Aikenside

king at Aikenside. They were expected at about six in the afternoon, and just before that hour the doctor rode up to be in readiness to meet them.

he made. Would he think her awkward, or would he, as she hoped, be so much absorbed with the doctor as not to notice her? Suppose she should drop her fork, or upset one of those queer-looking goblets, more like bowls than anything else? It would be terrible, and Maddy's cheeks tingled at the very

orbear a laugh as he told her it was not of the slightest consequence whether she us

appointed, the doctor, after dinner, took his leave, telling the girls they had better not sit up. Consequently, at a late hour they both retired, sleeping so soundly as not to near the noise outside the house; th

ave said yes, for Agnes was not averse to changing her state of widowhood. She liked the doctor, but if he did not propose, and some other body did, she should accept that other body, of course. This was her intention when she left Aikenside, and when she came back, it was with the determination to raise the siege at once, and compel the doctor to surrender. She knew he was not wealthy

way," Jessie said, never dreaming of the passion she was exciting, jealousy of Maddy, hatr

would be a pretty romance, Guy Remington and Grandpa Markham's grandchild. Agnes was nervous and tired, and this helped to increase her anger toward the innocent girl. She would

you are arranging the table

lyde," was Flora's reply, while Agnes continued haughtily: "Remove

e, and young; she has always eaten with Miss Jessie and Dr. Holbro

lora was growing bold, but she only hurt the cause by menti

but it is different now, and Mr. Remi

ora persisted, her ha

ora had to do was to remove the plate, which she finally did, mut

of her brother, and thus Agnes was alone when Maddy Clyde first presented herself before her. She had not expected to find Maddy so pretty, and for a moment the hot blood crimsoned her cheek, while her heart throbbed wildly beneath the rich morning

pretending not to notice the hand which Maddy involuntarily extended toward her. "Jessie

had been very happy, and everybody was very kind. It was harder work to put down Maddy Clyde than Agnes had expected, and after a li

ustomed to having our governess very much with us. I suppose you have had the range of the parlors, sitting there when you liked, and all this was perfectly proper. Mind, I am finding no fault with you. It is all quite right," she continued, as she saw the strange look

do!" Maddy gasped, her face as white as ashes, and h

ead, which set in motion every one of

, such as-well, such as Dr. Holbrook, if you please. As you cannot be with Jessie all the while, you will, when your labors as governess are over, sit in your own room, or the schoolroom, or walk in the back yard, just as the higher servan

r enter the parlors unbidden, or intrude herself in any way. No wonder that her cheeks burned at the degradation, or that, for an instant, she felt like defying the proud woman to her face. But the angry words trembling on her tongue were repressed as she remembered her

and greatly surprised to find her thus, asked what was the matter. Then, as she did not hear him, he laid his hand gently upon her shoulder, compelling her to look up. In all her imaginings of Guy, she had never associated him with the man who had so puzzled and confused her, and now she did not for a time suspect the truth. She only thought him a guest at Aiken

her silk apron the spot of dirt which had settled upon it. "A

nger, forgot everything excep

it was a disgrace to be a governess; never heard it was so considered, or that I was not good enough to eat w

did not, for the dark expression of his face would have frightened he

ly, that she star

with me and I ought

at least-go on," was Guy's

just as soon do that. I am no better than they, only, only-the way she told me made me feel so mean, as if I was not anybody, when I am," and here Maddy's pride began to rise. "I'm just as good as she,

wondering who in the world she

but, somehow, what she said keeps making me so bad

ile she looked up at the young man, who, with a

ar it! I will die!" and Maddy sprang up a

p her, and Guy's arm held her back,

addy sobbed vehemently. "It is bad enough to have you think

ng me so cordially. If you thought I sanctioned what Mrs. Remington has said to you, you had cause to dislike me, but Miss Clyde, I do not, and this is the

l will be well," Maddy cried, feeling, at that moment, more ave

way; meanwhile go to your room and stay t

ght Mrs. Agnes. The moment she saw his face she knew a storm was coming, but was not prepared for the

t his father should stoop to marry a poor school teacher. "Yes, that's what you were, madam, much as you despise Maddy Clyde for being a governess

ffect his last words had on Agnes, who turned livid with rage a

at I am, but everybody does not know it, and it is not necessary they should. I don't remember exactly what I did say to this Clyde girl, but I thought it would be pleasanter fo

r burst out again. "Agnes, you can't deceive me; I know the se

hild;" and Agnes' voice was expre

some time for his wife. I hope he does; I mean to help it on; I'll tell him to have her, and if he don't I

ered as Maddy had been; she heard only in par

y head aches so I cannot go to the breakfast table; I must be excused," and holding her temples, which were throbbing with pa

