Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-12-20
"CHRIS.'



during those golden days which mark the
earlier stages Of the passion. When the queB-
lions OF marriage, Of settlements and Of CONF
munieating to ones friends the fact that one
il NO longer q free agent obtrude themselves
the alloy becomes as apparent as the true
metal but who thinks Of troubling his head
with such prosaic possibilities while he has as
yet hardly ventured to dream that his love
may some time be returnedP
80 Gerald Severne had his golden days like
other people, and made the most Of them.
He rode with Chris; he sailed with her in the
little half-decked cutter which his mother
owned, but never used he played lawn-ten.
mis- with her against all corners, and was uni-
formly victorious. Afterward he thought that
he had never enjoyed life one-hundredth part
as much as he did during these days, although
at the time they had their drawbacks. Chris
was friendly with him but he could not fat
ter himself that she was anything more, and
he made acquaintance with the pangs Of jeal-
ousy for there were young men as well as
old ones among Lady Barnstaple's guests,
and the young men seemed to appreciate
Miss Compton's charms.
One afternoon prawning- party, consisting
Of Chris, Gerald, Lady Grace, and a certain
Lord Forfnr, who was youthful, wealthy, and
the heir-apparent to O marquisate, was Or
ganized with the approval Of Lady Barnsta-
pie, who thought that her daughter could not
60 prawning in better company, anu was Curl
ously blind to dangers incurred by her son.
Prawning Is not bad fun for those who have
taken the precaution to put on wading-boots,
but 1t Is form OF sport in which ladies can
hardly participate with comfort; and perhaps
that was why Lord Forfar and Mr.. Severne
did not secure a very heavy bag. For forms
sake they padded about awhile among the
pools and rocks; but before very long they
agreed that It was too hot for that sort Of
thing, and returned to the ladies, whom they
had left under the shadow of the cliffs. Then,
as was to be expected, they split into pairs,
and Chris, accompanied by Mr.. Severne, wan
dered along the shore to q promontory whence
the coast for miles to the northward and
southwark was visible, and Lundy Island
could be deserted upon the misty horizon.
There they seated themselves upon broad,
nat rock, while Peter barked furiously at the
breakers; and there they would have con-
tentedly remained for any length Of time il
they had not been startled by the sudden
skimmfng past them Of a stone, which had
evidently been thrown from the cliff above.
"Confound that fellowr exclaimed Gerald,
jumping up; che might have cut your head
open. Hill there-stop shying stones, will
you, unless you would like me to come up
and teach you a lesson in manners r
eli, yourself !" responded powerful voice
from above. "Do you know you're trespass-
ingp"
IT do believe it's that brute Ellacombe
again." muttered Gerald. Hang him he's
always turning up" Then he shouted: Don't
you be too sure OF that. may be wrong; but
my impression is that this rock is the prop
erty Of the Crown"
Mr.. Ellacombe-for he it undoubtedly was,
and his magnificent proportions were clearly
defined against the sky-responded by an un-
Ineligible below; Immediately after which
he was seen descending the face of the cliff
tntk Axy nfSv
small Rvalanches OF pebbles on his way. As
soon as he was within speaking distance of
Chris he began q breathless apology.
"Im awfully sorry, Miss Compton-I can't
tell you how sorry am J. The truth is, I took
you for couple Of those beastly tourists who
come here to picnic. and leave their scrap, Of
greasy paper and chicken-bones and things
all over the place, don't you knowp"
II suppose that must be what we look like"
observed Chris. meekly. "One isn't fiattered
but one is glad to know the truth"
Are you in the habit OF stoning stray tour
istsr Gerald inquired. eff you are, and you
often hit them, should think you would find
it rather an expensive amusement"
"Oh, knew shouldn't hit you" Ellacombe
answered. II didn't intend to do that; I on y
wanted to attract your attention. And as for
your looking like tourists, Miss Compton,
assure you you didn't look like anything
from up there. All I saw was q couple Of
strangers, and Of course, never thought of
its being you, alone with-with my friend
Severne."
The last words were spoken so savagely
that Chris began to laugh; wherenpon Gerald
laughed also, and finally Ellacombe himself
Joined in dubious sort of way in their mer-
riment.
"Well," resumed the latter, after q pause,
''since you are here, I hope you'll come up
and have look at my old barrack. There
isn't much to show you, but the housskeepel
will get you some tea, and you can walk home
across the fields. 1t won't take you five
minutes to get up the cliff" he added, per
suasively.
Gerald looked reluctant; but Chris thought
she would rather like to see Rutherford
Manor, and as at that time Chris enjoyed IN
absolute despotic power over both men, 1t
was not long before they were both mount
ing the path by which Mr.. Ellaoombe had
effected his rapid descent. From the summit
Of the cliff they deserted Lord Forfar and
Lady Grace, to whom they made signals to
join them; and SO, after a walk of about a
quarter Of an hour, the whole party entered
that bare and desolate drawing-room were
Mr.. Ellacombe's mother had been won't to
receive the neighboring nobility and gentry
in days gone by.
been unduly modest in stating that he had
little to show his friends therein. 1t was q
largo and rather somber ediflce, built of gray
stone, and surrounded by a neglected gar.
den. The exterior was more or less imposing
by reason Of its size; but the reception-roomS
had not even that merit To be sure, there
were a good many Of them, but they werS
comparatively small, they had low ceilings,
they were hhabbily furnished, and had .
dreary, uninhRbited look.
II live In my own den; never put my
nose in here from years end to years end, !"
Ellacombs explained, apologetically, as he
conducted Chris through the ground-fiooT
suite and pointed out to her few pictures
which he said were considered good by the
fellows who know about those things"
"I don't wonder at it," returned Chris,
frankly. 81 wouldn't live all by myself in Q
huge place like this for any money"
"Well," said Ellacombo. "I don't know that
particularly enjoy living alone; but I dare
say it's q little better than marrying some
woman who doesn't know a horse from q
cow, or spaniel from a bulldog"
Chris agreed that perhaps it was; where
| upon her interlocutor heaved q prcdigious
sigh and remarked: at would be different il
| all woman NfaPa lfkA vOfI Mics HoYn nfon