Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-04-21

says deliberately, and looks full at her.
But Muriel neither coquettishly admits
nor denies his assertions. She fushe'
deeply. and then grows very pale; and
as he cannot but notice. she moves little
farther away, SO as to put distance OF n
least two feet between them.
Sometimes, l dare say, you do prefer
a quiet stroll like this to a long. brisl
tramp over the mountains and through
the glens?' she SAYS. quietly.
Il certainly prefer it just now." Eric
answers, cec:syeIy, reering rather non
plussed. however.
They walk on in the rather awkward
silence that has fallen upon them since
Miles disturbed their friendly converse
and it is a species of relief to both wheI
Sylvester, with a brace of barriers at his
heels and Il poor. dead hare dangling by
its hind legs from his hand, leaps out oi
the plantation by the stile in the hedge.
Hello! Only got as far as this yet
and you started an hour agOY with agree
able brusqueness, grinning at them both
with disagreeably knowing look. "Well
you are such slow coaches!'
Perhaps we like to be slow coaches 2
Major Llewellyn says, coOlly.
Il dare say you do!' grins Sylvester
that's very sensible remark o yours
sir l s'pose there'd be no use in me offer
ing my company? Eth. MurrieT'
The girls eyes flash on him with light
ming glance of anger and reproach; Eric
Llewellyn is rather startled by the pas
sion of emOtiOn-wrath, menace and en-
treaty-which is visible in the youthful
girlish face; but Sylvester laughs noisily
Don't be frightened, my dear" he
says rudely, ''Muriel looks as if she
could eat me with grain o salt! I'm
not comm to spoil the nice walk through
the plantation, and / wouldn't give a
crooked farthin' for yere company, eth
err" and away he tramps down the hill.
THAT young gentleman is somewhat
of the genus cub" Eric remarks, rs
they walk On in silence. "Miles ouGh,
to keep him at a strict school for a year
or two longer. ! know a man who would
keep him in admirable order. What is he
preparing forY
Nothing" Muriel answers bitterly
''To grow up just what he Is now. and
inherit his grandfather Sutton's money
and land, and be a semi-educated, semi
civilized squireen to the end of his days u
THAT is Il bad outlook for him, poor
lad!" Eric replies, with genuine regret
and kindliness in his tone; and Muriel,
recognizing it with a glow of secret glad
ness and trustfulness, feels for the mo
ment as If it were quite possible that
Eric Llewellyn and she should be friends
real, true friends, in spite of his
hauteur and coldness and cynicisIn-in
spite of her mingled dread of him and
shy fear of him, and innocent girlish ad-
miration of his handsome face, his tall
well-knit figure, his well-Dred nein, his
intellectual converse-in spite Of-oh,
worst of all!-the terror that hangs over
her like the sword of Damocles that poor
Miles secret wishes and desires and plans
respecting her should ever become visible
and revealed to Eric Llewellyn's keen
understanding.
''Now the plantation goes no further
along this road, Major Llewellyn, and this
is the lane up the hillside, the way I
spoke Of" she says. Are you sure you
care to come? 1t is a long walk"
IF you care to come l shall care to
come with you. of course" he answers
with grave gallentry, and wonders why
Muriel shrinks again from him, and why
the deep rose red flush mounts to her
brow. what a shy, distant little mortal
she is," he says mentally, and feels again
as he did little while since, that curious
ly pleasant glow of the feeling he terms
Satisfaction" ''As timid as a fawn, and
as innocent. A fair, sweet girl she is
indeed"
They have climbed the heights of the
Rock Hill, and on the summit they pause,
Muriel with familiar pleasure, and Eric
Llewellyn with surprised admiration, to
survey the fair view over plain and river
and woodland, stretching far below them
away to the range of purple mountains to
the south.
rs it not all very beautiful" the ,irl
asks, with a sigh of intense enjoyment
1T is all very beautiful" Eric SAYS,
his eyes suddenly returning from the fair
landscape and fixing themselves ON the
fair face, with its rapt expression of
peace and pleasure, whose deep gray color
has deepened into purple from emotion.
Il did not imagine. when l used to hear
Miles talk about his home, that should
find SO much that was charming in Cur
raghdene. Let us sit down and rest, you
look rather tired, Muriel."
He begins very softly and patiently
there is a wistfulness and weariness about
the lines of the ivory pale young face that
touches him deeply, SO he accounts for
the feeling throbbing at his heart.
81 am not in the least tired, thank you.
Major Llewellyn," she answers, with q
ring in her voice and flash of expression
Ia her eyes, betokening anything but Ian
guOr of spirit.
"Well, l am, Miss O'Hara," he says
with a slight smile; don't you remember
Miles said l wasn't strong as l used
to be? No water to be had anywhere
near, suppose?" he asks, drawing out his
spirit hesk.
Yes, here is water just here" Muriel
answers, her face changing, but you can
not get at it. No, no! you cannot, really,
Major Lewellyn'-fOr he has sprung to
his feet-''it is a horribly dangerous place
in an old mine-shaft, hundreds of feet
deep! You could not reach it without
risking your life"
He strides off through the grass, aud
the brambles, and huckleberry bushes in
the direction of the sudden declivity,
where he can plainly see the water spar
Gle, and the blue sky mirrored cles,tly in
the center of the ominously- -sunken
grassy hollow. But as he pauses for q
moment on the outer rim of the hollow,
Muriel overtakes him with a breathless
clutch of her little hands on his arm, and
her face, wild with terror, is upturned to
his.
"Stopw she gasps; Il thought you only
meant to frighten me. You mustn't! you
can't! it is too dangerous-the ground is
all undermined" and as he persists, and
moves on laughingly, she tries to hold
him by force Eric! don't! Oh, Eric!
don't!' she says, franticaily, you will
drowned there, already! You will lose
YOUR life there, surely"
And then Eric Llewellyn pauses, taking
a somewhat unfair advantage of her dis
tress, and clasping the trembling little
form close to his heart, which throbs as
wildly and passionately as If he had
never loved before this hour, he leads her
away from the vicinity Of the treacherous
pool.
Would the loss Of my lie matter very