Shall show you to them
at once. or would you like to see Miss Oar
nei firsts She is in the morning room, eX-
pectinC you
Miss Darnel," cried the colonel eagerly,
SMiss Grace, you meany'
mo, sir, Miss Darnel; Sir Allan's sister,
colonel. / believe from a strict point Of
view added the butler, gravely, deliber-
aiely, ALPHABETICALLY, "our own young lady
is Miss Darnel, but Sir Allan's sister
would never give in to it. should reyer
have the pluck to allude TO her As Miss
Dora"
Purdcn WAS an old military servant Of
Sir Allan's. He had known the colonel
when Smkely and Darnel were brother
officers, and felt himself privileged to
chatter.
~oh. said the colonel, '-Sir Allan's sister
is in the morning room" as if the re
mainder of that lady's existence came
upon him like a shock ~leS, | will 20
aud see Miss Darnel before / go To my
room. My man will bring my portman-
teau on presently, | was in too great
hurry to wait for him"
He followed Purden along the corridor
and into one Of those gracious. home-like
interiors which are the slow Crowths Of
generations, paneled walls mellowed by
time; old sheraton furniture; old Indian
china; flowers in profusiOn; and on
scarlet Japanese table by the window an
old fashioned mahogany tea-tray, with
brass handles, a George III teapot, and
cups and saucers fresh from the royal fac
tory at Worcester. Beside the tea-tahle,
with her face toward the door, smiling,
expectant, sat a lady whose aspect was
certainly not calculated to repel or to
alarm any man.
She was a little woman, fragile, grace
fully fashioned, with a small face, deli
cately tinted, light brown hair and dark
brown eyes-fine eyes, penetrating, inst
little imperious, the distinguishing feature
IN a farce which might otherwise have been
insignificant She was daintily dressed in
a pale gray gown of some soft gauZy ma
terial. the low tints Of which harmnnized
exquisitely with her delicate complexion.
Col. Stukely knew that she was eight-and
thirty; but a stranger would as easily have
believed that she was only eight-and-
twenty Happy result of having taken the
utmost care Of ones self under all the va,
ried circumstances and agitations Of life.
She welcomed the traveller with a gentle
coryiiality, little touch of suppressed
emotion, which ought to have been de-
ightful To any man. But the colonel was
not enthusiastic. He had thanked God
for the English landscape just now; but
he hal not the air of thanking God for
Dora Darnel. He seated himself IN the
low reposeful chair she suggested to him,
he took the offered cup of tea from her
hand, but he was not demOnStratiyeO of de
light in their meeting.
Il dare say you are rather surprised 70
find me here, en- permanence,4 she said,
after Allan's marriage"
The colonel looked embarrassed for a
moment or so; and then his natural gal
lantrT came to his aid.
Il am surprised to find yon still Miss
Darnel. Our unworthy sex has been sin
gularIy blind to its own best interests"
Your Sex has not been negleCJful Of my
claims. colonel" answered the lady, laugh
ing. II have had opportunities of chang
ing the name Of Darnel-which ! honor
for other names for which | do not care a
straw No am too cOntented with my
fate rs Dora Darnel ever TO wish to
change the name for another"
Il am SO glad" the colonel blurted out
unawares, for he had been troubled seven
years with a lurking suspicion that Miss
Darnel meant to marry him. Il am 50
really glad you appreciate Allan's fine
character, and that you are happy under
his roof. II assures me upon one rather
delicate point. namely, that you and the