New-York tribune., 1895-06-16
THE LANDSCAPE PAINTER

know that vou should not talk to gentlemen VINO
have not been introduced to you. But wnen you
are sweet and twenty. ana are staying ~
country house all alone and are ratner ooreo'
and n handsome young man comes TO your rescue
IN n upod when your poor little dog has caught
,ts foot in n cruel trap. how can you possibly
rass him the very next day a. u no were
stranger? And he was so kind 10 tho oos' ns
hound up its poor nttle bleeding foot In his HAND
terchief and carried II in his arms to inc Iooge
gate. Then ne said
"Do YOU often walk in the woodF
Che was feeling too grateful to him to resent
h,s ,mpert,nence as she should have done 30
she onIv said. "sometimes," and thanked him
again with all her heart in her pretty eyes
us looked up to where. through the trees, the
b,p red house showed it's twisted old-fashioned
chimneys. and said:
my name is Lavender. You are Miss Verin-
der. supposeT
She looked at him quickly.
"1 am Miss Verinder's humble companion. NY
name Is Smith" ~
I'VE are comrades In servitude no SAID
am Lord Halibuts secretary. You walk IN the
,,oods sometimes. Then It isn't goodby. Do they
let you come out often?"
r am nv own mistress at present" she said.
"A lot of people will be coming down on the 1oth
ror the heiress's coming Of age. They give
grand entertainment to the tenants. Aoro
Hal,but is to be there What Is he likeT'
''Ohv' said the young man indinerenuy' ne
not a bad sort OF fellow. There's some talk OF
,hs,r families wishing him to marry the heiress.
The estates go very we'll together. But ne
no,,sr even seen her: he's been 80 much abroad,
you know
"r don't believe the heiress will have him..
tho girl answered sharply and turned away with
her poor little dog In her arms
Now. II is quite clear that she ought not 70
have walked In the wood-at least. not 80 soon
as the next day. or. II she walked there the next
day she ought not to have chosen the very hour
when poor Troll had met with his misfortune
But 10 the bored much nay be pardoned' aho
as for Lord Halibuts secretary, he mad riehe
one may suppose to amuse himself And that
meeting was not the last How could IL nave
been? And when you meet person every oaS
without chaperons or other tiresome people, you
soon make friends. Before the week was ou'
Mr. Lavender had heard how MISS Smi'h was
loft an orphan. and had 10 earn her living; ana
she had learned that Mr.. Lavenders part In HE
must always be that OF subordinate
rs she kind to you?" he asked one evening. as
they sat on a mossed tree trunk. ana wa'cheu
grew. 49,, o,r, so,d. "a :
least. I am sure she means to be .
shes rsvSsnsy sIefTi ora or Something
"She did But that's not criminal ana L3,u
Halibut is at least. her partner In iniquIty' re
took nrst-class IN Greats a'a'' NC VIZ
"yom have my sympathy. I abhor clever
women" , or, an
,at INT An1ust and AUGUST grew
in grace TIL the time came near Tor the coming
Of age ~ Miss Verinder: and II. during thesc
days there had been a hand pressure so shsnt
as not To be worth rcsenting. or look so heai.y
tender as To make n mans heart beat high with
hope. II ne had treasured the forset-He" s's
gathered by the woodland pond ana p.esSsu -
them In the volume OF Browning from wnich ne
had read 70 her In the woods and II she kept
certain handkerchief. stained with poor ntts
Trolls blood. in a locked sandal-wooa ooS, anu MI
took IL out and laid It against her face for al,
IFS bloodstaln, when no one else was py 49, an
that concerned only the companion ana the
secretary. and no one else In all the vide wor'o'
7, wns brigh, noontide. and they walked
through the woods. ana presently they came 20
the wishing-trce with It's TWO TRUNKS sro"'"s
III we pass through tho wishins-trec". she
said. and wish as We 60 the fairies VIII give
us the wish of our hearts -
So they went through. hand In mana. because
the way was rough. As she passed out o, u.
n bramblc caught her dress and he stopped 10
dls.ntanglc IT, but the folds OF her gown were
electric and his hands trembled. .
How tlresomc II is." she said: i believe that
brarnble Will never lot me go
can YOU blame IT, he asked. looking up AZ
her. and she turned her ,ace IA sway sS,s anrs ans
seeing you every day When did snch so"a ior-
ture ever before come TO poor secretary
''Or TO "A humble companion? No. don mean
that Bu, II has been pleasant
They walked In silence 20 the little gate that
divided the woods from the grounds Here they
moment half shyly half proudly. Come In: !
should like you to see the garden. All 'ne smar'
people are coming tomorrow, TO Keep 'he he''-
esss birthday" .o. -
needn't 20 IN sight OF the house The grounds
are big enough.
Te flushed and ssammered In wordess denial
Of the thought she had read IN MN tnat ms oe,ns
seen with the companion might compromise ner.
and together they walked under the arching
trees TO the old lawn where the sundial STANDS
This is where the tenants dance believe,
sh. said: 'and all the grand people dance with
tn. cottager folks which seem TO me rather
silly for sure each set wouiu rather uar." an,
with themselves Lord Halibut Is coming VIII
you be here"
Il shall certainly come II Lord Haibut does.
May dance with you?
She laughed Il don't think you know what
dancing on turf is IKE besiues' P'ooao'' o"'
steps don't suit.
Let us try now" he said.
He laid his arm on her waist The next
moment her hand was on HIS urn anu wv! WIZ
whirlng down the lawn toward the sundial
"Whn, foolish people We are" she said breath
lessly and half moved to pause. But his arm
held her closer and they watzed to tho END OF
the lawn. past the sundial. and into the shade OF
the great copper beech; and there. before she
had time TO move her hand from his arm. both
his arms were round her and he was raining
kisses on her soft flushed cheek she shrank
li,tlc and then laid her face softly against hts.
and put her hand up to his neck.
"Ahw he said. the wish Is granted nave
my hearts desire"
And l." she whispered softly.
You do love me. don't you?
She clasped her hands behind his neck. and
hung back looking at him at arms length. win
half-ashamed. half-laughing eyes
''Oh yes love you. Lord talibut she said
lie put his hands up and laid them on hers
Then you know
Che laughed again II have known all the
| ia.x lixorc Lak least moi