The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-26
CHAPTER LII.

CHAPTER III.
1t was 1880 in the morning and Marion
stood alone in her room. She was fastening
her frock with very shaking fingers, her
small face was pale and her blue eyes were
very round and very wide with fear.
To her infinite relief Mr. Langdon had not
taken tea at home the night before. After
his sisters had set out he had taken his hat
and gone out, leaving word with Ellen that
he should spend the evening at the Vicar
age, and he had not returned thence until
long after Marion was in bed and asleep.
1t had seemed to Der last night that she
could not be thankful enough for this cir
cumstance. 1t seemed to her this morning
that she could not regret il enough. 1t
would have been over; the worst part of
the terrible ordeal before her-the first
time-would have been accomplished il she
had been enabled by circumstances to I'M
dergo it last night. All night long, at in
teTvalS, the girl had walked, always with
the sense Of something difficult and oppres-
sIye to be met in the morning; and even
when she slept, the same consciousness had
eOlOred her dreams. To pour out Mr..
IangdOn's tea-to be left quite alone with
Mr.. LangdOn! The position seemed to poor
Marion too terrible TO put into words, al
most. She should do something foolish and
th0ughtess; she should do exactly what
she ought not, and she should leave undnne
all she ought to do; she knew she should.
She should, oh. she knew she should annoy
Mr.. Langdon." she said TO herself. with
shiver of dread.
The horrors of the situation accumulated
so fast that by the time she had reached
the last fastening of her frock not only her
hands but her whole slight frame was
trembling with apprehension. She put on
her long-worked apron very slowly and,
giving a last look in the little oval glass,
which was all Miss Jane considered neces-
a q frIF foil lf CHI a
toward the door. For one terrible instant
she felt as II shs could not open it-couId
not leave her room te face what was before
her. There was no escape, however, il
must be faced; and with a strong effort at
resolution, she turned the handle aud went
downstairs into the breakfast parOr. 1t
was empty. The urn was kissing and the
breakfast was ready. but the master OF the
house had not yet appeared. The room
looked particularly cheering in the sunny
spring morning; everything was bright.
shining and pleasant to the eyes;
was the girlish fgure who stood, ditfidently
and shyly. waiting behind the great urn.
Marion had grown taller since her arrival
at Laurel Cottage, her frOckS had lately
been some what heightened and though her
hair was done in a severe mode, which
Miss Jane considered suitable to her years.
no severity could rob * OF its own beauty.
Precisely as the clock struck Mr.. Lang
don entered the room. he looked around
a6sently, as If vaguely missing Miss Jane
and then, all at once, his eyes seemed to fall
on the little figure behind the urn. He
started sllg hty as they did so. Good
morning Marion" he said, in a tone which
contained distinct element Of surprise.
Good M rning." she responded, very tim
idly, and othen, as he prepared TO sit down
at his own end. she slipped into Miss James
great chair at the same moment
There was q little silence while Marion
dipped the rims of the two cups in water
and warmed them, and Mr.. Langdon I'M
covered the breaktast-dish before him.
will you have some Of ths?' he began,
half hesitatingy.
But Marion did not hear his query. She
was looking round the urn at him, with
face appealing and attractive in its anxiety.
IF you please, sir, she said. 'J-it is very
wrong or me, but L have quite forgotten"
She paused her voice was getting unsteady
with her distress.
Forgotten what?" he said, curlously.
Miss James directions, sir. / have for
gotten all she told me about your tea.
Please, sir, do you take two lumps-of sugar
or three? l have put three. | am very
sorry indeed to give you this annoyance"
1T Is not matter of annoyance, my
dear" he said. Don't let il trouble YOU in
the least l take two Jumps. But il is of
no consequence. | am sure the tea you
give me will be very good" he added. with
a reRssurlRg tone and a smiIe-a very pleas
ant smile.
Marion could scarcely believe her ewes.
Mr. Langdon had not only shown no signs
OF annoyance at her dreadful mistake, bnt
had smiled at her-actually smiled. He
never smiled; he must have done it now on
purpose to make her less frightened at her
stupidity. And a quick glow of gratitude
ran through Marion's heart
y on Will let me give you some break
fast" he added, rising to take the cup she
had poured out. Marion was prepared to
rise herself aud hand it him, but he was too
quick for her. Certainly not" he said, as
it," M WIN 0On' iOi
He took 1t from her hand, and he was
near enough to observe the bright color
which agitation had brought to her cheeks.
Marion had rarely any color. and this
bright, unusual flush made her always
attractive little face suddenly very pretty.
lie helped her TO some fish, carrying II
himself TO her-to her great embarrassment.
She thanked him with a face which was
more rosy still with confusion. Then there
was silence, only broken by the sound of
Miss Lucia's canary hopping backw ana
forward in his cage in the window. Mar
ions thoughts we're very busy in the silence.
She hoped and trusted that she was not an
moving Dir. LangdOn, but il was impossible
to know, she said to herself, in great agita-
ton. he was so kind, he would never let her
know, however much he was tried by her.
Mr.. Langdon's thoughts were busy, too,
IN the silence. but they were very different.
Marion" he said. ten minutes later.
Marion started violently; now, she thought.
he was going TO tell her TO 60 away-to ask
her, perhaps, why she was so long over her
breakfast, or to tell her that his tea was,
after all, quite undrinkGble.
Are you in the habit Of taking the air?'
be continued in rather unusual tone.
But Marion did not notice It's unusualness
Her heart gave great bound OF relief, and
then another strong throb of gratitude. Mr.
Langdon was indeed kind, she thought, to
take such interest in overwhelmingly
kind.
81 am going to take the air in the garden,
sir, she said. Miss Jane desires me not
to walk beyond ii, by myself, during her
absence. Thank you, sir, she added, feel
ing too shy to put her thanks for his kind
ness into definite words, and yet desiring to
express IT somehow. There was another
silence; Mr.. Langdon drew the bread toward
him and cut some slices in somewhat en-
barrassed manner and apparently to no
particular end. He had toast himself and
Maron's plate was supplied with the same.
DO you-bave you ever taken horse ex-
erclse-can you rlde?" be said, cutting a
slice into minute morsels as he spoke.
Marion looked up from her plate, her
cheeks, her very forehead crimson with ex-
element; her blue eyes afame with eager
ness.
ride" she exclaimed. 81 haven't rid
den f0r-I love riding" she said, breaking
off an apparent effort to be collected and co.
herent Il can Tide-at least can keep on
any horse; father said so. There was
Brown Bess, and there was Colleen, and
there was Diamond rode them ALL she
ended, her excitement again overcoming her
desire of self-possession. 1t was as il a re-
membrance too exciting and vivid for ex-
preston had brought the real Marion to
light for the moment and turn aside the veil
Of shrouding ioyness and diffidence.
Then all at once she seemed to come
back from that eager life and to remember
where she was and all her present surround
ings. She colored again violently; but it
was the color Of embarrassment now, not of
excitement.
II am very sorry. sir" she said. 81 trust
l have not annoyed you. / forgot myself"
Annoyed meP he said. Indeed you