The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-11-28

alone; the vicar win be IN by and by
| for a chat. and most likely Mrs Hendrick
and one or two others. Miss Diana will
| drop in, just to tell me how things pro-
| gress, and Sunny, too; she never neglectl
me. Come, come, it is not like you to
sulk, boy 1 want to hear you laugh with
the others; it will make me feel young
myself. And, Greville," with a sudden
tenderness in his voice, I'VE have shaken
hands, but until feel you l shall not
believe my boy is really with me-"
The young mans cloudy face cleared
| in moment, he left his place at once,
and dropped down on one knee beside his
| grandfather's chair, and a sort of laugh
ing light came in his eyes.
"You foolish old granddad," he said /;
you have not grown bit WISER" And
then he knelt patiently while the thin,
| wrinkled hand passed softly over the
| merry face, and felt the broad, stalwart
shoulders, and then rested lingeringly on
| his head.
Heaven bless you, lad, you are strong
and broad-shouldered like Gerard; you
are every inch as fine a man as your
father. Grow like him, my boy. Though
he was my own son, 1 will always say
there are not many like him; there, l
must not keep you from the young folks
| to listen to an old mans maunderings.
| Tell Sunny that she is to be good to you,
as you have not many hours at home.
Oh, there's Mrs. Hendricks step on the
| gravel; she has stolen a march on the
vicar. Now you can leave me with an
| easy conscience"
| 1t was evident Greville needed no fur
ther bidding. He rose to his feet at once
and strolled out into the veranda, cast
ing comprehensive glances over both gar
dens; then, satisfying himself that a GER
tain broad-brimmed hat belonged to the
| person for whom he was in search, he
went leisurely through the little gate and
tracked it by sundry winding paths to
| the river bank
A little group of girls was gathered
round boat. They were evidently play
| ing at hide-and-seek with their would-be
escort, to the mischievous glee of a young
Etonian of tender age, as beftted jackets
and rundown collars.
| "Come along, girls" he shouted. LET
tie and Dora, why don't you jump in!
| And, Miss Alison, you promised to steer.
Quick, quick! ="
"Not so fast, Jack where's the hur.
| ry" called out fresh voice; and at the
merry tones Alison turned round with a
| sudden start.
| "Oh, Mr.. Greville ~ and her bright
| face looked brighter still at the unex-
pected sight of her old friend. "What
| does this mean? Mr.. Moore never limited
| at your coming. 1 do not believe Aunt
| Diana knows, either"
II thought I would just run down and
have a look at you all before 1 started
| for Keswick," returned the young man
| with assumed carelessness. II forgot all
about Miss Carrington's Wednesday Pop
ulars never mind, l have just arrived in
! time for the fun. How do you do, Miss
Dora? Miss Lettice, I should hardly
| have known you; you have so grown.
| Well, what's the matter, Jack?" for the
boy was grumbling audibly.
"Only Fortescue and that other fellow
will be down upon us directly, and the
| girls made me promise to get under way
before they came to spoil everything. Let
on the Long Island-there are quanti-
| ties on the east side, where we had our
picnic last year."
Gall right, I'm your man. Miss Ali
son, if you will be good enough to steer,
| Jack and l will soon row you across"
And suiting his actions to his words,
| Greville assisted the girls into the boat
and promptly taking an oar, they were
| soon gliding down the river.
Now and then they passed other boats
| with which they exchanged greetings, and
| once, as they came to a reedy island. a
| swan came out with ruf1ed plumage and
| angry and stretched neck, and would have
pursued them, only Jack threatened her
| with his oar.
| Il suppose there are some young ones
in there" observed Greville, thoughtful-
ly; and then he let them drift a moment
as he contemplated the scene. The broad
| cleaning river flowing so smoothly be-
tween it's banks; the meadow land dotted
with groups of cattle worthy of the brush
of Vicat Cole; the girls happy faces
faces that had been familiar to him from
| boyhood, for Dora and Lettice Morville
had been old playfellows of his; their
simple summer dresses-all made up the
adjuncts of a pleasant picture that he
might carry away and remember.
| In a few minutes they had landed,
and Jack, who was the hero of the hour,
for it was he who had planned this little
excursion, was leading them proudly to
the little sheltered island, where the
| ground was blue with the tiny flowers
and in another moment they were all
busily at work. In the intervals of his
labor, Greville found time for sentence
| or two with Alison; and by and by he
induced her to rest for moment on a
messy log, that had lain there for years.
| II suppose we must be going back
now" observed Alison, regretfully, as she
watched the others busy movements
Aunt Diana will want me to assist her
with the tea. She knew we were COM
ing, for Jack was put in charge of us
but she told us not to be long. Dora
and have been wanting to come here
for days."
ut is bore going back to the other
people," returned Greville, lazily; there
is host Of things l wanted to consult
| you about. l have an idea I will get