The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-03-10

DARK nssoks and crabtirs. she though
~ the tortured prisoners once coniinee
NJ the dungeons and ~ all the dari
tales told of the castle and before sh'
had reached the ground she had frml,
made M her mind that Il was not s'
4 pleasant after all, 10 travel alone. Hei
adventure sn the top Of the castle was
certainly not pleasant thing 70 iook
back upon. She might have been ~
ing bruised. inert mass az the foot
OF the castle II IL had not been for the
young fellow who even as be res.
cucd her had looked M her so super
I cillously.
Il bate him." she thought, aud she
stamped her little loot viciously. 4
hope viii never lay eyes Oh him
again" But when she entered the
fteam tram for Cork she found the
only other occupant Of the tram was
the Englishman He looked at her
With smile MS she entered. but she
studIously avoided his glance. and
after that be paid no attention TO her
He was handsome fellow. with
| broad shoulders and strong, earnest
face. Gertrude could not help but
look at him, and before they reached
| Cork she had wished more than once
that he would talk TO her. Apparently.
however. nothing was further from his
intentions. and when they reached
Cork he alighted without ever looking
at her.
A few days after Gertrude Started
out 10 make tour Of the Killarney
lakes. When at Ross castle she was
assisted into boat for fifteen mile
| tour of the lakes. To her astonisb-
ment and disgust she found that her
yls-a.yis was Harcourt. He acknowl-
edged her presence with "A nod and
then. apparently forgetting she was
there, applied himself with diligence
to looking at the wild and mountain
Gus scenery along the shores OF the
celebrated lakes. Very soon the
reacherous Irish skies began to weep
and II was bedraggled lot OF passen-
gers that dlsembarked preparatory to
the horseback trip through the Gap o
Dunloe Gertrude's mount was n great
rawboned animal, and she looked at
II with dismay. How on earth would
she ever scale its slippery sides to the
saddle, Harcourt. watching her out
OF the tail OF his eye. stepped forward
TO assist her but she turned her back
on him, led her horse over 10 a fence
and from that position OF vantage
mounted After that she lost sight OF
the Englishman. In fact, 1t would
have been difficult for her to keep
anything In sight. for she had all she
could do to remain on her horse. The
beast stumbled and foundered In the
mud of the gap. and finally when the
shril notes Of bugle split the air the
horse ANONYMOUSLY slipped and FELL
throwing Gertrude prone into the mud.
But that was not the worst of II. for
the horse In struggling to regain Its
feet threatened to strike the fright
ened girl with Its hoofs. Once again
she felt herself set fairly on her feet
and once again she saw her preserver
was the Epglishmap.
This time he laughed. Il see we are
fated to meet. Miss Clinton" lie said.
his eyes twinkling with merriinent.
but Gertrude did not see the funny
side, and when her horse was righted
again she mounted 1t in silence and
disgust
Il am going to lead this horse OF
yours, Miss Clinton" said Harcourt.
IL have noticed all the way that II Is
not at all safe" And, suitlng the ac-
ton to the word, he took the bride
with that Of his own animal and
stalked on toward Kate Kearneys cot.
tage.
Humiliated and ashamed. the girl
watched him. admiring the set Of his
broad shoulders and the poise Of his
well shaped head. but she could not
and would not accept bis services.
II cannot allow you to walk In this
mud" she said. please give me the
bride. really must insist that You
ride
"My dear Miss Clinton" was the re-
ply. given somewhat with an air Of
amusement which grated on Gertrude
sorely. Il shall certainly see you safe
ly through this gap. am sorry II my
company disturbs you. will not talk
to you, but will lead your horse"
And lead It he did until Kate Kear-
ney's cottage was reached.
But during the coach ride back to
Killarney village Gertrude was asham-
ed Of her sulkiness. She and Har
court sat side by side and became very
chummy before the ride was over
Harcourt was cheerful and chatty, and
Gertrude made up her mind that he
was not so odious as she had first
thought him. He was communicative.
and she discovered that he was man
Of leisure, travelling about for pleasure.
He, In his turn, found that Gertrude
was making her first trip abroad and
was teacher In a New York city
school He had never cared much for
self supporting women. They had, IN
fact. not been common In his expert
ence. He had always felt that they
must be strong minded and obnoxious.
But how pretty this girl was' What
lovely brown eyes and hair and what
graceful figure. Harcourt, who
thought himself connoisseur in wo-
men. acknowledged that he was pleas
ed with Gertrude.
They saw each other often In the
next few weeks, for both were max
ing the same tour OF ireland. aud
both we're to go through the lake
country Of Scotland. They were soon
numbered with good sized touring
party and were surrounded by q gay
coterie Of friends. who admired the
stalwart young fellow and the lovely
girl who was 80 often by his side.
Their relations from being friendly
grew 10 q warmth which ought to
have opened their eyes wide 10 the d.
rection ia which they were travelling.
but both we're blissfully unconscious.
taking the good the gods provided
without questioning.
"A