Middletown transcript., 1905-04-08
THAT GIRL AT THE COTTAGE !.
BY PHIL ALLS.4NDER


slammed the door between them.
"We may as well get out of this p Johl
said to the girl at his side.
! CHAPTER III
Susan Merrivale had the door opel
again in trice.
"Come into the paror p' she criet
Hospitality. "And here, you Jim. dom
stand gaping there, but take the poo
beast round to the stables and attend t.
! her !"
She waved Jonn forward with a com
mending yet welcoming hand.
"You must sleep here p' she said de
cisively. ''This isn't the sort of day fol
Christian folk to be abroad y
She opened the door of a room on her
right, and glorious blaze of freight
, suddenly encountered them. Moncriefi
stood still on the threshold, shaking his
, orercoat and the girls cloak.
''It looks tempting, Susan" he said,
smiling "but | am not to be coaxed out
of my duty, however gaily your Dalstone
fires may roar. My mother has a fare
well dinner-party tonight and must be
there, snow it never so furiously! / don't
want bed, but horse! Spitfre is
dead beat p
"Why, bless you, sir, then you shall
have it But it can't be yet. Only
Queen Bess is fit to face such night as
this, and the master has her down the
road now with the snow plough. Jim
shall run and tell him what you want,
and meanwhile you and the young lady
must sit down and take something hot
before you go !''
Moncrieff turned to look at the girl who
was sharing the untoward events of the
night with him but she met the glance
with the same curious inscrutable dignity
as heretofore.
1t was amusing-not to say absurd
And yet this cultured wanderer felt on
the instant sorry for her. So he said,
trying to infuse kindlness into his tones.
81 dare say that you will be glad to
avail yourself of Mrs. Merrivale's hospi
tality. Shall we ask for cup of coffee?"
Susan was delighted as she curtsied to
the young lady. She lad instantly de-
cided that this tall and silent girl was one
of the guests of the dinner-party-most
likely Moncriefs particular girr'-and
to serve the couple appealed to her truly
hospitable and womanly heart. As the
door changed cheerily after her, Moncrieff
laughed to himself.
"Well, if am late, I am late This
is decidedly better than waiting outside!'
he said.
He looked at the girl for confirmation
of his words, but she was staring into the
fire and did not pay any attention to his
words.
Presently, she drew a long breath,
turned, and looked at him absently, and
then sat down in deep chair.
John Moncrieff also sat down.
81 WONDER" he said suddenly, stretch
ing his legs towards the genial blaze,
"why you were so anxious to come to
such an out-of-the-way spot as Cranleigh
Moss ?'
He laid slight stress on the werd
anxious Intentionally, but was taken
back at the success of his venture. The
girls lips suddenly parted, and shadowy
alarm leaped into her deep eyes.
anxious Who said | was anxious?
/ was only anxious because must work,
and l love the country. 1t is better to
work in place one loves than among
dirty streets and chimney-pots and"
She paused in her rapid sentences, and
in that pause Moncrieff felt sorry that he
had used weapon which had shaken
her so. Something impelled him to look
away from the eager hazel eyes, and to
acquiesce lightly
'Far better, of course Somehow,
Nature always accords with our moods,
whatever they are. myself have grown
sick of streets and squares before now."
By this time she had recovered her
composure.
"You must not think that I am accus-
toned to gratifying my whims," she said
in her former calm voice. 81 am not in
position to do so, and | am most anxious
to give every satisfaction to Mr.. Moncrieff
without thinking of my own"
Il am sure of it r' he acquiesced
gravely, as she hesitated. II hope you
won't find the task difficult one p'
She looked away into the fire, and he
studied the curves OF her face-the firm
round chin and the strong mouth-and
wondered what purpose she really had in
view in accepting this post. His own
jest recurred to him. "An anarchist in
disguise" Was she something in dis
guise He smiled. The simple grace
and quiet dignity did not SAVIOR much
of anarchy. His eyes, with the gleam Of
amusement in them, were still regarding
her critically when she looked up. Truly,
it was worth while surprising her glance,
if it invariably meant this carmine glow.
"What time is it ?' she asked. ''They
seem an age coming with the horse"
81 am afraid that was thinking of the
coffee p he said
''That will not be very instrumental,
will it, sir, in forwarding our arrival at
Cranleigh?''
The "sir" displeased him. 1t sat ON
her absurdly, and was palpably intended
to check his advances. But he would
not be checked. 1t was not to be ex-
pected of him that he would sit dumb
while Susan Merrivale loitered over the
coffee
''Don't you think that, it would be
easier to be friendly for a change ?" he
said
A slow and delightful smile shone under
her dark lashes.
YES" SHE said ''it need only be for
a quarter Of all hour A quarter of an
hour isn't much out of lifetime, is it ?'