The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-07-29
knew Inat It was my COUSIN nule.

Knew tlat 1t was my COUSIN hule.
knew 1t, say, and yet had she
not touched me might have passed
her score of times and never known
it. My word, If jim Horscroft had
asked me then If she were pretty or
no should have known how to answer
him! She was dark. much darker
than is common among our border
lassies. and yet with such a faint
flush of pink breaking through her
dainty color. like the deeper flush at
the heart of a sulphur rose. Her lips
We're red and kindly and firm. and
even then at the first glance. I saw
that light of mischief and mockery that
danced away at the back of her great
dark eyes. She took me then and
there as though T had been her heri
tage. put out her hand and plucked
me. She was, as I have said. in
black. dressed in what seemed to me
Il wondrous fashion, with a black veil
pushed up from her brow.
"Ah. Jack" said she, in a mincing
English fashion that she had learned
at the boarding school. "No. no. we
are rather old for that" This be-
1
cause l. in my awkward fashion, was
pushing my foolish brown face for
ward to kiss her, as had done when
saw her last.
as this our carriage7 How funny
It looks. And where am to sit7"
"On the sacking." said I.
"And how am I to get there?"
"Put your foot on the hub said I;
'I'll help you" I sprang up and took
her two little gloved hands In my
own. AS she came over the side. her
breath blew in my face, sweet and
warm, and all that vagueness and un-
rest seemed in moment to have been
shredded away from my soul. felt
as If that instant had taken me out
from myself and made me one of the
race. 1t took but the time of the flick
ing of the horses tail. and yet some
thing had happened, barrier had
gone down somewhere. and l was lead
ing a wider and wiser life. felt
1t all in gush, but, shy and back
ward as I was. I could do nothing but
fiatten ont the sacking for her. Her
eyes were after the coach which was
rattling away to Berwick, and sud-
denly she shook her handkerchief In
the air.
"He took off his hat" said she; "I
think he must have been an officer. He
was very distinguished looking; per-
haps you noticed him-a gentleman on
the outside. very handsome, with a
brown overcoat."
4 1 shook my head, with all my flush
of joy changed to foolish resentment.
"Ah, well. I shall never see him
again. Here are all the green braes,
and the brown, winding road. just the
same as ever. And you, Jack-I don't
see any great change in you, either.
hope your manners are better than
they used to be. You won't try to
put any frogs down my back, will
your
crept all over when I thought of
such a thing "We'll do nll we can to
make you happy at West Inch," said I,
playing with the whip.
"Tm sure it's very kind of you to
take poor, lonely girl In" said she
ITS kind of you to come. Cousin
Edie," I stammered. you'll find 1t
very dull. fear"
II suppose 1t is little quiet. Jack.
Not many men about. as remember
1t. BY the way. that Grabbed old doc
tor had a son. had - not?"
"Oh. yes. that's Jim Horscroft my
best friend"
"Is he at homer"
"No; he'll be home soon. He's still
at Edinburgh. studying"
"Ah, We'll keep each other company
until he comes. Jack. And I'm very
tired. and wish 1 was at West Inch"
| I made old Souter Johnnie cover the
ground as he had never done before or
since, and in an hour she was seated
at the supper table, where my mother
had laid out not only butter but a
| glass dish of gooseberry jam which
sparkled and looked fine In the candle
light. could see that my parents
were as overcome as was at the diff
ference in her. though not in the same
way. After supper, when she had
gone to her bed. they could talk Of
nothing but her looks and her breed
ing.
by the way, though" says my IA
ther. at does not look as If she were
heartbroke about my brothers DEATH"
And then, for the first time. re-
membered that she had never said a
word about the matter since had met
her.