The Red Cloud chief., 1897-12-31

rich and undulating, and fair
and pleasant to look upon. In
London the people were gasp
ing for breath. but here,
though the day had been fairly hot, 1t
was now at six O'Clock soft and balmy,
and by nightfall the air would be
sharp and fresh.
1t was such a fair day and such n fair
view! Behind on the higher ground
stood a rambling old house. half hall,
half farm-hOuse-a house with a long
red-brick front, and a sort of terrace
garden from which you might look
across the fields and the long green
stretches OF land over which the bold
sea came n went at cbb and flow of
the tides. 1t vas a quaint old garden,
with turf like velvet, and raised beds
cut In 1t here and there, gay with
blazing scarlet seraniums and blue
lobelias. and kept neat and tidy by a
quaint bordering of red tiles set edge
ways into the ground. There were tall
trees, too, about this domain. which
hid the farm-buildings from sight. anil
also helped to shield the house from
the fierce winter blasts. and in front
there lay a rich and verdant meadow
slOping gently down to the high-roaj,
where just then a man and a young
girl had stopped for a moment as they
walked along together.
"Mayn't l come in?" the man said,
imploringly.
mo, / don't think you must" the
girl answered. You see, auntie has
gone to Colchester. and she wouldn't
like me to ask you in when | knew
she wasn't there. No, ! don't think
you must come in this time"
Perhaps she will be back by this
time" he urged; but the girl shook her
head resolutely.
"No; for the train does not get to
Wrabness til twenty-four minutes past
seventh is not as much past six yet"
she said, simply.
But" he said, finding that there
was no chance of his etfecting an en-
trance within the fortress, "are you
bound to go in just yet?"
mo, I am not; but you are bound
w oo coSh = i<auy JahV y III youi
dog-cart. She knows that you came
with me. and she knows that auntle
Is In Colchester"
Lady Jane knows too much" he
said. vexedly. eyes. / suppose l must
go back. But I may carry your racket
as far as the door, eh?"
"Oh. l think you may do that" an
swered the girl, demurely.
So together they turned and walked
on. The road took a curve to the right,
skirting the sloping meadow and ris-
ing gradually until they reached the
gates Of the old house, with its quaint
red front and its many gables ana
dormer windows, and at the gate Dor
othy Strobe stopped and held out her
hand for the racket.
THANK you very much for bringing
me home" she said. shyly, but with
an upward glance of her blue eyes that
wen straight to the mans perhaps
rather susceptible heart; 1T was very
good OF you"
Eyes, but tell me-" he answered, not
letting 60 his hold Of the racket, "tho
aunt has gone to Colchester, you say?''
Eyes"
"Does she often go?"
ooh, no: not often"
"But how often? Once a week."
"Once a week-oh. no; not once a
month. Why do you ask?"
Because for the present I live in
Colchester. / am quartered there, you
know, and ! thought that perhaps
sometimes when the auntie was COM
ing you might be coming, too. and ]
might show you round a %little-the
lions and all that, you know. That
was ALL"
But ! don't think said Dorothy
Strobe. taking him literally, that
Mn&