Wylder's Hand

n Lake Takes Hi

f Redman’s farm pursued their dialogue; Rachel Lake had

p, Radie?’ he asked rather sud

line; yes, she must be quite grown up by this time —

agitated still, was now

ck hair — rather on a large scale, but certainly handsome. A style I admire rather, though it is not very refined

ed, with a gentle

ould not afford to admire her if she had not; but I see you are not just now in a mood to trouble yourself ab

h would not stoop to ask for the revelation which he chose to defer; so she said, ‘Dorcas and I are very good friends; but I don’t know very well what to make of her. Only I don’t

like you?’

s, and I have no complaint to make of her. She has some aversions, but no quarrels; and has a sort of laziness — mental, bodily, and moral —

ough to be fussed a lit

erence. She is either a fool or a very great philosopher, and there is something g

e enough. What pretty little tea-cups, Radie — quite charming

on the little marble ta

e tea equipage on the table unnoticed, and the captain was sipping hi

edly slow, is not it? Do they enter

ady Chelford and her s

at a dreary thing a dinner party made up of such people must

a wolf or a f

you wish it, I’ll carry my fangs elsewher

s in the

nd Captain Lake laughed like a man who enjoys a

way; he has got the vica

ot quite such a fool

80 a year! but he’s

an he ever was plucked. I dare say he’s the kind of fellow you’d like very well, Radie.’ An

I like his wife,

￡180 a year;’ and the captain laugh

nk they are about the happiest, and I’m sure the

You preserve your good looks wonderfully. I

slight wave of his hand, and his odd smile,

im quickly, and the gush and tinkle of the clear brook rose faint and pleasantly through

ttle stunned and strange, although sh

ylder was not the person for any such office. I hope Stanley does not intend trying to extract money from him; anything rather than that degradation — than that villainy. Stanley was always impracticable, perverse, deceitful, and so foolish with all his cunning and suspicion — so very foolish. Poor Stanley. He’s so unscru

ave taken no such dark colouring and portentous proportions. But living in a small ol

y taken, and repeated, rather bitterly, ‘My on

. But though something of a nun in her way of life, there was no germ of the old maid in her, and money was not often in her thoughts. It was not a bad dot; and her Brother Stanley had about twice as much, and therefore was much better off than many a younger son of a duke. But these young people, after the manner of men were spited with fortune; and indeed they had some cause. Old General Lake had once had more than ten thousand pounds a year, and l

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