The Front Yard

left Salerno behind her, and was f

rt at her door. Upon this occasion, after what they called an inspiring ride (to any one else a series of mad gallops), they had dismounted at a farm-house, and leaving their horses, had strolled down to the shore. It was a lovely day, towards the last of March; the sea, of the soft misty blue of the southern Med

a moment," s

t n

do you expect t

meant that you were not the ideal companion for sea-side musing; you nev

poetry," John

plain, in the teeth of the wind, I have never had any

you ha

plenty. Of t

you have," said As

many peoples. I shouldn't have appreciated you otherwise; I should have thought you dangerous-horrible!

ted!-mil

u acknow

eel

xistence-will you come and tell me how it has paid you, please? You are so preternaturally intelligent, and you have such a will of your own, that

tiresomeness of existence. But you put your question off to some

In the first place,

ave," said Ash; his vo

ty peasant girl you meet?" Mrs. Graham demanded, turni

ut it has nothing to

wered, after she had fastened the last

hend. Well, if you acknowledge that it makes no difference-I mean about the peasant girls-we're just where we were

n its sweetness any apparent rebuke expressed by her words. "Do I know what you are in reality, or care to know? I know wh

the end of it? You wouldn

another person; I am not at all as you see me here. In Paris you would call me a doll. Come, don't disse

W I AM YO

e hoofs upo

fainter, fai

"The idea of that old Virgi

from nothing; I got an education-no matter now how I got it; I studied law. In ten years I had won such a position in my profession (my branch of it-I was never an office lawyer) that everything lay open before me. It was only a question of a certain number of years. Not only was this generally prophesied, but I knew it myself. But by that time I had found out

es

don't s

by all

distance

m not enough in earnest. I am never in earnest long about anything. I am changeabl

ove with you." He did not move as he said this, b

ne else here." She stood there watching the wavelets break at her feet. Nothing in her

think of you? You have a face to

d, and began to cross th

ression. It seems to say as you talk, coming straight from those divine lips, those sweet eyes: 'I could love you. Be good and I will.' Why, you have alm

ot look up, though she knew that his

n hair, closely cut; but, in spite of the shortness, many silver threads could be seen on the brown-a premature silver, as he was not yet thirty-five. His face was beardless, thin, with a bold eagle-like outline, and strong, warm blue eyes, the blue eyes that go with a great deal of color. Ordinarily, Ash had now but little color; that is, there was but little red; his complexion had a dark brown hue; there were many deep lines. The mouth, the worst feature, had a cynical droop; the jaw conveye

mounted her. She gathered up the reins; but he sti

the eyes; between the fair eyebrows a perpendicular line was v

tire me," she answered, smiling. She had

throw me over, Pauline," he pleaded. And as he spoke, on his brown, deepl

g as there is no one e

they were flying