Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26


pixies.
But Anthea saw nothing of this, heard
nothing of the suppressed excitement in his
voice; for she was thinking that by now
Cassilis had read her letter, that he might
even then be on his way to Dapplemere.
She even fancied once or twice, that she
could hear the gallop of his horses hoofs.
And when he came he would want to
kiss her
why do you shiver SO, Aunty Anthea?
Are you cold?"
mo, Dear"
well, then, why are you so quiet to me?
"Have you, Dearo II was thinking.
What was the question:"
Il was asking you if you would be awful
frightened sposing we did find pixie or a
gnome in the shadows; an would you be
so very awfully frightened if a gnome--a
great, big one, you know-came jumping
out an'-ran off with YOU should your
"No!' said Anthea with another shiver,
mo, Dear-I think l should be-rather
glad of it,
Should you, Aunty? I'm-so awful
l don't s'pose there are gnomes,-I mean
great, big ones, really, you know,-but
there might be, on magnif cent night, like
this. If you shiver again, Aunty, you'll
have to take my coat
II thought heard horse galloping-
hush!"
They had reached the stle by now, the
stile with the crooked, lurking nail, and she
leaned there awhile to listen. am sure l
heard something thereon the
road!"
Il DON'T said Small Porges stoutly; so
take my hand, please, an let me 'sist you
over the stile."
So they crossed the stile, and presently
came to the brook that was the most i'm
pertinent brook in the world. And here,
upon the little rustic bridge, they stopped
to look down at the sparkle of the brook,
and to listen to its merry voice.
Yes, indeed, tonight it was as imperti-
nent as ever, laughing, and chuckling to
itself among the hollows, and whispering
scandalously in the shadows. 1t seemed to
Anthea that it was laughing at her, mock
ing and haunting her with the future. And
now, amid the laughter, were sobs and tear
full murmurs, and now, again, it seemed to
be the prophetic voice of old Nanny:
"By force we shall be wooed and by force
We shall be wed, and there is no man strong
enough to do it but him as bears the tiger
mark upon him.
The tiger mark! Alas! how very far
from the truth were poor old Nanny's
dreams, after all, the dreams that Anthea
had very nearly believed in-once or twice!
How foolish it had all been! And yet, even
now
ANTHEA had been leaning over the
g,1rgling waters while all this passed
through her mind; but now-she started
at the sound of a heavy football on the
planking of the bridge behind her, and-in
that same instant she was encircled by a
powerful arm, caught up in a strong en-
brace, swung from her feet, and borne away
through the shadows of the little copse
1t was very dark in the wood but she
knew instinctively whose arms these were
that held her so close, and carried her so e
through the shadows of the wood, away
haunting, hopeless dread of the future from
had seemed no chance or hope of escape.
And, knowing all this, she made no struge
tered no word. And now the trees thinne
from under her lashes she saw the face abov
thick, black brows drawn together, the clos
lips. the grim prominence of the strong, squa
And now they were in the road-and now
her into an automobile, had sprang in beside
they were off, gliding swift, and ever swifter