Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-05-16
Author of.% he house on biz Marsh" etcs


dirty little pipe Tor 4 rev monSn's III
silence.
"Them's fine words" he said, at last
AN maybe I'd say the same OF some
women. But not for little hght-nh.
ge.ed hussy like yon." and he JerKeo
his head viciously in the direction q
the Blue Lion.
"Light-fngered" exclaimed Clifford
with some Indignation. DO you kno"
what you mean by that?
"Sh'd Just think I did! why, you
ask the folks about here what SORT o
character the Blue Lions had since
Young miss was about Ask If it's
honest house to stay the night in II
you've money on yer. Just you ask
that, an put two and two together
like what / do, an like what every
body does as kno,-s what the place
was afore she came an wlIat 1t is
now"
Clifford shivered under the hot sun
IF the September afternoon as he list
sned to this torrent Of accusation, and
saw by the passion in the young fish,
erman's face that he was in earnest.
Before he could answer, Nelrs sweet
voice. addressing himself, startled him.
CHAPTER II.
"Im so much obliged to you, 50 very
much obliged to YOU"
Clifford looked round. and saw pref
ty Nell Claris standing beside the two
boats which he had pulled up on the
bank by her direction.
"Tm afraid it must have given you
a great deal Of trouble. One OF them
was nearly full Of water, know
"Why, yes, 1t wasn't too easy to get
them I'D, because the bank slopes, anu
the earth Is so Shiny Just here. But
I'm very glad to have been able to GO
you the little service"
1T wasn't a little service; it was
great one" said Nell. with a look
Which Ui;-ord felt to be intoxicating.
At that moment he heard a sound
like a short, mocking laugh; and turn
ing he saw the fisherman, with face
full of scornful amusement. puntlns
away slowly up stream toward Fleet
Castle. Clifford, though he felt a little
uneasy, was glad the man had gone.
your friends have gone back TO
Stroan." said Nell.who had blushed
little, on her side, when she heard the
fisherman's contemptuous laugh.
"Is that a hint for me to follow their
example?'
ooh, no, indeed. My uncle said, when
I told him what you were doing for us,
that I was to ask you to come in and
have a cup Of tea with us-if you
would condescend to accept an invita-
ton from an ;nnkeeper and his niece"
Nell smiled little as she added these
words: and the manner in which she
uttered them showed SO keen per-
ception OF social distinctions that CHI
ford was confirmed in his belief that
this Girl was ridiculously out OF ner
proper element in this wayside inn.
He followed her into q tiny sitting
room at the back of the inn. where
they were joined by her uncle. bur-
". iovial man with q round, red, hon
est face, who was evidently very fond
of his niece, although every word each
uttered seemed to emphasize the
strange difference in manners anu
speech which existed between them.
proud to know you. sir" said
George Clarls, when Clifford held out
his hand. proud to know anybody
nv Nell thinks worth knowing. She's
mighty particular. is Nell. Lor'. what
wouldn't your friend, Mr.. JORDAN
there, have given for an invite to tea
in here like this! Eth. Nell"
Nell blushed, and turned her uncle's
attention to his tea, while Clifford, in
some surprise, enjoyed the knowledge
that he had cut Jordan out without
even n struggle.
Nell herself explained this presently,
when her uncle had been called away
by press of business in the bar, and the
two young people were left sitting to-
gether, looking through the open glass
door into the garden behind the inn.
I'm afraid you will think didn't
treat your friend very well, after set
ting him to work to pitch that shed
for u.s." she said, with pretty blush
in her cheeks, as she looked down at
the table cloth, and thus enabled Cliff.
ford to see that her long, curled, gold
en-brown eyelashes were the prettiest
he had. ever seen.
"I'm afraid he will think So" said
Clifford, with affected solemnity. Il
think myself that, after such heavy
work as that, he did deserve a cup OF
tea"
Nell looked up in some distress, her
blue eyes brighter with excitement
and her voice quite tremulous in Its
earnestness.
"Ah, you don't know" she said,
quickly. II am not ungrateful, but ]
am in O very difficult position, and
have to be careful how I treat people
Don't you know yourself that a great
many men, gentlemen too-or they call
themselves so-tnink they have right
to treat a girl who lives at an inn diff
ferently from other girls? Surely you
must know that"
Clifford grew red, conscious that the
girl had penetrated weak spot IN