Gone to Earth

a small plant called virgin's pride. Its ephemeral petals, pale and bee-haunted, fluttered like banners of some lost, forgotten cause. The garden was hazy wi

n under the hawthorn by the gate, and looked like a patriarch beneath a pale green tint. As day declined the music waxed; he played with a tenderness, a rage of delight,

taters to jeath

she replied, co

ir with one hand and threw a stone at her

beast!' sh

rs!' He conti

g. Neither of them ever let such things as anger, business, or cleanliness interfere wit

slipped lower; leaf shadows began to tremble on Hazel's pinafore, which, with its faded blue and

ways announced his tunes in this wa

dowy garden with her hair loose and her abandon tempered by weariness. He stood behind the hedge until

ed the gate

tart you give me!' sa

s is yo

A

was more obvious; she had been comparatively tidy before. Now her disreputableness co

came n

ith a nod towards the cottage. 'O' course, he's

k of your father

not? He be

rees yours?' he asked

see'-she smiled winningly-'as there's plenty of them. Foxy likes 'em. He f

law was little short of appalling. Yet, in spite of all these things, he had felt such elation, such spring rapture when Hazel danced; the world took on such strange new colours when she looked at him that h

-' he

. 'Ah! I like it right well! Breathin' stron

ver's

? It's that road there. Somebod

estiny was pacing silently towards them with his advancing figure, nor why he rode up and down this road and oth

f you'd marry me

he, dazed wi

a good home, and I will try to be a good

e like a willow-wren singing.

e as much as

r m

very quick

fraid

a green gown with

ubtfully, wondering what h

h a cloth on like at-' She stopped. She could not te

, de

at sleepy old lady as

other!' thou

r the top of her spectacles like a

g that his mother must wait to be rein

t, then;

k gently. She accepted the kiss placidly. The

le sister.' Then, to make matters clearer, he added: 'and you shall

how g

voice was wistful in its

l like it r

for himself. He was usually left out of things, and stood content

ll give you a token til

of the faint pin

ts name?'

in's

he was as innocent as her little fox, and as free fro

nd a very sweet name,' he said,

ng his

e situation struck him, and he laughe

or them missions to buy clothes for savages as 'd liefer go ba

to marry

ared. Then he jerked his thumb

k at the floor, man! Look at the apern she's got on! Law

was nettled an

he would have looked at a heifer. 'Still, I suppose she's an 'ooman

when she will wi

aughed

at's what! Just tell her what to do, and she'll do it if you giv

outlook and manner of exp

rrangements to her

id you,' said Abe

told to 'give her one for herself.' She looked at him under her lashes, and wondered if he would. There was something not altogether unpleasant in the idea. She felt that to be ordered about by young lips and struck by a youn

er to her and

be my wife, H

Not for ab

el. 'Hark at her! Thro

sence,' said Edward, stu

E

rudely. He was surprise

-mouthed. Hazel la

ou hit 'un?' she

l! What a th

e

, when shall

ismay on his face, and enjoying her new power. Then she

for days an' day

me pear-drop

l, you must think of bett

er,' she said, 'with

, 'don't you want to think of helpi

cons

long and solem

r curtly. 'But if I did

sure again. Then s

u preach long and solemn, mi

other!' But that did not prevent his being anxious to have Hazel safely at the

to May, Hazel, ear

e it rig

it the day after the

nd go to it

with fath

e sung, you can h

kindly, M

war

'ar

e round

aric child, prematurely aged. He was aged and had lines on his face because he enjoyed life so much, for joy bites as deep as sickness or grief or any other p

as much less attractive than in his natural sulkiness. Abel did not know how near he came once or twice to frustrating an end that he thought very

' he asked Edward when

her, or shall

ther's calm taking for granted that Foxy's fate (and her own) depended on his whim and Edward's

eeing those wild red lights that burn in the eyes of the hunter, and are reflected in

t was quite clear to him when he thought of his

ancient rabbit, I'll wager!' queried Abel. 'Well, m

l put in anxiously, 'and nobody'd ever know they w

ted with

ak!' he said. 'And the rab

ly ended the

ey shall all c

connecting them with the great 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto these-' He had never seen the tex

leeged,' Hazel said

conferring the

brown, dignified, and golden of eye-looked mistru

the old lady u

ard; and then-'she show

ng of bei

take care of her and of you, an

night-critical, attent-in a silenc

his task, because he saw that in making H

ght,' he thought, 'for He is

ng came up behind him. It was Reddin return

er in your parish,

consi

on the far side

y daug

is only

am

as g

of the two men in the dusk, both wanting her with a passion equal in suddenness and force, but different in quality. She wanted neither. Her passion, no less intense, was

room in her heart for human passion, she had no room for it now. She had only room for the little creatures she befriended and for her eager, q