The Little Colonel's Knight Comes Riding

ike into Lloydsboro Valley, reined his horse to a walk as he reached the railroad cr

m. The other would take him a mile out of his way, but it was through a thick beech woods, and the cool leafage of its green aisles tempted him. A red-bird dar

can persuade the Van Allens to rent it for the summer. It's a pity to have a picturesque place like that standing empty when it has such possibilities for hospitality, and

paused a moment before plunging down the bank. Somewhere up the ravine a spring was trickling out in a ceaseless flow. He c

aid aloud, glancing up and down the ravine at the rank

d all of them so pleasant that he was determined to bring about their repetition if possible. Of course this summer he would not have as much time for outings as he had had then. Now that he had finished his medical course he intended to shoulder as much as pos

by skilful architects. But the resemblance was only outward. Inside it was luxuriously equipped with every modern convenience. For a year it had stood tenant-less, and Alex Shelby never passed it without regretting that such a charming old place should be abandoned to dust and spiders.

ned from sleep. The windows were all thrown open, the vines were trimmed, and were a mass of bloom, the d

per window, and Alex wondered if the agents had painters at work. He hoped so. Th

wrapping paper littered the front porch. A new hammock hung between the posts. Somebody's garden-hat lay on the steps. Moreover, a slender girl in a white

t staring as inquisitively as he was doing. Unconsciously at sight of her he had brought his horse to a standstill, and now sat wondering who she could be and what she was about to do. It was as if a cur

for an armful of

, almost as if she were singing the words, and Alex noticed for the first time, a

ly one hand was free for climbing. The other grasped some dark object that seemed to be a picture frame, though why one should be

DARK OBJECT THAT SEEME

ight. Her hair had been beautiful in the shadow; a rare tint of auburn with bronze gold glints, but now in the sunshine it was an aureole.

n the ange

the angel

ing him for an instant, was reflected into his eyes from the object she carried, and

as fast as it could gallop. The girl on the ladder had caught sight of his reflection in the mirror as she reached up to lay it on the window sill, and had turned a startled

and road into a maple-lined avenue leading back to the post-office. Just as he made the turn another surpri

e had to look twice to assure himself that he saw aright. They had

dismounting and stepping forward with bared head, to sha

ovah last Thursday, and we're school girls no longah. 'Beyond, the Alps

nding joke, Alex answered, "Well, you've certainly lost no time in starting out to explore the wide world that lies before you. I've always heard that there's nothing to equal the zeal of a sweet g

y to recall the amazing news that had sent them hurrying away from the post-office on an exc

's here in the Valley! Right here in Lloydsboro! Settled in the Lindsey Cabi

d Alex, instantly alert

Lloyd. "He wasn't out in the Valley the wint

. "She's one of the old Warwick Hall girls. Was in last year's cl

" interrupted Lloyd. "Let

ace, although inwardly chuckling over the fact that he knew well enough

urse Gay was wild to get back to the Valley, and she persuaded them to come. She wrote to me just as soon as it was decided, but the letter never reached me till this morning. She thought I would get it before I started home; but it's just like Gay

days, and when they came in last night there wasn't a soul at the station to welcome them. The ticket agent told me about it just

aking mistakes, and is always perfectly ridiculous over them when she finds it out. We're going t

k with you now," h

ing what sort of a mess they'll be in with their unpacking. But if they're r

n added as he turned to mount his horse, "I'm mighty glad I met

among the roses, with the sun making an aureole of her shining hair. He had never seen such hair. "Sandalphon, the angel of glory"-but the quotation broke off with a laugh. Her name was Gay, and it was a looking glass

ls but a moment or two, still they walked o

e we'll find her do

violin at the Freshman reception? Such a pretty white dress, and that rapt, uplifted look on her face that makes you think of St. Cecil

find her unpacking if the trunks came. But Gay's trunks nevah were known to ar

mirror on the window casing, as she had seen them in old Dutch houses in Holland; and in marking the place with the point of the only nail that she had provided on which to hang the mirror, she dropped the nail. Several minutes had been wasted in a fruitless search fo

hen Gay gingerly ascended the ladder again, armed with a pair of heavy old tongs, taken from th

to drop through the ladder anyhow, or upset herself, or have some exhibition of the usual Melville luck, even if

