A Witch of the Hills, v. 1-2

lant; Babiole had discovered some new haunt and was never to be found; while I felt the wanderer's fever growing strong upon

lly-gleaned savings, while he, her lawful and once adored husband, did not know where to turn for a glass of beer. During the winter before I found them in Aberdeen some friends with whom both mother and child had taken refuge from his drunken fury had had to pay him a heavy ransom for thei

e of his wife, had asked Fabian's advice as to the best means of finding her, and had finally let out his conviction that she was 'doing well for herself,' in a tone of bitter indignation. Fabian had said nothing

er as the 'victim of art,' as if art had been a chronic disease. This fiction had gone on expanding and developing until the illustrious artist, to whom absence was so be

I spent my days deer-stalking, grouse-shooting, and salmon-fishing, and my evenings with To-to, Ta-ta, and my books. This estrangement helped me to make up my mind to leave Larkhall for Italy before the winter came on, and a sharp frost in the last days of

ple protection against bodily intruders, yet, in the case of wraiths, though I only rented the place, and therefore could have no family influence with the spirits of dep

was hovering about near the piano, now replaced in its original position in a corner against the wall. I suspected the identity of the musical ghost, and quietly seated myself by the fireplace to see what would happen. First, Ta-ta ran

ing away for?' I a

that she reappeared involuntarily, on he

ed I'm very sorry,' she began, 'I d

e that you should be

never do now, you know, and I thought perhaps you would be angry at my coming into

f my being away to do what y

ly, but Babiole

e you got to sa

her with the fixed and desperate earnestness of a sensitive young

hat I had been out on the hills in, and put on clean shoes, not to hurt the carpet; and I just put down

t books have yo

ut I couldn't read all, bec

t English authors are considered scarcely more suitable r

u like best of t

, all letters from different

blaze, and led the girl

me which on

he at last timidly touched a volume of The Tattler. I pointed to a modern 'popular nov

ou read

indiffe

e that better t

' indig

is all abou

isn't like any of the actresses

ny other bo

vings of British scenery, the text containing a discursive account of the places illustrated, enlivened by much historical information, apocryphal anecdote, and old

anh

me. Evidently, as in the case of Don Quixote, sh

n novels. 'Don't you like any of these?' Already

some of them-

Don Quixote and

time, her blue eyes fixed

ore as if they'd

Armadale, didn't you feel

ent. 'One night I couldn't sleep,

as much about it

vanhoe because I wanted to, and I thought

the list. But her frank young mind had absorbed no evil, and when I ask

I was always wanting to go to him, and tell him not to be so wicked and

't good enou

s a man!' Her tone

k women are be

they ough

hy

work, and women hav

rised at t

other is a very good woman, and

so. And she says it's very hard to

t was pretty to see how innocently the y

'm a man, and I d

t's why you'

that I had nothing to say. The blood rushed to

at I am good, Babio

xing her penetr

ow,' she an

eople are better wh

d was reassured that

nd made me want to cry. And then I used to look at her poor tired face and say to myself, "It's the hard work and not mamma that says those

other

and-and thin

trou

eways glance that was full of the m

says they'

nonsense,

me with the delight o

ght that. And then al

opped

ap

say that. One must make allowance

day, if you go on reading and

. But,' with a sigh, 'I wish I knew something, and could p

teach you

u? Oh, M

eeding. Four o'clock next day was fixed as the hour for the first lesson, and in the meantime I made anothe

not being prepared to give off-hand the French for 'hearthrug,' letter-weight,' and 'wainscoting.' We then went through the names of the months and the seasons of the year, after which, surfeited with information, she gave a little sigh of completed bliss, and, looking up at me, said simply that she thought that was as much as she could learn perfectly by to-morrow. I thought it was a great deal more, but did not like to discourage her by saying so. I had much doubt about my teaching, having been plunged into it suddenly without having had time to formulate a method; but then I was convinced that by the time I felt more sure of my powers my pupil's zeal would have melted a

her forepaws on my knees and wagged her tail for sympathy. I thought it very probable that Mrs. Ellmer would interfere to prevent the girl's coming again, or

verb avoir, the months, the seasons, and the pages out of th

as many phrases if I'd kn

d tire had worn away, I gave whole hours to considering what I should teach her, and to preparing myself for her lessons. As winter drew on, the darkening days gave us both the excuse we wanted for longer working hours. From three to half-past six we now

happier in my new occupation than I remembered to have been before, and as I saw sprin

afternoon in the first days of April. 'I have been making you work to

and, with a pang of self-reproach, I felt that, in spite of herself, the ea

awn breath of pleasure, 'it must be

she had written, as if absorbed in that occupation. But the little one's perceptions were too keen for me. She

n ungrateful little wr

t take her pretty apology quietly.

You don't really imagine I wanted to kee

n both of hers and

the hills again than seem un

now how your little sunbeam fac

r puzzled. 'Well, I'm very glad, but that doesn

indness at all on my

and her curly hair

body knows how good you are but Ta-ta and me; we often

is little bit of affectionate conversation as a

with you, then, to keep my

e you goi

ng to Norway f

had had no intention of the kind when Babiole came into my study that aft

ou come back

-September

't seem the sa

u are about on the h

is about, and-do you know, I think I shall be afraid to ta

ure felt towards me, the outcast, I was on the point of telling her, as carelessly as I could, tha

sappointment; 'then your friends-Mr. Scott-

the sudden chill her words had given me,

er as caretaker at Larkhall, and, with Ferguson