Snow-Bound at Eagle's

had brought its fresh greenness to the winter-girt domain, and a fresh coat of dazzling white to the barrier that separated its dwellers from the world beyond

of cattle to the meadows nearer the house, and at a safe distance from the

as she was effectually excluded from it. She had not only discarded her white dress as a concession to the practical evidence of the surrounding winter, but she had also brought out a feather hat and sable muff which had once graced a fashionable suburb of Boston. Even Falkner had exchanged his slouch hat and picturesque serape for a beaver overcoat and

ver here from your friend's house to spend the evening-for the sake of old times," she added, with an unconscious air of referring to an al

a people has shown it to be a garment best fitted for the

difference. You look differently and act differently, so that there is som

our civilized prejudices, is to

stage-coach while I was in it, I'd have handed you my watch and purse without a word. There! you are not offended?" she added, with a laugh, which did not, however, conceal a certain earnestness. "I suppose I ought to have said

ould have given enough of your time to the highwayman, Miss Scott, as would have enabled you to identify him for the police-and no mo

inly. But Kate only buried her face in her lifted muff, slightly raised her pretty shoulders, and, dropping her tremulous eyelids, walked on. "It seems a pity," she said, after a pause, "that we cannot preserve our own miserable exi

kass rabbit?" he s

ity you didn't take your g

he rifle for

is only aggres

A long interval-as it seemed to Kate-elapsed; the animal appeared to be already safely out of range, when the rifle suddenly cracked; the hare bou

knew what

n, as John does, and then not killing it outright," said Kate.

said F

gentle

her hand shading her eyes, was looking around the cle

t is

not

alkner, with an amused sm

an eagle's feather for my ha

id it's on

will do. S

w his own with a slight smile, and raise

it's what you want

-qui

en fell like a plummet at a distance which showed the difficulty of the feat. Falkner started from her side before the bird reached the gr

e it was kil

ff," said Fa

t," said Kate conclusively. "It's lovely.

ey-

know-your friends,

perience. I've seen him do that with a pistol. Of co

performance it was probably inferior to the one she had witnessed. Falkner, who had pic

e, you pointed out that rock on the mountain where the poor

hed. I am afraid you were right; they have either e

own to only four. There's a bear and that shabby, over-grown cat you cal

re not all of a ki

hy

keep them from being

t would be simply awful to be shut

their different natures and habits, to be happy

bear and the lion find the fox and the wolf

Falkner, st

ry away a much better opinion of the

n advance of her on the staircase, as if she had left the parlor for a moment before they entered the house. Falkner, too, would have preferred the company of his own thoughts, but Lee, apparently the only unpreoccupied, all-pervading, and boyishly alert spirit in the party, hailed him from within, and obliged him to present himself on the threshold of the parlo

nd strode rapidly to his side. "Look here, George, we must, I must leave this

and say what you want quick, before Mrs.

at's not wh

get away. Have you proposed to Beacon Street, and sh

; b

you mean? DON

live this pe

you're a millionaire, and think of buying the place for a summer hotel, I should say you'd better quit that kind of lying. But, on the other hand, I don't see the necessity of your dancing round

and her mother-that you might tell them the whole story? That is, tell

pose I don't believ

t, of making everything seem like a matter o

id. Are you prepar

nd then replied, "Yes, anything wo

Then you would be willing

underst

n angel, with the pervading capacity of a cat. Now listen! I don't pretend to be in love with anybody here, but if I were I should hardly take advantage of

hould expect to go at once, and that wo

found the trail by which Manuel escaped. Do you intend to camp out

irting with Mrs. Hale," said Fal

n equal terms. Nothing that she could learn about me hereafter would make a flirtation with me any less wrong

me to keep aloof from he

he situation, and pay her some attentio

utterly heartless

ed

idly to the firepl

e-I'm a fool-and a

say nothing yet to either of these women. I ask it for your own sake, and this girl's, not for mine. If, on the contrary, you are tempted to do so from any Qu

t under

-the Beardless Boy Chief of the Sierras-has spoken! Let the Pale Face with the black mo

of his eyes seemed to have grown more profound. He remained motionless and absorbed in thought so deep that the light rustle of a skirt, that would at other times have thrilled his sensitive ear, passe

ween yourself and some old flame. I haven't heard anything so old-fashioned and conservativ

ence which was passed over it was spared her. There was, however, still enough dissonance in his manner to

