Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-12-31


place of utter peace; tho very air spoke
OF holy things. | thrust my cap into my
jacket pocket and stood watching the
wind crisp the flowers Then my aften-
ton wandered to tho mad antics Of
squirrel that ran along the fence.
When | turned to the field again I saw
Rosalind coming toward mo along the
path, clad IN white, hatless, ana her
hands lightly brushing the lush grass
that seemed to leap up to touch them.
She had. not seen me. and | drew back
little for love Of the picture She made.
Three white butterflies nuttered about
her head. like an appointed guard of
honor. ana she caught at thcm with her
hands. turning her head to watch their
staggering flight
She paused abruptly midway Of the
daisies and ! walked toward her slowly
it must have been slowly--and l think
We were both glad of a moments respite
III which to study each other Then she
spoke at once, as though our meeting
had been prcarrangcd.
81 hoped l should see you" she said
gravely.
II had every intention of seeing you
! was Killing time until ! felt | might
deccntly lift tho latch of Red Gate
She Inspected mo with her hands clasp
ed behind her.
please don't look at ne like that /
laughed. II cdmped in barn last night
for fear shouldn't get here In time"
II wish 20 speak to you for few min
utcs-to ten you what you may have
guessea about us-my father and me"
'Yes: Of YOU Ike: but only TO help you
If can. II is not necessary FOR you tell
NO anything"
She tanned and led the way across the
daisy field. She walked swiftly. holding
back her skirts from the crowdng flow
crs, traverscd the garden Of Red Gate,
ard continued down to the house boat.
we can be quiet here" she said.
throwing open the door My father is
at Tippccanoc village shipping one of
hts canoes We are early risers, you
soo,"
Tho ltCc sitting-room adjoining the
shop vas calm and cool. and the ripple
Of the creek was only an emphasis Of
tie prevailing rural quiet She sat down
10y the tau." I'm a rcd-cushioned wicker
chair ard folded her hands in her lap
and smiled little as she saw me re-
gard.ug Ter nEcdly. ! suppose I had cx-
pectod to find her clad IN saffron robes
q in douhlet and hose, but the very
crsrness Of her white pluue spoke de-
hgntfully OF present times and manners.
My glance rested on the emerald ring
then ! looked into her eyes again.
You see an really very different"
she smiled. I'm not the same person
at all"
NO It's wonlerful-wonderful And
stlll stared.
sno grow, rrave ara,,
Il have important things to say to you.
but it's just as We'll for You to see me
IN the broadest Of daylight. SO that
she pondored a moment, as though to be
sure OF expressing herself clearly-"so
that when YOU see Uelen Holbrool, IN
an hour or so in that pretty garden by
the lake you Will understand that it was
not really Rosaind after all that-that
amused YOU"
"But the daylight Is not helping that
idea. You are marvolously alike. and
yet hoGndered mlserably in my I'M
certainty.
Then, and she smiled at my dlscom-
hture, IT you cant tell us apart It
makes no difference whether you ever
SEQ me again or not You sec, Mr-but
did you ever tell me what your name is?
Well, know It, anyhow, Mr.. Donovan"
Tho little worK-tnble was between US.
and on it lay the foil which her father
had snatched from the wall the night be-
fore still stood. gazing down at Rosa
lind. Fashion. saw. had done some