The Child of the Moat

so he picked up some sketches he had made of the children. They would often come down and sit for him and he had gathered quite a collection. What

ay and night I should have said that there could not be anything more beautiful.” He then turned to the sketches of Aline and put them aside one by one impatiently;—why could he not catch the elusive swing of those graceful poses? I

g down by the pap

“you are always writing. I ca

oing something

is nice to have some one to come to,” she

” he asked, noticing that

er so much time and trouble over it and has practically proved that it could not be Edward; because, though Edward may have taken the cu

y ridiculou

Aline who was the cause of her being shown up as wrong about Edward; and——and,” the child went on sobbing as she spoke,—“it was partly my fault. Mother knows I l

ick brown locks. “Come, tell me all about it and we

her daughter96 in her selfish way, but power was her one desire, and she wanted entirely to dictate the course of her life for her; and even in the things of little importance was apt to be tyra

Elspeth generally acts as almoner. Mother, however, has interfered lately, and has said that she will not allow it without her permission and that, she w

, it must be ve

was to tell Aline to go and speak to her directly she came back. I warned her how angry mother was and Aline asked me what it was all about. I said that I was not absolutely certain, but that I thou

do,” said Ian, “I hav

le thief,’ she said, ‘taking things that do not belong to you and giving them to your good-for-nothing friends, you

e to me, money indeed, what money have you, you miserable child of a penniless wastrel? Your father was never more than a petty laird at the best and he had not even th

aid about her being a thief, but answered;—‘My father was a gentleman, your father did not b

e princess,

insolent hussie, he was a wretched good for nothing ne’e

t a sort of unnatural calm. She turned as white as chalk and said very slowly and softly, almost h

e down full length upon the floor. She snatched up a heavy riding strop and beat Aline furiously with

e mother and it is so difficult. I

and after a time she calmed down and

han ever—and Ian felt his flesh creep—his father might think that she was a heretic too and then.... Again the vision of Aline burning in the flames rose vividly and distinctly before him, as though it were an actual sight. Ian groaned in agony. “O Lord,” he cried, “not that, not that!” He was nearly beside himself; but as the vision passed away he grew calmer. He still walked rapidly to and fro, however, and clenched and unclenched his hands till the nails dug into the flesh. Here was this99 sweet child, the sweetest thing that h

one,” he said, bringing his fist down on the top of a chair with a crash, “I will make one.” T

s obviously impossible; so Ian thought that it would be best for her to relieve her feel

such dreadful things about father and now she has been telling every one that I am a t

She loses her temper just as I do and I do not think that she really meant any

0

and it does not really matter to him now what she says, and it does matter to me when p

ng with a tress of the wonderful hair. “No one who really knew you could b

a fresh cloud seemed to gather and she went on; “Do you think that ‘Moll o’ the graves’ really can tell the future? Sh

t he spoke as calmly as he could. “Oh, one cannot say; I am afraid

le quarrel about something and many people think that it was old Moll who terrified

e way to superstition. It is only by allowing her to frighten us that she

in from Barnard Castle to see her and I said, ‘Of a truth, what is the matter with Joan?’ and he rep

he said, was good, but he would suggest better. He knew a very learned physician in Durham and also a good woman who would house the child if

then you will see little Joan coming back well and s

Janet Arnside’s agai

le growing on the outer bank, where the part of the wall had broken away, and sheltered from the wind on the south side, water lilies were floating in the dark water. It was a still, lovely day an

s old moat,

nk it looks cruel and I feel that something102 terrible might happen

kindly and protecting as it goes round the house; it migh

d Audry, “and you said you wanted to go

vy sullen splash and the sound echoed back from the walls. Aline stood a moment and watche

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ING PELE-TOWER GRANARY A