Only a Girl's Love

as silence for a moment. "And those t

Sometimes, not often, the son Leycest

Stella. "And w

e for a few minutes. Then suddenly but gently he rose, and going to the other end of the roo

rd Leyceste

d held it to the light, and an exclama

autiful

from her, and resting it on h

grand face; one does no

a strange feeling of interest and curiosity, such

d of a hundred years ago, would have fallen in rich curls upon the square, well-formed shoulders. It was not the beauty of the face, b

by the indescribable effect prod

is lik

, should not say it, but it is like him neverthel

a hes

ace, uncle. The eyes-what is it in the eyes that

of a man's soul,

the girl looked down at the

es; but of all the race this Leycester Wyndward is the wildest and most heedless. Look at him, Stella, you see him here in his loose shooting-jacket, built by Poole; with the diamond pin in his irreproachable scarf, with his hair cut to the regulation length: I see him in armor with his sword upraised[11] to watch the pa

la s

y murders, uncle, bur

ace, with its arch smile beaming in the dark eyes an

e gambling-table, the turf, and--" he roused suddenly. "Yes, it's a beautiful face, Stella, but it belongs to a man who has done more harm in his day than all his

d then?" mur

ncle

ve been worn by an innocent child; I have heard those lips laugh as-as women are supposed to laugh before this w

suddenly an

e an old mill. Put the

e lamp light. As she did so, a strange fancy made her start and set the picture on the table suddenly.

t took possession of her so completely that with a swift g

t the picture against the wall and went bac

ast life, Stella," he

s been here. You have a quiet way o

simply. "Sometimes he would sit for hours play

"Stella, the world should have known so

f you, uncle; you should h

1

looked up

hing of-luckily for them. Your father and I were dream

pace combine the grand tones of a cathedral organ with the melodious softness of a flute. It was one of the few luxuries which the artist had permitted him

or brilliant march, but played a simple Florentine vesper hymn, which she had heard floating from the devout

es rose softly upon the evening air, and then coveri

and she rose, but with a gesture of his h

ther's voice, Ste

efrain, and hearing a slight noise as she finished, looked round, an

k the past and its dead too plainly, and he

window, and stepping out, found herself in a small garden, beautifully kept and fragrant with violets; her love for flowers was a passion, and she stepped on to the path in search of them. The path led in zigzag f

and she obeyed it; there were still deeper masses of flowers a little further down, an

pelt for the spot where she was standing. Stella glanced back toward the little white gate to discover that it was[13] not in sight, and that she had gone further than she intended. It

lla, both looked tremendously big and tall in the deceptive light, but it was not

sy, reckless way in which he sat the great animal, and in the poise of the head which, slightly thrown back, seemed in its very attitude eloquent of pride and

et gracefully, upon the stalwart frame. In simple truth the rider had thrown off his dress coat for a smoking jacket, and still wore his

of the shimmer of Stella's dress, and with a toss of the head he swerved aside and stood still. The rider brought his eyes from the sky, and raising his whip, cut the horse across the

e matter?" exclaimed its

und of the familiar voice, but stood

stinctively, before she was aware of it,

! n

his whip poised in the air, then let his arm fall, and drag

you?" he demanded, a

chlessly, motionless, and transfixed-hors

in an expression of mingled fear and pity, and a shyness struggling with maidenly pride, she made a picture which was lovely enough to sati

ull upon his face, and Stella saw the face of the portrait wh

into each other's eyes in silence, but that moment meant so much to each of them! It was the horse that broke the spell by attempting to rise ag

ord should cause the vision to vanish into

your

sounded so entirely, so earnestly, so intensely significant and full of meaning that all the commonplace drifted from them, and they conveyed to the listener's ear

hoing chord. The picture which had so awed her had been dumb and voiceless; but now it seemed as if it had spoken even

self-protection, against what

usical, his eyes raised to hers. "I am afraid I frighten

him, and a faint color

don; I am not frightened, b

standing quiet enough now,

; "an obstinate idiot, and incapab

hed him," said Stell

his eyes and his lips that smile of which Mr. Et

I am going to

id, with simp

her with a

1

ight is one of them. We have not seen each other for some little time, and he has forgotten

robably had known for a moment what nervousness or embarrassment meant. Judging by his tone, the easy flow of the musical voice, the

ple and direct manner. "If not, perhaps that will do it?" and taking the whip, a strong hunter's crop, in

, and her dark eyes beamed down

you were afraid you shou

led up

en tempted beyond my strength. He is a bad-tempe

changing as subtly as

esitated

tell me-I shall

with one hand to the li

d not whip you. It is not fair, as you are both s

lash of surprised amusement, such as might have shone in those of the giant Gulliver wh

" he said, after a pause. "Wi

felt safe up there above him, where

m gathering some li

er hand for a branch above her head. The next moment

th one sweep he drew the fra

to it, and his fingers closed over it with a grasp firm as steel, but as smooth as a woman's. As the warm fingers[16] closed over h

tly. "The Spring evenings are t

re was a look in his eyes and a movement of his hand which s

ot at a

e air, gentle as it was, of a man who was

ittle white gate t

idge's, the artist's?" he said

head; his eyes s

here-are st

es

you in Wynd

ever here ti

hoed. "I knew that I h

lly unlike commonplace flattery, tha

her side, the bridle thrown over his arm, the great

ight,"

had seen it as he rode toward her, his eyes fixed intently on her

," he repli

all its musical gentleness, an

rectness. "If you have only come to-night I shall not be a

la s

e said, as s

Etheridge, I am Mr.

orget. My name," and he raised his hat with a simple ges

next moment she could have calle

; "and came here only

brow in true southern fashion, and lent a significant eloquen

e asked, his eye

1

s if vexed at her hesitation. "I

d a curi

to read her thoughts. "I wonder whether you were prejudiced by w

range one,"

ess it. Good-night!"

she said, and impulsively

whatever he may have felt, as

anged my mind. I shall not go. It is only good-night," and with a s

ype="