The Gold of Chickaree

y thoughtfully, 'do you th

riving homeward after some business

at is good for her,' the

way from Chickaree

n is thinking of,' Dr. Marylan

ardian too,' re

metimes best with a

has been very

rry to h

ever settle down and be quiet

lies in what I do

pause of a minute, 'don't you think

r, decidedly. 'What

e does not

obliged to

y else, papa, without losin

ty-five. She is not obliged to wait any longer than that

ot look at all depressed, and querying whether it was because he knew more than she did, or because he did not

nading with the peers of Mr. May. For to Wych Hazel, to care for anybody so, was to care not two straws for anybody else. The existence, almost, of other men sank out of sight. She heard their compliments, she laughed at their talk, but through it all neither eye nor ear would have missed the faintest token of Mr. Rollo's presence; and since he was not there, she amused herself with mental comparisons not very flattering to the people at hand. She could not escape their admiration, but it was rather a bore. She care to have them stand round her, and join her in the street, and ask her to drive? She enjoy their devotion? 'In idea' she belonged to somebody else, some time ago; now, the idea was her own; and she cared no more for th

and the half oblivion of things at hand, made the prettiest work that could be in face and manner. A sweeter shyness than that of the girl who had nothing to hide watched all doors that led to her secret; a fairer reserve than

l September Mr. Rollo had pledged himself to be quiet; longer it could not be expected of him. No, she must keep her distance, and keep moving; and if she had to meet her fate, meet it at least on a sudden. She could not sit still and watch it coming, step by step; she could not even sit still and think about it. If she could have persuaded Mr. Falkirk, Hazel would have gone straight to Europe, and stayed there tillshe did not know when. She had an overpowering dread of going home, and seeing Mr. Rollo, and having herself and her secret brought out into the open day. So she ru

ferent surroundings, and more quiet. Just now she i

id mother-hen's clucking round the pond. True, he stood by, and saw Wych Hazel was there; he went and came with her; but the waves of the social entertainment floated her hither and thither, and he could scarce follow at a distance, much less navigate for her. What she was doing, or saying, or engaging to do, was quite beyond his ken or his management. Besides, Mr. Falkirk thought it ill that the beautiful home at Chickaree should be untenanted; and ill that Wych Hazel's tastes and habits sh

s, he told Wych Hazel he thought she ought to go to Chickaree for t

r wanderings would cease, and she would return to her own home. Perhaps he guessed partly at the reason for her keeping at a distance, and would not hurry her by any premature importunity. And, perhapsfor some men are sohe was willing that she should run

s of his own, where Wych Hazel and Mr. Falkirk were, and was just returned after an absence of some weeks. He was a lion, of course, as any one is in a country home who has ventured out into the great sea of the world a

asked, with a view to getting intelligence through various cha

Miss Ke

looking, Arth

s, well according to you ladies,

dismay; while Rollo said no

Dr. Arthur. 'But she is coming to-morro

oth Mrs. Coles, eyeing Rollo hard by

nd deser

deserve more

iptions,' Dr. Arthur an

kes all she gets?

do anything

ow, or the most remarkable? f

e or two young Englishmen mad

ethingwas he one of

Yes, he

Arthur? Who of them i

omething. And

s. But whom does she

ou no

ce, and so could not no

ith? If you saw her dance only o

This once that I spoke of was at a private party, and th

Waltzing with her? Then he'll be the man, y

e; and it proves nothing if she was waltzing with him. Why

tia. 'Answer my question,

ith considerable disgust. 'I should choose

id Rollo. 'His testimony gets confused. Does he ever

. Arthur. 'And why you wome

hard on the people who don't go, to tell them they ought to put a stop

who takes such a young, pure face i

rry Sir Henry Crofto

silent the rest of the dinner; but so he had been the former part of it, ever since Dr. Arthur had come home to talk.