The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-10-11
CHAPTER. III-(Continued.)

Sne would go down stairs ana see
what Blackwood would say to her when
he returned, and, passing through the
garden, she stopped to decorate her
hair and neck and belt with some
pieces of brilliant scarlet geranium,
coming directly, almost Immediately
afterward, upon Sir Mark Warrenne
In all her new-found bravery.
For moment the young man was
silent, and could do nothing but stare
at her, so beautiful O vision did she
appear to him just then, with her
cleaning white neck and arms, and del
icate laughing face. No matter how
old the dress might be, no matter how
ancient and out-of-date, 1t suited her;
It's very antiquity only serving to show
her Off more clearly in the mellow, soft
ening twilight, as one of the very dain-
tiest, sweetest, fairest creatures that
ever adorned this earth. His fixed gaze
brought faint blush to her soft
eli eeks; she came hurriedly forward and
held out her hand.
1T is you," she said, simply, but In
a tone Of unmistakable welcome. He
took her hand and llcld 1t fast, but
still made no answer, being fully occu-
ried in trying to account for the altera-
ton in her appearance. Presently, hav-
ing submitted to his scrutiny very
quietly for q few moments, she spoke
again, half coquettishly, half confusedly
this time.
"Have You nothing to say to meT
Yes, have plenty" Warrenne an
swered, still puzzled, but drawing him
self up as though to shake off, Or at
least loosen, the spell that was closing
round him, "but somehow tonight you
are little different. fancy-you are
changed. Oh" with relieved look
and feeling Of inspiration, "you have
a new dress on, have you not?"
mo, / haven't" Katherine exclaimed,
with a merry, ringing laugh; 1T Is as
old as the hills, and has, am afraid,
frightened you. l am going down to
the off-paddock to see the new colt"
she answered, "and you may come
with me if you like" After which gra-
cious permission OH the part of the ma
jestic little lady they sauntered along
together through the soft velvety grass.
On one side of them rose a tail, quick
set hedge, which effectually shielded
from their view a narrow, gravelled
path, that wound It's secluded way di-
rectly to the house, and from which,
about a hundred yards further on, one
had access by rustic stile in breach
i'm the hedge into the field where they
now were. When they had come TO
within about fifty PAGES of this stile,
Miss Blount stopped suddenly, and
glanced up at her companion with
half-amused smile.
What is it?" he asked.
"My SHOE" she answered, 1T has
come undone; the string is loose, and
if I go another step it will certainly
come off altogether"
"Let me fasten it for you," Sir Mark
proposed, gravely, and Miss Blount
having murmured that he was very
good" he forthwith bent down on his
knees and took her beautiful little foot
almost reverently in his hand.
1T so happened that just at this mo-
ment, as iii luck would have 1t, Black
wood Craven was returning by the
small gravelled walk from seeing after
his uncle's business, and as he stepped
on the stile, preparatory to entering the
field, with the fond hope in his heart,
poor fellow! that he should somewhere
near the garden meet his cousin, Kath-
crime, the following tableau met his
eyes.
Sir Mark Warrenle was kneeling on
the grass, his fair, handsome head bent
over Miss Blount's foot as 1t rested
on his knee, while she was steadying
herself comfortably by leaning her
hand on the STOPPING baronet's shoul-
der. The shoe took very long-in
fact, remarkably longtime to fasten.
Either Sir Mark was unused to such
tasks (as most probably he was) and
therefore was awkward in accomplish
ing it. OF else he found his occupation
the most agreeable he had ever under
taken, and wished to linger over 1t.
Who shall decide?
Certain it is, however, that two whole
minutes elapsed before 1t was consld-
cred safe for Miss Blount to place her
foot upon the ground once more, and
when at length it was pronounced
ready, Sir Mark, as though unwilling
to part with 1t without rendering 1t
homage, bent down and pressed his
lips most fervently to the dainty stock
| ing that covered the high-arched in
step.
Miss Blount first frowned at this lit
| tie act on the young mans part after
| which she smiled and murmured de-
mure little ''Thank youw and then
| Blackwood Craven, with groan that
was half a curse, dropped down from
the stile whereon he had been sitting
| quite unobserved by the other two, and
| advanced rapidly to meet them. The
passionate pride of his nature stood
| him in good stead here, blanching his
whole face, certainly, but leaving his
| smile as unembarrassed and pleasant
| as usual.
'Good evening, Warrenne," he said
careIessly, holding out his hand. i
| fancied somehow all day that you
would be down this evening. l want
to speak to you by-and-by about that
| pointer of yours, Going to see the
| Duke Katherine? / hurried back as
| quickly as l could to accompany YOU
| but now you have Sir Mark 1t doesn't
matter, and it happens very well, as
have some letters to write. BU," with
| q smile, "do not be longer than you
| can help, dear, as I want my coffee
| badly, and, besides, the dew is begin
ming to fall heavily" With which lit
tie brotherly speech, and a part
ing kindly touch upon her shoul
der, he went on his way, to all out
ward seeming perfectly composed.
Perhaps that he imposed upon Sir
Mark future events proved that he
did, more or less,) but on his cousin
he certainly did not She had known
him too long not to understand by this
time what alone could whitelblIis brave
handsome face, or cause the hand thai
rested on her arm when passing tc
burn with such a dry, throbbing heat
In a moment her whole mood chang
ed; she could no longer chatter an6
laugh with the man beside her; Black
woods face interposed and seemed to
forbid it; she felt cold and chilled and
wickedly inclined toward the world in
general She hated Sir Mark, simply
because he had offered most kindly L
tie her shoe, and she could find moth
ing else against him just then; shs
hated the innocent colt that had beer
the primary cause of all this mischief
she hated herself in that she had al
lowed Warrenne to hold her foot fol
even one moment in his hand, and t.