to earth," whispered Lloyd. "What do you suppose she's trying to d

rote that it was the triumph of her life when she got home with it whole. She carried

th. I might as well try to do it with a pair of stilts. Besides it's making dents in them, and it's wicked to spoil such beautiful old

ow and take hold with both hands. Now! Hunt ar

of the familiar little figure clinging to the ladder, and the soun

nybody calling it plain red-such a fluff of bronzy auburn with all those little cri

lack girl climbed up after her with a brick which she had dug out from the well curb. The girls waited until the nail was secure

school chums who have been separated so long a time as a whole twelvemonth. Questions, answers, explanations, a bubbling over of delight at once

burn. But we had brought a chafing dish in one of the boxes, and we found another in the pantry, and they've been mussing around for the last two hours with them, having the

ou have?" a

example of 'The old pe

sawdust

eap by

nourish

he main obje

y satisfying, and I was just going in to get a cup of brother Jameson's co

ies of breezy introductions that set them all to l

ured out a cup of very muddy coffee with such a beaming smile, and the little bride offered a very

ging in more hot water. "They're almost as harum-scarum and hap-hazard as Gay herself

come, at the very first house where I inquired. (But she can't come till nearly noon, hence this disorderly feasting and rioting.) Ca'line Allison was swinging on the gate, with her finger in her mouth. I didn't know her, but she remembered me, and complimented me by asking if I'd done brought my fiddle alo

Betty went on to Commencement with all the rest of the family, but it was hard for her to tear herself away

-in-law. "The one who I told you is such a genius. She's writing a book." Then t

hool, just as I am going to do next wintah, but Betty begged to be allowed to stay in the country. She said she'd

oud of the little song-bird you rescued from the Cuckoo's

stairs and look into my mirror. It's the joy of my heart, and maybe we'll all see our fate in it. I like to pretend that it's a sort of magic glass-that some wizard of the wood has laid a spell on it, so that at certain times a

st objects that crossed the path after you got it hung. If we wer

perience that I nearly fell off the ladder. It showed me the reflection of an awfully good looking young man on horse

just a few minutes befoah we got heah, but he nevah said a word about having seen

e it. "Oh how fine!" she called. "It's at exactly the right angle, for I can see everything along the

lines they had learned so long ago, and from f

through the

before her

f the wor

remembered it, they went on i

es through t

come riding

even in singles. There never were so few boys left in the Valley, and it's too bad to have it happen so the summe

ay. "You're a lucky girl, Kitty, to have two such

was to be in the party too. And oh Gay! Didn't you get that letter? Then you haven't heard the most important thing of all! Allison is engaged! It

r chair as if a bomb

she's only been out of school a year! The first of our class to go! O

feet, she propped her chin on her hands, and

in her ca'iage.' Well, his family is certainly quality, the Claibornes of Virginia, and she'll live in Washington and have several kinds of carriages. Isn't it odd

that young Lieutenan

to Raleigh Claiborne. That little affair was the mere A. B. C. of romance. He'

"It makes me feel like a patriarch. But never mind my hoary sensations, go

ake the trip with Raleigh. But he is so busy it may be several years before he can get off for a whole summer, and Aunt Elise persuade

her knees and rocked hersel

o much interest in a prospective bride. But the fun comes to an end so quickly. It's like Fourth of July fire works. There's a big blaze and excitement while it lasts. Then it's all over and they settle down to be just prosy common-place married people. I should think that the reaction would be dea

This was not the way Gay had been wont to talk a year ago, and each wondere

pectedness of a grasshopper's leap. "Which one

y just returned to the bosom of our families. You could hard

I told mothah I'd just stroll down to the post-office and be right back, and when I met Kitty with yoah lettah it drove ev

ou may as well draw straws to decide which is to be my victim." Then, glancing around the room-"I don't happen

salaam, and waited for them to draw. "The

each girl reached out and plucked a hair by its roots, so v

held up. "But I'm suah my family will object if I propose leaving them th

et them as soon as possible. Then when bedtime comes let them leave you. Tell them that Kitty is going to bring all her family

ds alluring. You can count on all my family, especially Ran

scrambling up from the floor, t

with the laughing remark, "Go look in your little Dutch mirror. I'm no