Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-11-13
CHAPTER v.

The following morning saw the re-es-
Establishment of Diana at her desk; and,
revived by the wholesome Gomradeship
of the previous day, she made Uncle Nat
as perfect a secretary as it is possible
for an imperfect world to produce.
His mood, however, was most migrate
full, for his illness had left him both weak
and irritable, and he was not slow to lay
the blame of his lost fortnight upon the
shoulders of Diana.
One day, at noon, Nathaniel dismissed
his great-niece.
Go and get little fresh air I shall
want you for an hour this afternoon
after Sanderson has been here"
So Diana went, and for sheer Joy
picked big clusters of red rosebuds from
the Wondering walls as she passed, sing
lng gay ballad of old days.
Il will fly to the bars of my cage-I
must!' she said
So she climbed to the gate, still singing
softly, pushed the creaking hinges IN their
sockets, and, with her head in air and her
eyes dancing, took two or three stately
PAGES along the deserted road outside.
She turned slowly to re-enter the park,
hesitated, took another turn along the
road, and came face to face with Claud
Mcclure rounding far corner of the
lane
She took her resolve rapidly.
So, keeping her eyes intently on the
gambols of two squirrels on tall larch,
she came steadily and with increasing
pace onward
The degree in which she quickened her
speed was so imperceptible that person
watching her digniied progress might
have been unconscious she was huTrying
She must reach the gate first. Closer
the gate seemed to be at hand. So did
Mcclure @
Suddenly he perceived her intention
next minute Mcclure, at a stride, was
in front of her.
ct was a dark, uncauny road to tread
alone that night. See, twilight almost
at noonl. he observed, with no prefix of
conversational greeting. Il don't wonder
you invoked the cloak to your aid. Had
you added the gardeners boots you
might have deceived even me-
Diana was wrestling with the rusty
hinges.
"Allow me-" he said.
She stepped back and submitted to his
help, looking much like tragedy queen
as it not the custom to greet friendt
in the morning in the north country 2
he, asked, glancing at her with his half
amused smile.
Eyes, yes" she said, eff I were al
home; but | am not. And Uncle Nat
doesn't like me to go out of the grounds
in the morning. So l wish you Good
bye"
His arm on the latch of the gate hin
dered her from passing him.
'But even birds in a cage can have &
peep sometimes between the bars" h'
said q shall make point, when | pass
of seeing how often you peep"
She colored, smiling, and stopped t.
pick up her fallen roses.
what glorious color!" he said, help
ing to restore the scattered nosegay
Even Combe Crockett's gray walls as
sert their right to be rosy and beautiful
it seems"
at covers the west wing" said Diana
eagerly-"the brightest thing in tn
whole place. And when wake and Sc,
them nodding in at my window | feel
am still young and cheerful, and thai
Blakemoor isn't dream"
Her lips parted involuntarily in lonl
breath.
''Your homer"
Eyes. Good -bye!' must gol"
He held the gate open for her, and sh'
sped with light, firm steps down thu
messy avenue.
'Humph!" he said.
Then his glance fell on the rose; h
laughed, and put it in his pocket.
Diana Of course avoided the great
gates-for time; and then came II
them one morning ten days later, opened
them deliberately and stood looking
along the avenue, till a figure in gray
came riding down the road.
Mcclure was unconscious that hi:
pulses quickened in seeing that tall fig
ure IN white standing waiting among the
elories Of fading trees.
III, dismountad before he had reached
beg