The Dickinson press., 1893-12-09
CHAPTER III.

soAAS tiAhs, NoNlN AlippNAs a. oAas A-OAN
Langholme was handsome and not lit
other; at least. l don't suppose he would
fall in love with simple little country
girl like me after he's been used to
that there's an older or better family
than the Huntingdons anywhere" con-
tradicted the little maiden's family
pride. Il shouldn't mind being very
miserable Id rather die of Il broken
heart than go on living in this utter
stagnation. But if he were only hand
some and fell in love with me u may
as well imagine it all perfect, as it
will never happeIN. how delicious it
would be! We should meet and meet,
and at last papa would find it out, and
he furious. and we should be forbidden
to see each other any more. Then he
would take me in his arms. and kiss
me once like Launcelot kissed the queen
the last time. and when he was gone
would grow paler and palcr, and ut last
should die, and have white lilies laid
upon my breast and in my hand, like
Tcnnyson's Elaine Then papa would
relent, and send for Lord Lansholme,
and he would come and hang over me
broken-hearted; and then. when it was
too late. the old family quarrel would
be made up. and they would plant
flowers together on my grave"
And the foolish little maiden, touched
by her own pitiful story, let the big
tears gather in her sweet brown eyes,
and brim over in great diamond drops
from their long lashcs. Presently, be-
coming more cheerful. She raised her
eyes, and they lighted kindling up q
great mass of hcavcn-blue forget-me-
nots on the opposite bank.
"Oh, if | could only get Them" she
cried, stopping short in a suitable cpl
taph she had been composing on her
untimely end; but the attainment of her
desire seemed hardly compassable.
since the stream ran between her and
the coveted treasure. rruc it was
very shallow, for there had been no
rain for weeks; but ii WAS quite be-
yond Il jump even for such agile feet
as Miss Nclly's. II must have 1hem,"
she said to herself. IL never saw such
beauties. oh, if they We're only this
sidc.."
The difficult is not the impossible;
and so the young lady whose thoughts
had just been centcrcd on earthly death
and white lilies began to reflect on the
ways and means of obtaining the tempt
ing cluster of :orgct-mc-nots ON the
sloping bank.
"Tllere's no one about" she said, look
ing round mystcriollsly. why should
not IL
OF course she could not see that just
behind Il clump of alders on the oppo-
site side a very handsome young man
was stretched at full length. watching
her with keen admiration through the
branches. Slowly she drew off one
of the Cinderella like slippers and the
dainty silllcn stocking. thereby exposing
to the Watchers enchanted view the
lovelicSt little rose-pink arched foot;
and the conquest was complete. OF
course lie ought to have rushed away
like Damon, leaving n little note on
the bank to say he was gone to keep
all other intrudcrs from the sacred
spot; but perhaps he had not read
Thomson's lines, and the idea did not
occur to him, or perhaps he feared
to scare the pretty apparition away
forever, or perhaps he thought it was
no harm; and I'm sure very few men
would have acted differently under the
circumstances. SO he held his breath
while two little slippers came off, and
the dainty little feet We're plunged
half shrnkiEgly on the pcbbly ground
of the little stream. Three STEPS, and
then eager hands stretched toward the
coveted flowers and uprooted them from
their nesting security. But, alas. Just
as Nelly turned there was treacher-
GUS hole in the sandy bottom, and one
little foot slipped into it, and got q
wrench that made her Cry out sharply
and fall back against the bank. In a
second the young man had started from
his hiding place and was beside her.
Poor Nelly would fain have the hole
big and deep enough to swallow her
up altogether; the pain of her foot
was as nothing compared to the anguish
of having been seen trespassng, with
naked feet, too, upon Lord Langholme's
property.
Are you hurt?" he cried, eagerly,
without more ado putting one protect.
ing arm round the terrified little form
and standing hecdlcssly ankle-deep in
the water.
You won't tell Lord Langholme?
she uttered. beseechingly, looking ur
with such terror in her ewes that he
almost laughed. Visions Of this tres
pass being made the occasion of anoth
=. lawsuit through tie rancorous hatred
"f the two families fitted agonizingl,
across her innocent mind.
II won't, indeed" he answered, reas
suringly; but don't think of him: tel
me if you are hurt"
My foot! / can't move it," She said
| with 1nnI. nf =,
like a wounded deer might give.
The stranger took her up in his arms
and lifted her quite gently on the higt
bank.
Let me look" he said, pleadingly
Sely anxious now about her hurt; bu
Ae blushed vividly, and hid it ava,
under her dress. But the pain mad,
her utter a sharp little cry
II did not know any one was there
Oh! what will papa say" she mur
INJURED, turning a wistful look upo1
| him like Il distressed kitten.
well. but how fortunate that some
one was there he answered her, sooth
ingly; you never could have got home
alone"
But l shall have to 90 home alone,
she cried, looking at him with frigh.
ened eyes. Papa will find 1t out else
and he would never forgive me-"
What is this great mystery? VIII,
should you be afraid Of your fathe
and Lord Langholme knowing that 70,
took a fancy to bunch Of forgct-me
notsy'
oh! because we hate each other SO
and are always looking out for quar-
rels." answered Nelly, quite simply.
WHO is we. if may ask?''
"The Huntingdons and the Lang
holmes"
Are you quite sure the hatred /
mutual?"
"Oh, yes, quite sure" replied Nell,
confidently.
And do you hate Lord Langholm
and does he hate you!"
"Oh! don't hate him, because l nev,
in my life saw him. and 1 don't su
I, pose he would take the trouble to thi1
about me-"