Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-05-16
"You have to Keep him In order'
said Clifford.


place; as treated you, to begin "itn'
And she gave him pretty little sny
glance and smile, which set Clifords
heart beating faster. II set them aii
to work. 1t does them no harm, ana u
does my uncle a great deal OF gooo:
Since I've been here" and she raised
her head triumphantly. "he's been able
to do without a man to look after
things"
Clifford could not help laughing.
"Why, you're a mascot; you bring
luck wherever you 60" said he.
Indeed, like to think that have
brought 1t to Uncle George" said the
girl. VI may tell you-for everybody
knows it-that just before came back
to him he was on the verge Of bank
ruptcy, and now" and she shot at
Clifford glance Of triumph. "he has
bought another piece of land, and two
more COWS. and enlarged the stables.
and put money in the bank besides.
What do you think Of that"
"Why. think he is very lucky man
to have such q niece" said Clifford
more charmed every moment by the
girls amusing mixture Of shrewdness
and simplicity.
cts very nice for your uncle" he
added, after a little pause, "but Is 1t
-" he hesitated, afraid Of seeming
impertinent, "is it quite as pleasant
for you, to live out here, mean, so far
from-from-"
"Civilization asked Nell, smiling.
"There are some disadvantages, GER
tainly. OF course I know what you
really mean, and what you don't like
to say. But when the choice lies be-
tween living with my old uncle and
helping him, and going away to please
myself, Is there any doubt what
ought to do? Miss Theodore, who Is
the best woman in the world, says
ought to stay--I am right to stay"
Clifford reluctantly agreed with her.
and allowed her to prattle on about
her uncle and his goodness, and Miss
Theodore and her goodness, until the
light of the sunset began to fade in the
sky.
Wien he reluctantly rose to take
leave, he found that some heavy drops
of rain had begun to fall and he al.
lowed himself to be persuaded by the
landlord and his niece to wait until the
rain had cleared off. AS, however. in
stead of clearing, the weather gradu-
ally became worse, until the day ended
In a steady downpour which threat
ened to last all night, Clifford asked
whether they could put him up for
the night; and being answered in the
affirmative, decided to spend the night
ut the inn.
The room they gave him was small.
but beautifully clean, and was at the
front Of the house, with an outlook
over the marshes to the sea. Clifford,
when he retired to it late that night,
raised the blind and tried to peer
through the mist Of rain which blurred
the view. He began to feel that he
wanted to spend his life in this spot,
digging Nells cabbages for her, trim.
ming the hedges Of her garden, water
ing her roses, doing anything, in fact.
so that he might be near her.
He was in love. more seriously, too,
than Willie had ever been, or than he
himself had even been before. He
asked himself what sort or a spell 1t
was that this young girl had been able
so quickly to cast upon him, and lie
told himself that it was the sweetness
of her nature, the purity which shone
from her young soul through her blue
eyes, which had enabled her to be-
witch him as no mere beauty Of face
and person could ever have done. He
looked ut his hand, and saw again in
imagination the little soft, white hand,
smoother and fairer than any girls
hand he had ever touched, which had
lain for q moment In his as she babe
him good night. He felt again the
satiny touch which had thrilled him
when the little fingers met his. He
sat caressing his own hand which had
been so honored. intoxicated with his
own thoughts.
1t was late before the dying candle
warned him to make haste to bed. AS
he turned to the door to lock it, as
was his custom in strange place, he
found that 1t had neither lock nor bolt.
And the words Of the young fisher
man. his warning about the character
Of the house. flashed with an unpleas.
ant chill through his mind.
The next moment he was ashamed
Of having remembered them. OF
course, there was a possibility, then
whispered his common sense, that
even the house which sheltered a god
dcss might also contain a man or a
paid-servant who was a common
thief. So, as he had very handsome
watch with him. and nearly twenty
five pounds in his purse, he tucked
these possessions well under the pill
low, and went to sleep, thinking Of
Nell.
lie was awakened out Of q sound
slulnber by the feeling that there IVES
some one in his room.
He felt sure Of tvs, although FOR a
few minutes, as he lay with bis eyes
closed, he heard nothing but the tick
ing of the watch under his pillow. AZ.
ter that he became conscious that IN
the darkness there was a shadowy
something passing and repassing be-
tween his bed and the heavily -cur'
tanned window. His first impulse was
to shout aloud and alarm the would-be
thief, rs he could not hut suppose the