Westways

tumn and made gay with colour the young greenery of spring. Meanwhile, school went on, and John grew stronger and broader in this altogethe

s with cool judgment aware of what the formation of the Republican Party indicated in the way of trouble to come. The repeal of the Missouri Compromise had years before disturbed his party allegiance, and now no longer had he been able to see the grave question of slavery as Ann his wife saw it. He threw aside the papers, set his table in order, and opening the door called John t

's sword over the mantelpiece, and sat

usual direct way, "have you ev

-in Paris at a

u said 'o

f-mother w

u got o

, s

y n

he dark-eyed Squire. "I was afraid!" He

is you

he returned

rest, sir," added

ient tones said: "Penhallow, sir." H

allow, my brother's

true. His mother had forbid

allow angrily, "I don'

a coward, Uncle Jam

up, "I beg you

lt as if the tall soldier was humiliating

f course, learn to ride. By the w

ever. They are kept i

n'

. You won't bother me. Take what books you want, and ask me about the politics of the d

rom the rector enough to mak

ewhere in the future. He was a little disturbed when the next day after br

going to apply West Point riding-s

st, my dear

ill him," s

I am going to teach him to ride." Raising horses was one of the Squire's amusements, an

ome?" as

nticipating disaster and de

es, Leila," said Pe

long retired on grassy pension. "Now," said Pe

ere's no

"Grip him with your legs, hold on to the mane if you like, but not by the reins." The pony feeling no urgency to

stable grinned. John set his teeth. "

an hour his uncle said, "There that wi

y it again, sir

llow. "Go and console your distra

ff that, as he confessed to Leila, a jointed doll was a trifle to his

came,

joy of th

ons gave him a certain confidence. The training went on day after day, under the rule of patient but relentless efficiency. It was far into June when,

s, John." The mare was p

on, talk

with Rivers, but now the Squire presented him to the foreman and as they moved about explained the machinery. It was altogether delightful, and this was a newly discovered uncle. On the wa

e jumps like a frog; go back a bit. Now, then, give her her head!" For a moment he was in the air as his uncle cried, "You lost a stirrup. Try it again. Oh! that was better. Now, once more, come," and he

k you, Un

elieve in blood." This was James Penhallow all over. A reticent man, almost as tenderly trustful as a woman, of those wh

ed to him disappointing, and now of late this abrupt praise and accepting comradeship left the sensitive lad too gratefu

lled to the rector and Mrs. Ann to come into his library. "Sit down, Mark," he said, "I am rash to invite you; both you and Ann

oes," sai

d Ann, "that they will

ating looks. I remember once in Idaho at dusk, I had two guides. They were positive, each of them, that certain trails would lead to the top. I tossed up whi

ion, she held unchanging sentiments. "My dear James,

, but you

t want to see," which was

ain. I tell him it is that last immersion business. I have promised to preach for h

aid Mrs. Ann, "

n to use a part

Bishop k

ibly forbid it, or

ced Mrs. Penhallow's sudden loss of interest in their talk and her failure to comment on his statement, an unusual thing with this woman, who, busy-minded as the bee, gathe

y do yo

hip Him and use His revelations in ways which would depend on diversity of temperaments, or under the leadership of individual minds o

quickly, "you are

of belief held by others charitably dubious-I dislike argument about religion in the brief inadequate

as she said, "I am afraid the b

igion, "if you have got through with additions to the usel

his wife, "I hav

e, Ann; for me,

of one," she returned, "b

time. Now I want, as I said,

James. Something h

efore dinner. He had a swollen nose and fair promise of a black eye. I asked you to take no notice of it. I wanted fir

lowing him to play wit

oy needs b

eila? She need

Rivers, "that m

isively, pleased with his sup

knocked down. He got up and went at Tom like a wildcat. Tom knocked hi

d Rivers, "I am

id. Then Billy had the sense to pull the big boy off, and as Leila was

hat?" said his wif

I mean, of course, that our boy did the r

Squire," and he laughed. "The boy did what his nature bade him. Of course, b

. "Of course, Ann, the p

is no need t

for rudeness to Leila

e enough sorry. How can I punish hi

et it drop; but, indeed, it is true that Leila shou

ord! R

s. Penhallow. "In September John will be sixteen, and Leila a y

at, Ann, you are

e must go to school. Before John came and when we had cousins here

will talk it ov

k, my wife is right, but I shall miss the girl. My wife cannot ride with me, and now I am to lose Leila. After school come young men. Confound it, rector, I wish the girl had less promise of beauty-of-well, all the Greys have it-att

