The Democratic advocate., 1893-04-08
gelett Storp.
THE GENTLEMAN OPPOSITE.
Z. Chiffon in Longman's Magazine.
CHAPTER l.

The road was dusty, but the bank was
green. Robin lay back, his fair curls
streaming over the grass, one hand iuIi OF
cuckoo flowers and red campion, the other
plucking at the tall blades which sprang
around-his bright gaze resting upon a
spray of wild roses above his head, while
he balanced his chances of reaching or not
reaching the same, should he summon
energy to Chamber so far as the hedge.
Suddenly he was startled by melodlous
laughter. A lady stood in the road, bend
ing towards him across the narrow ditch:
Little Lad Little Lad" she cried
joyously; and laughed again. Robin stared
in solemn silence.
Was she old or young? Her hair under
her brown shady hat, which was tied with
ribbons, had CLEANS of faded yellow; her
cheeks were minutely wrinkled here and
there, but pink and very soft; her eyes
were blue. shining like big blue stars,
Robin thought. He had never before seen
any face so wild and strange. But he was
not afraid. She looked at him, smiling
and nodding, as if they had been friends
long ago.
@Just as always said = she exclaimed,
her voice musical like her laugh. ''There
is no such thing-no such thing as death
WHY. YOU seem none the worse, Little
Lad: YOU re not even wet y She stretched
forward and felt Robins Holland blouse.
"But where did you go when We lost sight
of you under the water, my Little Lad 2
And now Robin did feel fear. Those
bright eyes were so very bright. He
scrambled to his feet.
A wall, long and high, skirted the other
side of the road As Robin rose the lady
attention was DISTRACTED A white pigeon
few from over this wall to the roof of a
little red-brick house which faced it, and
perched upon the states.
'Do you see that ?" whispered the lady,
pointing. II can guess what it is-a Bird
of Paradise. There's blessing on that
house.
1sIts my house" said Robin, retreating
up the bank.
"And who lives there?' asked the lady,
waving Ler hand towards the wall.
"Thc Gentleman Opposite lives there, :
returned Robin succinctly. ''The milkman
told Clara his name; but she forgets.'
The lady went on few PAGES, regarded
the wall intently, and turned back.
"You can't trust milkmen, she conf
dentially remarked; "thcy water the milk.
But I've proved yon of old, Little lad.
Come half step nearer"
She looked, despite her wildness, so kind
and sweet, that Robins fears subsided.
He descended to his former post.
':The milkman knows nothing about it, :
said the lady, whispering again. "a ghost
lives there. You don't forget But
perhaps the water affected your memory.
Never mind. The person behind that wall
is a ghost. He came out ofthe great gates
-last-was it last Tuesday?
That accounts for the bird, she added sud
denly aloud. at followed him, no doubt. =
At this moment, in distant angle of
the road, appeared two female igures-one
tall, one short and sturdy-running, as if
alarmed. The lady glanced towards them,
and laughed as at first, observing in casual
undertone:
'tPoor, kind creatures They can't bear
me out of their sight. Don't excite your
selves, pray she cried, with unexpected
shrillness; you'll both have fits, running in
this heat. Goodbye, my Little lad"
She blew kiss over her shoulder TO
Robin, and tripped, youthfully agile, to
join the strangers.
The child watched until tie trio had
vanished along the winding road-the lady
between her companions, giving each, ap-
parently, an arm.
CHAPTER II.
Robin knew that the gray wall guarded
a beautiful old house, a striking contrast to
his fathers brick cottage From an upper
window of that cottage he had seen its
richly carved gables, its long oaken porch,
also carved, and shaded BY Towering trees;
moreoyer,in the distance, among its grounds,
an avenue of heavy black cedars, and
sometimes, under those cedars, a tall figure
walking to and fro-advancing, as from far
gloom, and thither retreating, shortly, in
| ike manner, to reappear.
''Its the Gentleman" Clara, the maid
of-all-work, had asserted. "He's scarce
ever found outside them gates; for all that
the land, so far's we sees, belongs to him,
except the bit this ouse stands on, as were
bound by lease This 'ouse were built
to spite him, the milkman says
"Mammy, how can our house spite the
Gentleman Opposite2' inquired Robin,
after private meditation.
But Robins mother was i'll and heavy
laden, and she made him no answer; only
turning on her pillow with closed eyes, that
he might not see her tears.
Now, after his interview with the lady,