Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
CHAPTER III.
At Normanstand.

It was not long before DR.. An Wolf
and Harold came again to Norman
stand.
This second visit was even more sue
cessful than the first. for in his absence
came to Stephen remembrance Of things
which she had intended to do and say
and had forgotten at the time. These
were now stored up afresh In her memory
ready for his advent. Thus there was no
lack Of purposed pleasure. and the days
were not long enough for enjoyment.
There is this difference between child
hood and other hoods; and 1t was but
the beginning of many visits: for though
the father could not often leave his work
the son could come without trouble. Each
time he came the squire, as well as Ste
phen, liked him better. He had given
him q horse. q fine big horse of the same
strain as Robin Hood. and the boy
thought nothing of riding over and re-
turning otter one full day.
When he was at Normanstand Stephen
insisted ON all. sorts OF ~boyash games.
There was not any one. to object Tor
Aunt Laetitia was seldom at the house at
any reason why the child should not en-
Joy herself In such e. way. 1t was
healthy play. and she was happy: what
more was required! The only person who
could have objected was the squire. and
he secretly not only approved. but re-
joiced. The more boyish the girl was the
better he was pleased. and the nearer
came her education to his wish. Time
had not, in this respect, softened his old
idea.
sisted on it now that she had tasted the
pleasure. So her father began to ask to
the house such children of neighbors as
were available.
To Stephen the most attractive of these
companions was q boy some three or four
Ard, the only son Of a gentleman. retired
partner Of a bank. who had not long be-
fore purchased moderate estate between
Worcester and Normanstand. He was
pretty boy. with blue eyes and curly
light brown hair. His features gave
promise of being handsome. and he had
q figure well fashioned and alert. His
movements were as light and graceful as
those of a young fawn. He first won her
attention by refusing to agree to her
perience as it was striking to her femi-
nine mind. She remembered 1t when she
had forgotten more important things. She
thought it was independence. but this
particular thing simply arose from self
ishness. She wanted one thing. but he
wanted another. He did not think of the
future at all, or. indeed. of anything out
side his own immediate purpose. But she.
not Knowing his nature. was struck with
that something she had not seen in other
people. All around her gave her SYM
pathy. even when they denied her wishes,
but this new boy who refused with a
brutal mo- became at once power to
her. And then he was SO pretty! The
black eyes which she saw In her mirror
were nothing like these blue ones; the
poseful after the contemplation Of her
own flaming red. The other children
were somewhat amazed, for the i'm
perious little lady had so impressed her
own will as we'll as her own individuality
on them that opposition to her wishes
was new to them all. At the first she
was not over pleased. but there was COM
pensation in the thought that this was a
real boy who was masterful. Every
fiber in her little feminine body realized
the fact. She was glad. too. that Harold
was not there, for Harold had a way of
making every one obey him, and she-felt
that this boy must not be compelled to
play by boy SO very much bigger than
himself. Already she had a shrewd idea
of Harold's force. He was in the back
ground OF her mind as a power: a power
that she could command, and in which
she had implicit faith. A child Of lesser
nature would have sulked, or would have
refused to play any other game. and so
have wrought out her own desires. But
Stephen was above such pettiness. Her
sunny nature. though impulsive. was rea-
sonable; unless the thing was very de-
sirable she did not wish to make any one
else uncomfortable. Moreover. Leonard
was her guest, the virtue Of hospitality
had been In the blood of her race for too
many centuries to be easily neglected.
every WELL" she said. in her pretty
high-bred way, "you choose, Leonard.
we'll play at what you like"
Leonard had chosen at once. He had
no quaims or scruples in a matter of
gratifying his own desires. The thought
of any consideration for his hostess or
any Of the other children. or for any girl
manifestly weaker than himself. did not
even suggest itself to him. He would
have been nightly surprised II 1t had.
Leonard's pleasure had not, all told.
been increased by his opposition and the
giving way to 1t. The little girl had. in
her digniied haughtiness mortified him.
though he had not Immediately been
aware Of 1t.
A WttIe after this time a great blow fell
upon Harold. His father. who had been
suffering from repeated attacks of influ-
lowing this. seized with an attack of
to which In a few days he
succumbed. Harold was heartbroken.
But there was much work to be done.
and he tried to attend to 1t. for the state
of his fathers finances was a despairing
one. The rectorship of Carstone was but
a poor one. and there had not been any
opportunity OF saving.
: When Squire Norman had returned to
the house with him after the funeral. he
satin silence holding the boys hand till
he had wept his heart out. BY this time
the two were old friends, and the boy
was not afraid or too shy to break down
before him. There was sufficient of the
love of the old generation to begin with