Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-05-22

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| snail be quite afraid to go downstairs
to present myself to Dicky Browne after
all you have said. Consider his dsap
poiutmentw
An hour has flown, and Dulcinca, stand.
Ing in the doorway Of her cousins room,
sazes on her with undisguised admiration.
To Dulcinea anything lovely, be it man
Or beast or flower, is an intense and ever.
lasting delight, and now Portia enchants
her.
"Ah! Mark was right" says Dulce.
with little sigh Of intensest pleasure.
1t is in the library that Miss Wharf
makes herself known. Dulce entering
e"st. with her gay little air, says:
"lhs is Porta, Uncle Christopher"
Thereupon q tall old man, rising from
chair, comes quickly up to them and takes
Portals hand, and, STOPPING very low,
presses his lips to her forehead.
80 glad. SO glad you have come to
u.s." he says in a tone that reminds her of
Dulce's, though it is so deep and strong
and masculine, and hers so very much the
reverse in every way. "Bless me, how
days so by! Just last week. as it seems
to me, saw you little girl in short pet
ticoats and frils, and furbelows, and
now"
Il wear petticoats STILL" says Portia,
dcmurcly, with soft laugh, land frills
sometimes, and often furbelows, | think,
though ] don't in the least know what
bOv hut nil IN of
all, should be now very much as | was
Every much. But forgive me" says Sir
Christopher, ''if | say you were not any
thing like as good looking then as you are
to-day"
"a speech easy to forgive" says Portia,
lightly. Then after pause. Il, too, re
member what you were like in those old
days"
what, then" asks Sir Christopher,
giving o sudden pull to his collar, and be-
traying an increased degree of interest.
Nothing like so good looking as you are
to-day" retorts she, with quick smile
and a little flicker Of her cyelids.
"Ah, we shall be friends" cries Sil
Christopher, gayly. Baby and you and
will ride roughshOd over all others; and
we have wanted somebody to help us,
haven't we, Baby? Then he turns more
entirely to Dulce; 'Eh, a sharp wit, isn't
it?" he says.
"Auntie Maud sent her love to you,"
says Portia.
"Eh? Much obliged, I'm sure" says
Sir Christopher. Every good of her; mine
to her in return. A most estimable WON.
IN she always was, if short of nose. How
she could have thrown herself away upon
that little signilicant-ch? though he
was my brother-ehT'
"She ought to have had you," says Miss
Wharf, with soft audacity.
och? ch?" says Sir Christopher, plain
ly dclightcrd. "Now, what rogue" He
turns to Dulce, as he always does on ev.
cry occasion, be it sweet or bitter. you
hear her, Duce. She hatters ne, eh|
Uncle Christopher, you are sad, sad
Hirt," says Dulce, patting his cheek. 81
am glad poor Aunte Maud escaped your
destinations. You would have forgotten
her in a wt--k. Do you know what O'Clock
it is? After six. Now do go up and get
ready for dinner, and try to be in time for
once if only to do honor to POrtia. He is
so Irregular says Duce, turning to Por-
tia.
81 have an all-conQuering curiosity to
know everything about everybody down
here" says Portia, as they reach the bal
cOny. Duce pushes low, sleepy looking
chair toward her, and, sinking gracefully
into it, she turns her eyes up to her cous-
in. "As | must begin with somebody,
think shall prefer beginning with--with
what shall l Gull him! Your young
man"
Il wish with all my heart you could call
him husband, as that would take him out
of my way"
"Some one told me he was very hand
some"
Il have seen uglier people," admits Dull
cinea, regretfully. "When he has his face
washed, and his hair brushed, he isn't
half a bad boy"
"BoyW asks Portia, doubtfully; to her
the foregoing speech is full of difficulty.
Il dare say you would call him man."
says Dulcc, with a shrug OF her soft
shoulders; 'but really he isn't. If you
had grown up with him, as | have, you
would never think of him as being any
thing but an overgrown baby, and a very
cross one. That is the worst Of being
brought up with n person, and being told
one is to marry him by and by. 1t rather
takes the gilt off him, think" says Dulce
with a smile.