The herald., 1896-12-20

"How dare you, Mr.. Thorpe" she
cried angrily, but with a curious break
in her voice. Then, before he could re.
cover from his astonishment, she had
turned.
Good gracious, Miss Botany-I mean
Miss Polwarth," and in his eagerness the
Squire put forth his hand to detain her.
What is the matter? I forgot the thing
amy's name, that's all-quite forgot 1t,
really I did!"
Near the door stood garden seat,
placed there for the convenience OF the
orchard visitors, Miss Polwarth reached
it, but could get no further. AS she sank
into it Thorpe caught glance of a
flushed and indignant face-then tiny
lace handkerchief appeared.
Good Lord." cried the Squire in dis
may, what have I done?"
1t seemed long time before she could
be convinced, but at last his protesta-
tions and explanations--he even took the
Field from his pocket to discover the cor
rect name of that COMPOUNDED orchid
took effect. The Lecturer spoke, still
from behind the handkerchief.
"Do you mean it? IL thought you
were laughing at me, be-because I lee
ture on botany. Everybody seems to
talk about it, and now I-now hate it.,
1 do"
DO you, by Jove?" cried the Squire,
amazed. $50 do I. And I got it up just
to please you!"
There was a moments awkward 81
lence, during which he drew nearer, and
in his agitation even bent over
the arm of the seat.
you hate it?" he said nervously. "Of
course you do. How can you help it?
And I've been boring you all the time.
But it was all Sir Johns fault, and you'll
forgive me, won't your
Another brief silence, which did more
for the Squire than all his talk of roses.
Then flushed face appeared from be-
hind that tiny square of lace, and very
tremulous voice answered him.
TT was all mistake then-and there
is nothing to forgive. OF course, you
could not guess how tired l was of-of
being botanized.'
"Of course not" emphatically. Only
wish knew! How must have worried
you. But I say now, if you are really
tired of botany-if you are
The squire paused fearing that he was
going too far. Yet Miss Polwarth's face
did not forbid him to speak. 1t was
flushed and rosy, indeed, but not with
the flush of anger. He went on:
IF you are really tired of 1t. why
why need you ever go back to it? L"
But there. What passed, in the green
house after that fateful pause was strict
ly private and cOnf1dential, ana can
only whisper that the great orchid was
shamefully neglected. 1t could see. of
course, but it is to be presumed that it
considerably looked the other way and
it's sense of hearing was of small SER
vice. For after few short eager ques-
tions. followed slowly by soft, half
spoken replies, the voices sank into muir
murs, the murmurs into whispers, and
the whispers into long, happy silence.
"Confound botany!" cried a voice ten
minutes later The exclamation was fol-
lowed by a light, ringing laugh, very
reprehensible centainly in the lecturer
at ST. Marys hall. but perhaps excusa-
BILE in the future lady of Old Bevis. 1t
was also followed by something white,
which flew through the doorway, how
cred q moment in the air and fell among
the rhododendrons. 1t might have been
a sheet of the Field.
Jenkyns, pottering among the shrubs
next morning, picked it up and opened it,
He read paragraph or two and shook
his head.
Its botany" he rnurmured slowly II
guess the squire's been and dropped it,"
He was right in more senses than one;
but he could not know that when that
sheet had fallen his own prospects of a
magnificent garden and noble staff Of
assistants had vanished into the un-
searchable distance.-W. Z. Guile in
Chambers Journal.