The Lady of the Aroostook

up so late, parting with friends, that they had found themselves early risers without having been abed. They both

ad surmised her natural history. Women had always been dear and sacred to him; he liked, beyond most young men, to be with them; he was forever calling upon them, getting introduced to them, waiting upon them, inventing little services for them, corresponding with them, and wearing himself out in their interest. It is said that women do not value men of this sort so much as men of some other sorts. It was long, at any rate, before Dunham-whom people always called Charley Dunham-found the woman who thought him more lovely than every other woman pronounced him; and naturally M

Lydia, smiling sunnily as he spoke, and holding h

ered, "not at

Dunham, looking about to see if there were not something he could do fo

first time I wa

seemed to have made many voyages. It appeared to him that if there was nothing else he could do for Lydia, it was his duty to talk to

said

your pardon; I mean you mus

iously. "It looks like the Flood. It seems a

ood. And it has that quality, which I've often noticed in

said

e sunset, and would pass in a few minutes. Perhaps we feel

at it forever,

t deal of affectation for social purposes, a very sincere person. His heart warmed more and more to the lonely girl; to be talking to her seemed, af

y been in the cabin, and here; and this morning," she added, con

nham. "Wouldn't you like to go forward,

u," answered L

wind drifted her slightness a step or two aside.

paces, a lurch of the ship flung her against Dunham's side; he cau

along the ship's sides, and, as her bows descended, shot forward in hissing jets of spray; away on every hand flocked the white caps. "You had better keep my arm, here." Lydia

omehow," ad

s of heaven swooping down upon them from all the airy heights. The sweet wind beat in their faces, and they

all!" crie

was discomfited, for he was at a loss what other attention to offer. Just at that moment a sound made itself

," she asked, "th

. "What could it have b

d there, in dangerous proximity to the pots and frying pans, they

a. "They seemed to wake me with their

He wished Staniford were there to take shame t

said, "Dey won't trouble you much, miss. Dey don't g

I wouldn't say that!" The cook and L

It don't make any difference to me which I kill. I dunno

d Dunham, in repetition

to be eaten, sooner or later; and it must have been less in commiseration of their fate than in self-pity and regret for the scenes they recalled that she sighed. The hens that burrowed yesterday under the lilacs in the door-yard; the cock that her aunt so often drove, insulted and exclamatory, at the head of his harem, out of forbidden garden bounds; t

feed them?" he asked by a happy inspiration. He turned to the cook, with h

He went inside, and reappeared with a pan

you got some grain, you know, of som

he coop flung the provision inside. But the fowls were either too depressed in spirit to eat anything, or they were not hu

to it," obse

the poultry with silent disappointment. "Ar

pet chickens when I

se," suggested Dunham. "That w

eghorn. Leghorn breed," she added, in reply

cockerel, and drawing it forth was about to offer it to Lydia, when in its struggles to escape it drove one of its spurs into his hand. Dunham suddenly released it; and then ensued a wild chase for its recapture, up and down the ship, in which it

ooked round. Half the ship's company, alarmed by his s

Dunham, instead of letting him talk to her; she asked him questions, and listened with deference to what he said on such matters as the probable length of the voyage and the sort of weather they were likely to have. She did not take note of his keeping his handker

u. What consummate tacticians the least of women are! It's a pity that they have to work so often in such dull material as men; they ought always to have women to operate on. The youngest of them has more wisdom in human nature than the sages of our sex. I must sa

"She talked very well,

o, except suffer a visible pang of homesickness at the sight of unattainable poultry?

of the kind. Her talk was like any pleasant tal

ivilization, while their men folk are still sunk in barbaric uses. Lurella, I see, is a social creature; she was born for society, as you were, and I suppose you will be thrown a good deal together. We're all likely to be associated rather familiarly, under the circumstances. But I wish you would note down in your mind some points of her conversation. I'm really curious to know what a girl of

aid Dunham, "why don't you

cence upon hers is invaluable. I can understand her better through you.

nd his Western projects, which took more definite form now that he had placed so much distance between himself and their fulfillment. With half a year in Italy before him, he decided upon a cattle-range in Colorado. Then, "I should like to know," he said, after o

s she been associate

she's taken some high-browed, hollow-cheeked high-school principal for her ideal. Or it is possible that she has never had attention from any one. That is apt to happen to self-respectful girls in rural communities, and their beauty doesn't save them. Fellows, as they call themselves, like girls that have what they call go, that make up to them. Lurella doesn't seem of

count for her bein

s how to out-preen all the others. I wonder," added Staniford, in a more deeply musing tone, "if

she saw that it would have added to my annoy

an afraid of you, for once in your life! Well, hurry up your acquaintance with her, Dunham, or I shall wear myself out in mere speculative analysis. I haven't the aplomb for studying the sensibilities of a young lady, and catching chickens for her, so as to produce a novel play of emotions. I thought this voyage was going to be a season of mental quiet, but having a young lady on board seems to forbid that kind of repose. I shouldn't mind a half dozen, but one is altogether too many. Poor little thing! I s

arette overboard; it struck, a red spark amidst the lurid phosphor