Lee, I hope? You have no

not in the grave at least mummified with band

tight. There is nothing so irritating to on

of the blue-veined lids, and the delicate atmosphere that seemed to surround her like a p

nds," he said, looking at her inten

the challenge of his direct gaze, and, raising her eyes to his, drew back a little fr

his hands behind his head, and leaning back on the s

ld seem cruel to have anything interfere with our life of forgetting and being forgotten. But," she added with apprehensive quickness, "has anything happened? Is

sfigured her wearied and wearying regularity of feature, that Lee contented himself

th a slight smile. "I believe something HAS happen

ound out something

t troubl

do

t a s

N

it to me at dinner," she said,

t all, I must tell it now,"

it seems to be a secret, after all." She hesitated.

t Ned has made a poor return to your ho

as known her for

ry to appreciate and love a woman. I think it can be done in

, and did not come until later, you must take

shall not ab

ings?" she continued hurriedly. "He c

reason. And to preserve that little

would be v

" he said, lookin

ked in her turn,

, or-worse; who had looked for loyalty and devotion only in the man who battled for him at his right hand in danger, or shared his privations and sufferings. Think of such a man, and imagine that an accident has suddenly placed him in an atmosphere of purity, gentleness, and peace, surrounded him by the refinements of a higher life than he had ever known, and that he found himself as in a dream, on terms of equality wi

. Falkner

ou!" said he demurely. "But that

ou to plead his cause with Kate,"

e powers in that way for

did not move away. "It IS Kate coming," she added hurriedly, stooping to

s. Hale. "It seems I have a faculty of upsetting existing arrangements without the power of improving them, or even putting them back in their places. What shall I do? I am willing t

was all the time looking after something for you, when I begged him t

comes to the worst here you would probably prefer me to Ned and his moustachios, merely b

er addressed himself to Mrs. Scott, almost entirely. Mrs. Hale was fain to bestow an exceptional and marked tenderness on her little daughter Minnie, who, however, by some occult childish instinct, insisted upon sharing it with Lee-her great friend-to Mrs. Hale's uneasy consciousness. Nor was Lee slow

occasion for unaided exercise with an extempore crutch on the veranda which allowed Mrs. Hale to pursue her manifold duties without the necessity of keeping him company. Kate also, as if to avoid an accidental meeting with Falkner, had

rence with Mr. Falkner

Kate quic

out at dinner last night, and you did

lor. "I shouldn't wonder if he was a little vexed with Mr. Lee's chaffing him about his sport yesterday, and probably intends

Hale quickly. She stopped herself, but with a h

w, stamping up and down the veranda. P

things have got dreadfully behind in the last week. You had better go, Kate, and make

g the terrace before the house. They were apparently absorbed in conversation, but the two women who observed them from the window could not he

? I never saw anything like the devotion of these two creatures. Look! if Mr. Falkner hasn't got his arm round Mr. Lee's waist, and L

don't see anything but some absurd sentimentalism of their own, or some mannish wickedness they're concocting by t

m sure, if anyone makes sacrifices, it is Lee; I shouldn't wonder that even now he is making some concession to

couldn't bear them out of my sight for a moment," said Kate, whisking he

the effect of lifting them a little above the social level of their entertainers. For even with all their predisposition to the strangers, Kate and Mrs. Hale had always retained a conscious attitude of gentle condescension and superiority towards them-an attitude not inconsistent with a stronger feeling, nor altogether unprovocative of it; yet this evening they found themselv

day, on the peak yonder?" said Lee gayly. "I'll have to get up

Minnie, that you are tormentin

d if you catch ever so little of it in your hand it makes all you fink you want come true! Wouldn't tha

other, and aunt Kate were still peacefully sleeping. And Mr. Lee had kept his word, and was evidently seeking it, f