Passaic City record., 1891-10-03
will of her own and declined consulting

4 us at all on this occasion.
The Captain was ut luncheon to-day,
looking very brave and fine and paying
such degree of gallant attention to my
wants as made me feel quite like grand
mother. Ned arrived just after luncheon,
and Lucia, who was standing In the
hall doorway as the stage-coach drove
up, came back in the parlor where we
were, with bunch of glorious red roses
in her hands and with cheeks to match.
The two men met, and though no swords
were drawn, out of Difference to our
chandeliers doubtless, there was war to
the knife in the Captains eye, and the
peculiar tone of Ned's voice when he
asked that officer if his black horse was
accustomed to lady's saddle, made me
smile in spite of myself.
"Darkness has been trained by the
best man in the country, sir, replied the
Captain, with decidedly lofty air,
''though for that matter" with a fine
bow to Lucia, ''Miss Bradstreet is quite
equal to managing the most unruly OF
animals.
At dusk the Squire's long wagon rolled
up to the gate, the two great bays driven
by Little Musgrave, the Squire himself
being down to the spring to receive US.
We were last to be picked up, the rest
having been collected on the way.
Ellen Bartlett was up on the high drivers
seat, Lily and the widow either side of
Frank Barron and the rest piled in any
way. Tom gave one glance at Ellen and
sat down beside Lily, as nearest the rose,
probably, and Ned came next to me.
Then off we bowled at such a pace as
might have quickened the pulses of a
timid soul, but was acquainted with the
horses as we'll as the driver, SO it was
simply delightful and exhilarating.
ssWho is this astonishing Captain,
anyway" asked Ned, when the Others
were busy chattering around us.
"Oh, he is an acquaintance OF Aunt
Susanna's, whom Lucia met this winter;
he is spending his leave of absence here
this year"
"Hml These army men are lucky
fellows with their vacations! I wish
some of the rest of us had their chances"
and Ned leaned forward with his hands
on his knees and gazed grimly down in
to the floor of the wagon. But he came
back with jerk when the jingle of the
horses bits came again close to our ears
for a moment, and I wanted to laugh,
but didn't dare to.
After two or three miles of straight
road we came to stop before gateway
in the fence and then, turning abruptly,
plunged down little steep place into
deep woods. Here the road was narrow
and rather rough, and the wagon gave
various lurches, calling forth slight
shrieks from Lily Bartlett and causing
the widow to put her hand on Frank
Barron's arm and to ask, in low tones, if
he was sssure Mr.. Barron could manage
those great horses2"
"Little Musgrave2 Why, he is the
crack whip of US all, Mrs. Laramie; he
can manage any horse there is going"
"But he seems so slight" with a
glance up at Franks own broad shoul-
ders.
"Oh, he's little fellow, but he has
plenty of muscle and pluck, too. But
you needn't worry, there isn't any
danger, anyway"
Presently we saw light cleaning
among the tree trunks before us and the
horses coming to standstill, Little Mus
grave gave the word for dismounting.
The light proved to be lantern hung
up for our benefit, and by its light we
picked our way slowly along, Indian
file, in the little path leading to the
brook. A few steps led us to the edge
of the bank, quite steep and high just
here, and another lantern swinging from
the bough of tree showed us the Squire's
huge figure standing at the foot of the
path waiting to give US each helping
hand as we clambered down to the step
ping stones, for we were to cross here to
the opposite side of the brook. Beyond,
on one of the stones, midway the stream,
now stood Little Musgrave, Johnnie, as
his father always called him, his baptis-
NAL name being John. How he ever
came to be Little Musgrave is more than
l know, except on account of his size.
The father and son were to see us safely
across the brook. These two always
worked together and a strange contrast
they made, the Squire with his tall mas
sive figune and handsome face, and Little
Musgrave, short and muscular, but with
out trace of beauty, unless it were in
the pleasant gray eyes, which always
seemed to be looking out for everybody's
wants. John was third of the five Bar
ron boys and he had been in his junior
year at Harvard, when the Squlre's health
gave out and he had come home to see
to things on the place. That was five
years ago and John had managed the
farm ever since, and been chief of the
Barron establishment. Think there was
not detail of the old place that Little
Musgrave did not know better than even
the Squire himself. But now they stood
ready for us to cross. Lucia was the
first of the girls to start, and as she came
down the bank, aided by the Captain,
the Squire caught her hand and landed
her safely on the rock beside him.
"All right, Captain now just look out
for Mrs. Laramie, will you9" a.d the
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