The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-05-23
Ellie bowed stifly. Mr.. Ha,

/ bpWVN A'sH ss"JNN WIZ
equal to the occasion. ~ think we met
this morning." he said, holding out HIS
hand affably; but the twinkle in his eye
was an insult TO Ellies feelings,
~ am afraid behaved very badly this
morning, hut was so charmed by your
defense of my interests that hadn't the
heart to undeceive you, he went ON peui-
tently, beside, | really am stranger
here, and my own woods are mystery to
me, The Court has been let till within
the last year or two, and have spent SO
much of my life abroad that Woodleigh
has never been my home till now"
al am afraid behaved very badly; I
am sure must have been very rude, she
said alphabetically, "And there is moth
ing so irritating as to detect oneself in
such silly blunder," and she looked up
laughing, though she could not restrain
a faint blush at the memory of her un.
lucky speech.
at was all my fault" he said, eager
ly, He was really quite handsome when
those dark eyes lit up, at was quite
too foolish of me! hope you will con-
tinue to wander and steal in the woods,
to show that you bear no malice; and
may come and help Bob with his fern
erys"
"Oh, certainly, if it won't bore you to
death. am sure my mother will be very
happy to see you," said Ellie, smiling.
"Who is Miss Fairfax It is quite
new name to me-" he asked of the vicar
ess, when Ellie had taken her departure.
"Mrs. Fairfax is an officers widow
who has taken the Lawn. Ellie is n
nice girl, but her brothers are rather
overpowering. l advise you beware
of them," said willy old Mrs. Morrison.
OF course, he did not take her advice;
quite the contrary. He called at the
Lawn next day, and toiled the greater
part of the afternoon over rocks and fern
roots, to the great delight of the boys.
After that he became indispensable to
their amusement. He played cricket with
them, fished and boated with them, and
joined all their expeditions.
Ellie was deeply grateful to him, for
the boys were always safe with him, and
they were at times rather care to her.
Bob, in particular, had arrived at that
age when boys think that nothing that a
woman says can possibly be right if it
differs from their own opinion, and it
WAS great comfort to her to find her
own ideas upheld by Bernard Hayes's au-
thority and influence.
One fine morning it occurred to Ber-
nard that it would be an excellent thing
if he were to give a large garden party,
as return for the hospitality lavished on
him by the neighborhood. OF course the
plan must be discussed at the Vicarage,
and so he took his hat and went off to
see what would be said to it.
Halfway down the quaint village
street he met Ellie strolling along in a
slow, quiet way, very unlike her usual
brisk pace. She was not alone. By her
side loitered young man with a fair
bushy beard, whose air and gait spoke
Enthusiastically the sailor. She had de-
iected look; and Demands practised
glance noticed at once that she was
dressed in careless, negligent way, as
though her appearance was beneath con-
sideration.
She looked across the road, and smiled
and nodded at him, and half hesitated,
as though expecting him to come over
and join her But for once Bernard was
blind to the unspoken invitation. Her
smile struck him as forced, and there was
sudden look of curiosity on her COM
panion's face that annoyed him. He
merely bowed and hurried on to the
Vicarage.
Mrs. Morrison was tying up carnations
in the garden and he joined her there.
"Have you seen Miss Fairfax this
morning2" he asked, after casual good
morning and remark or two about the
flowers.
"Yes, saw her go by just now"
"Who is that with herr"
Mrs. Morrison was silent for a moment;
then she said quietly: 1.-THE man she is
engaged to-"
GLOW do you know she is engaged?"
cried Bernard, fiercely.
"Strangely enough. | heard it in the
train yesterday. 1t seems to be secret,
but wish I had known it before"
Mrs. Morrison went on tying up her
flowers.
81 couldn't have believed it of her,"
she said at last.
81 don't believe it. There is some
mistake"
~ am afraid not There were two
ladies in my carriage yesterday, who saw
him get out here. One said: why,
there is George Langleyp and the other
wered: "Oh! that is Ellie Fairfax's
ace How very odd! When is that
/ coming Off and then was obliged to
get out myself, so heard no more. But
am afraid it must be true"
There was no reply; she looked up
anxiously after moments pause, and
the haggard face and gloomy eyes that
met her gaze went to her heart.
my dear boy!" she said, .her affection
ate tone full of sympathy.
~ wouldn't mind so much}' said Ber
nard, hoarsely-he could not dissemble
with such dear old friend-e'if she did
not look so miserablep'
Yes, that was where the ,sting lay. If
she had seemed happy he. could have
blamed himself for his own folly in ever
hoping to win her, and, moreover, he
would have congratulated her boldly to
make sure of the trnth. But she looked
so wretched whenever he met her with
her new companion, though she made
evident efforts to conceal her feelings,
that he could not tr,lst- himself to ap-
proach the subject.
If Mrs. Morrison were right it must be
foolish youthful engagement now re-
pented of, and if she weretto own as much
to him he did not know whatshe might be
tempted to say or suggest. His only
safety lay in avoiding her, while he yet
cherished a faint hope that there might be
some mistake So for three whole days
he absented himself from the Lawns
marked proceeding on his part, indeed
Sunday was wet and stormy. In the
evening the wind and rain were so un-
usual for the time of the year that he had
half mind to stay at home. But Ellie