The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-03-08
"And now?"
"Now? What do you mcan'"

|
supposc?" said George. soberly plod-
ding on.
..Oh. sce.''-and Owen laughed.
"Has her ladyship been giving you a
hint. thenp"
Lady Elizabeth? Well. she did
drop wor.l or two. But, 10 tell the
truth. had fancied 1t before that.
Isn't IL 30. then?'
"SoP Bless ybu. not bit OF IL.
Mind you. hal, believe her ladyship
thinks IL is. and would like IL well
enough"
so she led me TO understand"
"Oh, and Mil y aud me. too, for
that matter" said Owen lightly.
And, between ourselves. old man,
dare say it might have come off SOON
or or later; for jollier, prettier,
nicer girl than Milly don't know, or
one fellow could get on with more
comfortably. But, you see, she put a
stopper on it,
Meaning Miss Hcath?n
Meaning nobody else. You see, IL
was in this way. 1t wasn't until
about eighteen months since--while
you and | were up in Scotland after
the salmon that time, you recollect?
that Milly's father died and left her
without "A farthing, and Lady Eliza
beth adopted her; pretty much as,
after her husbands my uncle's--
death, she adopted me, fifteen years
ago.
You've tod me that, | think, OBJ
served George.
"Of course | have! Well, | sup
pose the Old lady took IL into her head
that, as I'm TO be her heir. and Milly
Is about the only other relative she
has, IL would be good thing II we
were 10 make a match OF it--don't you
see?n
land Miss Heath didn't think sop
"Quite the reverse! Her ladyshlp
threw us together and so on; and
Milly was very Jolly and nice. and Il
Owen colorcd lttle--"well,
might have been getting trifle senti-
mental, you know"
Every likely sad George drily.
"Rathcr Told me, with all the
coolnoss imaginable in life. that she
liked me very much, but wouldn't mar
ry me for twenty Lady Elizabeths;
and added that, If were us
sensible as she thought l was,
we would just shake hands and agree
TO be very good friends, and neither
feel under the slightest obligation TO
talk nonsense TO the othcrn
"And you did ?"
''And We did OF course I And emp
l. al friends we have been ever since.
as | said. Somehow / never admired
her half 50 much ms | did when she
said that, George. There arcn Jmany
girls who'd have the courage to put
things on that footing, you know
But. in her way, Millys unique"
Alleyn said nothing, hut ploddcd on
soberly through he white dust, not
Offering any opinion rs TO Miss Hcath's
uniquenoss. There might have been
"a brighter look In his eyes, n general
air OF relief about him; but Owen did
not appear TO be much the wiser.
Perhaps he was indifferent, or perhaps
understood the state OF the case so
well that he had no need TO glance ut
his friends face for enlightenment.
He shifted his burden to the other
shoulder. and, beyond few groans at
the heat and IA fcryently-expressed
wish that they had had the sense 10
stay at home, and did not speak for
ten minutes, when they reached the
end of the lane and halted in some
perplexity; for before them two roads.
looking exactly alike, stretched away
In the hot sunshine.
(Which is our way, George ?" Owen
asked.
Don't you know ?''
George looked SO blank that IL was
plain he did not
mo. that | don't ~ Owen stared
from one road 10 the other. 81 was
never this way before to-day Did
we come around by that plantation
affair, or by the water Pr
II seem 10 remember the planta-
ton" said George.
III don't; believe IL was the water.
Isn't that house there between the
trecsP II isn't far down, and we
could set ourselves right there, and
get something To drink perhaps Come !
on-lm dry as lime-kiln ~
IL don't think we passed the house,
said Allcyn stolidly.
But Owen took no notice. he was al
ready striding down the left-hand OF |
the two roads--a pretty tree-shaded |
rustic lane. with broad margin OF |
sunburnt, turf, and having at the
point whore il abruptly curved good
sized sheet OF shallow water, looking |
deliciously cool and inviting. George |