f her master's dignity, and once or twice the thought had crossed her mind that perhaps when he came home Maddy would be treated more as some governesses were treated by their employers, but to have Agnes take the matter up was quite a different thing, and Mrs. No

as Guy's answer, and forthwith Mrs. Noah repaired

all stains, and it's so dreadful, happenin

d, pouring water into the bowl, and bidding Maddy

Mrs. Noah stopped her by explaining how Guy ruled

heart beat painfully as she descended to the

the slightest reference to what had passed he drew Maddy's arm within his own, and giving a hand

ciety. Nothing was said of Agnes, who kept her room the entire day, and did not join the family until evening, when Guy sat upon the piazza with Jessie in his lap, while Maddy was not very far away. At

nside, and so on the following morning, just after breakfast was over, she summoned courage to ask Mr. Guy if she might talk with

m, in her estimation, a kind of superiority over all the men she had ever met. Besides that, she remembered how his dark eyes had flashed when she told him what she did the

or Mrs. Agnes, so I am going home, but I want you to forget what I said about hating you yester

lf woman, sitting there before him, and asking him so demurely to like her. She was very pretty, he thought, and with proper culture would make a beautiful woman. Then, as he remembered his avowed intention of urging the doctor to make her his wife some day, the idea flashed upon h

ch reason so to do when you recall the incidents of our first interview. Maddy-Miss Clyde-I have come

ou died, Miss Clyde, when you were so sick, I half believe he would have felt it his duty to die also. He likes you very much; more indeed than any pat

oes like me, and I

er and she must stay. She was not to mind the disagreeable things Mrs. Remington had said. She was tired and nervous, and so gave way to some very preposterous notions, which she had picked up somew

r? Time often hangs heavily upon my hands, and I fancy the novelty of the thing wo

y the time he finished s

or read of a similar in

acher and pupil; besid

when it was known that

eaching a pretty, att

hoped she would declin

rnest herself, she supp

thout ever suspecting

g would place both her

of knowing what was in

dy. With her beautiful e

as she lifted them to

h. You could not make m

don't teach such things

gh school in Honedale I

, and grandpa had no th

so I stayed at home. I

me time be competent to

grand? When

a thought crossed his mind that if Maddy had had all Lucy's advantages, and was as old, she would be what the world calls smarter. There was no disparagement to Lucy in his thoughts, only a compliment to Maddy, who was waiting for him to ans

sooner, if you like; and now tell me, please

crazy uncle, but wishing to hear Maddy's v

randpa helps all he can, and buys some little nice things which he wants so badly, and sometimes cries for, they say. I picked berries all last summer, and sold to buy him a thin coat and pants. We should have more

and when she grew up she said she was sick of him, because he was so much older. He wouldn't have felt so badly, if she had not gone straight off and married a rich man who was a great deal older even than Uncle Joseph; that was the hardest part, and he grew crazy at once. It has been so long that he never can be helped, and sometimes grandma talks of bringing him

s to Jessie will be worth just as much as eve

e told the doctor that afternoon when, as he rode up to Aiken

e was glad too, and doubly glad that across the sea there was a Lucy Atherstone. How he wished that she was there now as Mrs. Guy, and

razy project I have

vated just a little as he crossed his feet upon the window sill and moved hi

" was Guy's next remark, t

ow enough to teach her; but, Guy, this is a confounded

harm is there in my doing a generous act to a poor girl like Maddy Clyde? Isn't she

uy praise Maddy, but he would n

is too handsome, Guy, for Madam Grundy to let alone. If Lucy were only here, it would be d

s far as that. You are afraid of the effect it may have on me teaching a sweet-faced little girl how to conjugate a

r joking, and only smiled gl

ll make a splend'd woman, but she needs educating, of course, and I am going to do it. Y

mood, and could not tell what

oncerned, you may spare yourself the trouble. I

hastened to change the conversation to another topic than Maddy Clyde. The doctor stayed to dinner, and as Guy watched him

of the afternoon; but later in the day he began to view Guy Remington in the light of a martyr, said martyrdom consis

ing her school master. Folks would talk awfully, and she couldn't blame 'em; besides, what would Lucy say to his bein' alone in a room w

ces under which he first had met her, being careful also to repeat what he knew would have weight with an English girl like Lucy, to wit, that though poor, Maddy's father and grandfather Clyde had been gentlemen, the one a clergyman, the other a sea captain. Then he told of her desire for learning, and his

though I am committed, I will extricate myself in so

honorably hear Maddy's lessons as he had agreed to do. But Maddy was not suspicious, and accepting his