Dorothy at Skyrie

which led to Deerhurst, and had hurried to meet him. The shrubbery hid her from view of Mrs. Chester and the Babcock girls, and for a moment mother Martha's heart sank with th

Did Mrs. Calvert know? How do you like Deerhurst? Are you going to be happy there? Shall you have a chance to study some? Must you work in the garden all the time? Oh! I want to know everything all at once and

so. She had sent him with a basket of fruit from her own fine garden for the family at Skyrie and had bidden him take the Great Danes along to give them their morn

That there dog'll get away

I'm not one bit afraid of you now, even if once you did nearly kill me and scared me out of my senses! O Jim! I'm so ha

the touch of a troublesome insect. In his eyes this little maid whom he had rescued from her imprisonment on Mrs. Stott's truck-farm was the most wonderful of h

oticed it as, whirling about to suit her movements t

There's a little one inside-so narrow and twisted, Jim, that even I can hardly walk straight up it but have to go sidewise. Then the back of the house is even with the ground. I mean that the biggest, best room of all, which is father John's, opens right on the garden.

fore long too. S'pose you hain't hea

at sort of a 'haunt' is it? Masculine, feminine, o

ion loosened the chain attached to Peter's collar. But she caught it again, deftly, and faced her friend,

y!" she protested, imperatively. "Say it quick, too, 'cause I haven't had my

ese working garments were new and of the best quality, provided by his new employer, but like in cut and comfort to those he had always worn. His feet alone bothered him, for a barefooted person could not be permitted about Deerhurst and his shoes were s

h, then, but that ruff

ssy green on

shingles

ndow-panes are like an

'em is cracked o

u are! But you cannot say but

ust-class for givin'

sometimes affected mother Martha's health. But she was not to

den, anyway. Think of all that room for

ll it a reg'l

which seemed to come

that the thing you most longed for-after your education-was to own land. Look yonder, all that ground, inside thos

ad of him! Now I'm goin' on. I was told to give this basket to Mis' Chester and this note I've got in my jumper pocket to Mr. I'd r

n't like girls! Well, there was Alfaretta Babcock waiting for him, and he should be made to go through a formal introduction in punishment for his want of sympathy! She managed that he should precede

kitchen where breakfast was waiting and the three Misses Babcock with it. They sat in a row on the old lounge, the

t gravity, yet anticipating a funny, awkward scene. But she was unprepared for what really did happen, as Alfaretta promptly left the loun

u, but I ain't now. You might be just Matthew, or Mark, or Luke, though you're too tall for John. He's my littlest brother. Pshaw! To think any plain kind of a boy, same's them, could be a 'hero.' Ain't that queer? Did you come to breakfast, t

good will of the girl and he found himself shaking her hands with a warmth of cordiality equaling her own. She was as honest and simple-natured as

ing down the path on his crutches, and hurried o

elp? How can we feed so many people?

e for breakfast what was meant for dinner. I was dismayed by those children coming, but I'm more than glad to have t

fidgeting under their thanks and praises, which they had vainly tried to express during their brief intervi

breakfast a'ready. I couldn't. Mis' Calvert, the old lady, she sent me to fetch this basket o' garden sass to Mis' Chester: an' this letter

he doorway, dragging Ponce with him, overturning the too curious Claretta upon the floor, and making

o the villages at its foot, instead of that leafy lane which would have brought them home to their own kennel. Their long chai

rm of "mad dog" in the twin villages, "Upper" and "Lower" Riverside, and local authority was keen to corral any unmuzzled canines; and when these formidable Great Danes of Mrs. Calve

mighty limbs; and, heretofore, during their summer stays at Deerhurst they had been closely kept within bounds. They were so big that

e interfered with. They always recognize the

ld certainly object to being bitten; therefore the beautiful creatures had lived thei

rved, very weary, and reposing with an air of great innocence before their kennel doo

a spite my Miss Betty fo' keepin' 'em, anyhow. Mebbe"-here Ephraim's black face turned a shade paler-"me

oceeded to refasten the dogs to the kennel staples, and was much surprised that they submitted so quietly. Then, being as wi

wid dat dere pistol-volver in her han's, all ready fo' to shoot de fust creachah puts foot on groun'. Lak's not shoot de wrong one too. She's done got a pow'ful quick tempah, my Miss Betty has

to be, the old coachman departed stableward to attend upon his

ht up with Ponce, who suddenly darted into an open doorway of the post-office just as a gentleman emerged from it, carrying a pile of letter

upon the gentleman, who staggered under the unexpected blow and fell backward upon the floor, with the lad atop. In the

ting the distribution of the mail; but the assaulted gentleman proved as agile as he was furious and, as he gaine

how dare you knock me down like that? Set you

wer was to send a telling blow into the gentleman's face. This was "assault" in truth, and oddly enough seemed to restore the victim to perfect coolness.

is the nearest ju

Montaigne, sir

dall have both gone to Newburgh on that bi

ce available this morning is Seth Winters, the blacksmith

o you know

utward through the crowd, he laid a firmly detaining hand upon his shoulder and for

able can do that for me. As for you,

s, and stepped out to the smart little trap awaiting his convenience. Everything about the equipage and his own appearance betokene

lt that fine house on the

ed about and dem

t you know your own mountain neigh

rses to me to be shod. Nor do I call anybody a 'neighbor' till I've found him such. The accident o

others in the office had quieted entirely, and that as he received his weekly paper-his "one

lace he laid his hand upo

my lad. Our roa

ned toward him and saw something in it which calmed hi

gone off with the Squire of his own acc

or "justices." All he knew was that he had lo