mbrance of his own long and tender care of the very young wife he had won easily and seen fade with terrible slowness as her life let fall its joys as it w

gentlewomen, or like Ann Grey too e

ow had of attractiveness. "But," he went on, "Leila cannot go until the fall, and you will still have the boy. I had my doubts of your method of

k of these changes. H

virtue to be added

ef pause he added, "I am looking forward to Buchanan's nomination and

te for him? I presume

re or less-l

red of what seems like an endless effort North and South, to add more exasperat

s opinion, I fear. The wro

ow discuss-the one matter. Her brothers in Maryland, are at

ction things will qu

live by the creed of day-book and ledger. We as surely misunde

lked little, and his wife's resolute attitude of opinions he

best," said Rivers. "Tim

uestion. My own creed is, 'let it alone, obey the laws, return the runaways,-oh! whether you like it or not,-but no more slave territory.' And for me, my friend, the States are one country and above all

at length, but now he longed, as he gave some further clue to his reticence, to make public a polit

oneering while I am sitting still, because to throw my weight into the local contest would oblige me to

n his uncertain sense of duty and his desire not to go among peopl

no more than let it be

of use. I could wish t

e feeling is rather stro

nnot

e town gave to her wishes a certain influential force among these isolated groups of peo

nge of opinion will exci

out the future. Must

subject for the time. On his return, he found John in the library looking at the swo

king what the s

. Now I want to say a word to you. You had a f

d

You seem to have

s angry, and I just slappe

that is the French schoolboy way of fi

I hadn't

the groom. I saw him last year in a bout with the butcher's boy. After he has knocke

ll lik

help to fill out your

ever get

ave him twenty-five cents for it,

at so? The ways of

why she kee

it is late. She is a bi

w just one half of th

t out with Tom. He got two other bits of advice on this matter. The rector detai

the rector that he was now given leave to swim with the Westways boys. The pool was an old river-channel, now closed above, and making a quiet deep

gor swim there?

ys. It is great fun no

hope you have made

anner, "It appears to me that we never were friend

wo Christian lads like y

told him yesterday that

il

at did

I wanted another lick

tian

speak

hat! He will think I am

s on two sides o

n? You were once fra

ou ought to ask me that." He d

one and not in one of his moods of depression. He said, "I beg your pardon

sir." When half-way home he went

the rector, "

ain with his old half-lost formal way, "I-I-you might have thought-I wasn't-quite honourable. I m

r a moment what to say. "Well, think it over, John. He

and John w

all over, with more imagination, a gentleman to the cor

n mounted on a safe old horse and was not spared advice from Leila, who enjoyed a little the position

get intimate with a horse's mouth. He's pretty rough,

ce yesterday from Uncle Jim. I am afraid that you will be sent to school in the fall. I hate schools. You'

would never

u must go. She said that you were too old, or would be, for snow

e year before last. I happened to hit one of them in the eye wit

anticipative wisdom, "but I shall be left to play

was rude. I used to think once you were like a girl and just afraid. I never yet thanked you," and she leaned

een many such dares. "W

to the Indian graves. I tri

d all the way b

hn. Try it

month afte

you never

hy sho

larming. He had started with fear, but was of no mind to confess. They rode o

"I didn't mind

uld again be beaten. "But

to be pitied on account of what he did not consider defeat, and wanted no one to discuss it. He was better pleased when a week later the English groom t

Sam. I had to hit him and I didn't know

and he's sort of slow. If you ever have to fight him

nt bodily changes. More wholesomely and more rarely at the plastic age characteristics strengthen and mind and body both gather virile capacity. When John Penhallow met his cousin on his first arrival, he was in enterprise, vigour, general good sense and normal relation to life, really far younger than Leila. In knowledge, mind and imagination, he was far in advance. In these months he had passed her in the race of life. He felt it, but in many ways was also dimly aware that Leila was less expressively free in word and action, sometimes to his surprise liking to be alone at the age when rare moods of mild