Norston's Rest

as well aware that his presence in such company must be an intrusion; for he was the only son of a farmer on the estate, and had just re

accomplish nothing more. The horse, which he sat with some uneasiness, had been purchased for the occasion unknown to his father, who had intrusted the selection of a farm-horse to his judgment, and was quite ignorant that the beast had

r an hour, as it seemed to him, wondering what course the hunt would take, the horse suddenly lifted his ears, gathered up his limbs, and, before his rider could guide the movement, leaped a low wall into a corn-field and was scouring toward some broken land beyon

ver walls and ditches, and winding up the long slope o

the first bay of the hounds had inspired his horse. He plunged on like the

race or dangerous leap. In wild excitement he wheeled and made a dash at the wall. The horse took his leap bravely, but a d

probably saved his life, but he gathered himself up at last and looked around. The hunt was just sweep

o him, and after gathering up his cap and dusting his garments, he would have been quite ready to mount again, and sa

from that standpoint or determine how far he was from home. In order to make himself

sed of a fine expanse of forest and farming land, through which a considerable stream sparkled and wound an

on's Rest" estate, but that was so broad and covered so m

hat several houses were built on its slope, and most of the land was under some sort of cultivation. The nearest of these houses was a low structure, old and dilapidated, on which the sunshine was lying with pleasant brightness. If nature had no

ernible about the place. It was a broken picture-nothing more; but an artist would have longed to sketch the old place, for a giant walnut-tree flung its great canopy of branches over

ith dead twigs crept toward the thatched roof. The walls about the house were broken in many places, a

were springing up side by side with the vegetables, and both were richly overtopped in irr

ked at it a second time but for some object that he saw flitting through the garden, that

many colors knotted about her neck. She was bareheaded, and the sunshine striking down

rance, and stood a while gazing upon it. Then his

id. "The creature moves like a leopard, and jumps-goodness,

; but there was no mistaking the easy sway of her movements or the picture

ds, treading down the shoots that were tinging them with departing greenness. All at once she drop

ots, Storms became conscious that the old house, with

rink of water," he thought; "that wi

te scraped a semicircle in the earth as he opened it and made for the porch, from wh

own the hall and stood upon the threshold of the door, watching the girl as she stooped by the well, holding her garments b

bile mouth, the bright expression fascinated him. She was picturesque, and just

f milk?" he said, moving toward the well. The girl dropped her beets into the pail, a

d yesterday's cream has not been skimmed; but here is wat

nk y

eenish glass in her hand, which she dipped into the bucket and drew o

been pasturing in the orchard thrust it

ed as he took the

ld be much happier if I had

on the stones around the well, and, with a careless toss of the head, she went into

r the pail, but she swung it out of his reach and went down the e

open the gate their hands met. The girl

," she said, regarding his

n. The suggestion fla

ou think so?"

from head to foot with evident admiration. "A whole crowd of them-ladies too-went by just now with a swar

f a horse made a bolt and left me be

over the hill after the rest went out

home, and no end of trouble after, I dare say; but if

t carried her confusion of

bit to plant her foot upon the grass and sit upon the heel as she milked; but all at once she became ashamed of this rough method, and looked around

l down before her, he took up the mug f

he said, stooping down, and

e mug, was overpowered by the laughter of the gir

ing for more. Thus, with his eyes meeting hers if she looked up, and his breath floating across her cheek,

up from her hard seat, "that is done

w walked slowly away, cropping a tuft of vio

d out his han

I hel

g her black eyes, full of mischief, u

d her into the house, without waiting for an invitation, and remained there for more than an

much to learn. Her father had come into that part of the country when she was quite a child. A mother?-Of course she had a mother o

nt, derisive smile came across his lips, for there was dus

must have been!" he thoug

nothing, with her own eyes. Still, that did not make him very rich, and he had to go out to day's work for a liv

father an

to make believe he wasn't hungry when she had no supper ready after a hard day's work, which wa

d on your father?" que

ink it was, for he never did more than heave a little sigh, then take up

d much?" asked Storm

never have learned to read or write if it had not been for her father; and then, what would she have done all alone in the old house from morning till night? What did she read? Why, everything that she could lay her hands

some of these volumes,

n and brought a soiled novel, with half the paper cove

read a passage here and there. After a while he lifted his eyes, full of sinist

history books that he left for her. Then she gave a little start, and looked anxiously out of the window, sayi

tend the pleasant acquaintance he was maki

s on one side, lifted her head and followed him with her great, earnest

neck, at which she tossed her head and wheeled up a