The Dickinson press., 1895-03-09

Charters, I found travelling about by
myself just the slightest degree in the
world slow, so I threw 1t up after q
few months longing wandering. A
fellow does feel the want of friends ut
some time or other during his life, I
suppose, and my turn has come now"
Il am afraid, for all that, you will
miss the warm Italian skies and the
beautiful Italian faces more than you
fancy possible, after q WHILE" Mrs.
Charters went on, land we shall be
losing you again In a few months or
So"
II hardly think that" he answered.
my tastes are not altogether so for
eign as you seem to imagine; indeed,
to please me, I have seen more real
beauty since my return to the old place
than I ever saw abroad" And invol-
unfairly as he spoke his eyes fell On
the exquisite downcast face of Miss
Blount, who was sturdily demolishing
her cold fowl in the most provokingly
practicable manner conceivable.
There! What a compliment to cur
d. ar old England!" Harriet exclaimed.
Il feel quite proud when I recollect you
IRE just fresh from the Land of Beau
ty.' Tita, will you not acknowledge
that it was a pretty speech!"
Every" Miss Blount replied, with
abominahle cooiness. and without deign-
ing to raise her eyes, quite the pretti-
est thing I ever heard, and so original.
But, unfortunately, it has rather lost
its charm for inc, as l am quite tired
of being told how extremely lovely I
am"
In two or three minutes katherine
rose.
II must be going" she said. Papa
and Blackwood will be wondering what
has become Of me. iood-by, Harry;
you will drive me into Bolton, to-mor-
row, will you not?"
"Of course 7 WILL" Mrs. Charters
answered, kissing her af%ectionately.
"Good-by until then, and take care of
yourself; it is rather wild of you, is it
not, to ride over here all the way with.
out a groom?"
They had reached the hall door by
this time, where Miss Blount's horse
stood, held by one of the castle men.
evil you allow me to escort you
home?" Sir Mark asked. II can take
care of you, I fancy, and 10 put Mrs.
Charteris's mind at rest about your
safety"
'"Thank you," Katherine answered,
placing the tiniest foot he had ever yet
seen in the palm of his hand, prepara-
tory to mounting, but I could not
dream of giving you so much trouble.
Besides" ungraciously, Il generally
prefer riding by myself"
Conclusive" returned the young
man, reddening a little, but gathering
up the reins quietly and putting them
into her hand, while Harriet felt almost
ready to cry with vexation at the girls
w%ilfulness. "Rut I am sorry for my
own sake that solitary rides are so
much in favor with you, as it would
have given me great pleasure to accom-
pany you so far"
Miss Blount relented. After all, It
was not his fault, and probably he
would never even want to marry her
t was not wronging Blackwood in any
way to be commonly civil to him. So
she turned and made amends for her
rudeEess very prettily.
IF it VIII really give you any pleas
ure," she said, softly, lestowing a re-
markably sweet %repentant little smile
On him the while, which was her method
Of being commonly civil" to young
men, 'yon can come; but 1 warn you
that I am not the most agreeable per-
son in the world to ride with"
"Thank you." Sir Mark found him
self saying very gratefully. And so
they rode down the long avenue Of
chestnuts together, little dreaming Of
the future that lay before them.
Three miles is n short ride, taking
small time to travel. 10 it was not very
long before they arrived at the manor
gate. where Warrenne drew rein and
paused.
win you not come in:" Miss Blount
asked. her ann more friendly than
1t had been hitherto. "You knew papa
long ago, 1 think, when / was away at
school. and Blackwood-did you know
him?'
"Your father and I were very good
friends" Sir Mark answered. II will
call tomorrow and enc our acquaint-
ance. as I cannot come in this evening,
thank you; but 'Blackwood' I have not
the pleasure of knowing. He is your
brOther?"
mo, my COUSIN" the girl answered,
With a cel lain half-shy embarrassment
in her voice which she somehow found
impossible to restain, and which caus.
ed the baronet to feel q most unreason-
able pain somewhere about the region
Of the heart-a pain he would have
scorned to call jealousy, but which,
nevertheless. was remarkably like It,"
"Oh. your cousin" he said, simply.
"Good-by, Miss Blount." But he press
ed her hand with unusual warmth,
and went on his way musing vaguely
about divers things that in some unac-
cOuntable manner always merged into
a recollection of Katherine Blount's
hooking irresistible face.
Meanwhile, that young lady had can.
tered gayly enough up the gr;,vclled
walk, all her old spirits quite restored
now that the obnoxious baronet was
out Of her sight, and, having dismount-
ed and run upstairs to change her
dress for dinner, had come down again
radiant In beauty and white muslin, to
encounter her cousin in the hall.
where have you been all the day."
he inquired lovingly, taking both her
hands in the old familiar fashion, and
looking with true warm admiration in
to her eyes. "Riding?"
Eyes. riding" Katherine answered,
feeling unusually glad to see him, and
smiling brightly up into his face. II
went yer to e Harry and tell her all
about the ball affair, you know"
"Yes, I know" he said, still retaining
her hands. as though 10th to part with
them, ''and-did you hear that Sir
Mark Warrenne had returned to the
hall?"
EYES," a vivid. u~n-wished-for blush
crimsoning her checks. II met him to-
Day at Harriet's."
"Did you?" Blackwood said, with sud.
DEF bitterness, as he remarked the con
scious flushing Of her face, and he
dropped the little clinging fingers hur'
riedly, as though their kindly touch had
burned him.
CHAPTER III.
The Old Love and this New.