Three Margarets

s were as quick and alert as if she were still a young woman, instead of being near the rounding of the completed century. She l

fall into them. You cannot expect to do much in a week, or two weeks, or three weeks. Or it may be," she would add, "that you are not to do it after all; it may be that other things and persons will be called in. The

s really too bad. Elizabeth is so sensible, I am sure she understands how it all is; but-well, the gardener, Aunt Faith! John S

you know, I should not trouble myself about that if I were you. If Elizabeth can understand that Rita has been brought up without lea

here a long time, has he not? I should think my uncle must hav

They do not incline to come to me often, I perceive. It is not strange; many very young people dislike the sight of extreme age; you have been taught differently, my

g a book that Papa had always told me about,-'The Fool of Quality,' you know it?-and I did not want to leave it. I ought to have gone; I will go now, an

en selfish to stay indoors with a book, instead of going out with her cousin; but oh, the book understood her so much better, and was so much more companionable! Now, however, she w

Peggy b

large, shouting, struggling family, that she felt, perhaps more than any of the three girls, the retirement and quiet of

hoe, and told her many valuable things concerning the late planting. Her questions were shrewd and intelligent, for Peggy had not li

is work again. "I hate to go alone, but no one would come with me. I have been over the hil

pretty strawberry patch. Go through the oak woods and along beside the bog;

? Why don't you dra

but I believe Mr. Montfort is thinking of it, miss. A short way beyond the woods you'll

good herself. Oh, how delightful it would be to have Jean here, and to have a race through the woods, and then a good, jolly romp, and perhaps a "spat," before they settled down to the business of strawberry-picking! She could have spats enough

that was you, Miss Rita,-I do!

pick up the hat again; but, setting foot on the

peat-bog! Now I've bee

one of her brothers, and gazed ruefully at the hat, which lay out of

hing out. It will never look fit to be seen again, and Ma

deceitful green that looked so fair and lovely, till she came to where a slender birch hung its long drooping branches out over the bog. Clinging to one of

e skilful angler had the satisfaction of drawing the hat toward her, and finally rescuing it from its perilous position. Not all of it, however; the flower, the yellow rose, once Peggy's pride and joy, had become loosened during the various unac

Strong could have told her where she was, but he had gone to a dis

ed for the wanderer. "My faith, why? If she can remain hid

AT T

, and said, "I had hoped you would take a walk with me, ma cousine. I pe

uld not hel

ght," she said.

she said, "Come with me, alma mia. We walk,-very likely we find La Calibana on our way. She cannot have

e answered her call; only the trees rustled, and the hermit-thrush called in answer, deep in some thicket far away. Presently, as they walked, there shot through the dark oak branches a sunny gleam, a flash of green and gold. Th

at lay beyond these woods, but have never come so far before. Sha

not for damp, très chère. Let us cross, by all mean

ich had been under her hands only the day before. "It looks-I don't know what it looks l

heart, while I bring the flower; that, at

er bubbling up behind her, and cried to her in alarm to come back; and Rita, finding the earth plucking at her feet, turned willingly toward the solid gr

Do not move, do not come near me! Run and get help!" For Ma

me in, we are both lost? I tell you there is no ground here, no bottom! I si

usin in this dreadful plight? Before help could come, she might be lost indeed, drawn bodily under by the treacherous ooze. S

hear some one whistling, a boy or a man.

amiliar voice. The next minute, Peggy came running throu

rt seemed to die within her when she saw that the newcom

ta was now deadly white; she had ceased to call. The black ooze had crept to her knees, and she no longer made any effort t

e, your eyes trained to quickness, your arms strong as steel, your wits ever on the alert where there is dang

g flat, she began slowly and cautiously to wriggle out across the surface of the quaking bog. The black water seethed and bubbled under her; but her weight, evenly distributed, did not bear on any one spot heavily enou

which kept her silent. She stood trembling, with c

d. "Lie flat, just as I am! Stretch

she obeyed without a word. Stretching her arms as far as they would go, she touched the end of the stake,-touched, grasp

't come over, but reach out and give us a haul in

ng Rita with her; they were close by,-she had hold of Peggy's skirt. The stout gathers held,-which was a miracle, Peggy sa