Westways

s hot and circumstances variously disturbed the household of Grey Pine. Politics vexed and business troubled the master. Of the one he could not talk to his wife-of the other he would not at p

guess that the obvious unhappiness of the lad who had won the soldier's heart was being felt by

bag on a chair and caught sight of the flowing hair and agile young figure as she set a hand on the low stone wall of the garden and was over and lost among the trees. "Leila, Leila," cried Mrs. Ann, "I told you to

things to think about and wished to be alone. "We

d a walk, and don

k of the blue eyes, and the brilliant colour of the eager flushed face. It was the hair-the wonderful hair. She threw it back a

y for you, Jo

, if you mean that Unc

and I mean to

in the way of reply, but only,

come

," she cried. A spring of water ran out from among the ancho

, isn't it

ever here b

tree. No wonder this spruce grew so tall and str

womanhood. "I am tired, John," she said, as she dropped with hands clasped behind her head and hidden in the glorious abundance

le heat. I never before heard

The little rill, scarce a finger thickness of water, crawled out lazily between the roots and trickled away. The girl was in empty-minded enjoyment of the luxury of complete

ig eyes are wide open staring up at the comrade blue of the deep blue sky, they win a certain beauty of added

es were blue?" She spoke with langui

own at her as he stood, "

e Greys hav

ay between them. He felt, as she did not, the charm of the stillness. He wanted to find word

er in the cup of her hand, and then with both

" he said. "Let us follow

s into Lonesome Man's swamp,

r the spring? And wh

s. What does

an dam, and muddle the clear outflow as it broke, and then build again. He had the t

ou talk, Joh

feel how still it is? It's disrespectful to gabble before your betters." He felt it and said

iet! I like to hear the

ome back next spring with long skirts-such a nice well-behaved Miss Grey." He was, in familiar phrase

ou grow up the more your skirts grow down. Bother their manners

Never before had he been told anything which was to be sacredly guarded from others. It gave him now a pleasant feeling of having been trusted. Suppose Leila had been told such a thing, how would s

ouse, Leila said, "Catc

" he

id, "Finish that handkerchief-now, at once. It i

, but just now worse than his cousin, and forgot or revoked, to his uncle's disgust. A man of rather settled habits, now as usual Penhallow went to his library for the company of the pipe, which Ann disliked, and the Tr

ussy cat. Come in. Shut the door; your aunt dislikes the pipe smoke. Sit down." For some reason she desired to stand. "Don't stand," he said

awful, U

u want, my dear? Anythin

r. It's

ohn. Well,

rses-I mean John and Dixy. Patrick

s John, then Dixy, then John and Di

and said with gravity, "I wish you would be serious, Un

ous! that is Ann Grey all over.

s you don't, Uncle Jim. I guess you w

ay a girl I know will have to

ght to see him sawing at the curb.

needs a good l

, Uncle Jim, you're neglecti

hat with the weight of wisdom and year

h who told me. He often comes up t

for Sunday,

y-by John or you, and no one else. He says the way to ruin a horse is

four days?

l in the case, "it's t

Dixy's mo

Grey. First comes Ann Grey and says, too much army discipline; and then you tell me what that gossiping old darkey says, an

h undervalued the ingenuity and persistency of

It is rather warm to provide permane

is feet. "I'm not stout. I weigh one hundred and thirty and a half pounds. And oh! isn't it hot. I haven't had

too intellectually busy clearing his pipe to se

n't allowed too; I just couldn't. I'm going

heat for want of a swim. You don't seem to concern yours

eat Tom McGregor because he said it was mean of you to stop the swimming. John said i

e made no reply, lost in wonder over

see a fight. It's time you went to school. Isn'

ght-interchange when the young proudly use newly acquired wo

on all outward show of

ed irrelevant, my

s a word John uses. It's just

stable sl

ity the Squire's discipline was undisputed and his decrees obeyed. He had been pleased and gaily

he rose. "Is this an ingenious little game set up betwe

ich is what a kind man always says wh

r wet cheeks and said indignant

m. "No, dear, wait a m

t do some boy-mischief and kick up his heels like a two-year-old with some fun in hi

all this about a prig

does a real nice jolly piece of mischief you come down on him like-like a

p from under the glorious disorder of the

. He had said one thing and done another. "You are worse than your aunt." Then Leila knew th

you're di

when he pleases and to swim, and to tell those scamps it's too

ly can't. You've got to do it your

t calling. Mr. R

and don't scold John. He's been no use for

said, "I suppose

nd Ann

s to be let off about the riding and swimming. I th

priety from you; but I do think you are right

s developing. It is time she had other compa

I, Ja

he village described as "set in his ways." She was curious to know, but not of a mind to question Leila. Before going to bed, she went to her own sitting-room on the left of the h

nth. There are colts to criticize and talk over, Leila is eager to see h

vote for Fremont; that 'the great, the appalling issue,' as Mr. Buchanan says, 'is union or disunion' does not seem to affect him. I read Forney's paper, a

rs a

PENH

us know when to expect you. You know you are-w

s sin

ENHAL

s signs of preoccupation, and now glanced at her husband, anxious always when he was concerned. Then, as he turned to John, she understood that between his trained belief in the usefulness of inexorable discipline and an almost womanly tenderness of affection the heart had somehow won. She knew him well and at times read with ease the signs of distress and annoyance or resolute decision. Usually he was gay and merry at breakfa

d, "a letter for George Grey-I w

not

regor to come to Westways and see old Josiah. Of course, he will charge it to

ated a moment, and sa

of co

s," said Mrs. Ann

his uncle, and said in his finest

He's rather fre

d, "It's very

The faint smile on Ann Penhallow's face somehow set the whole business in an agreeably humorous light. The Squire

her husband that the penalty was quite disproportioned to the size of the offence; a remark which had made him the more resolute not to disturb the course of justice; and now this chit of a girl had made him seem like

He had a suspicion that Leila was somehow concerned, and also the feeling that he would rather have s

leaned on the gate facing the boy and looking over the horse and rider with the pleasure of o

er John. Always look it ov

. How lame you are. I am to send the d

with that man, because his mother nursed the Squire when he was a baby. They're near of an age, but you wouldn't think it to look at Peter and the Captain; whisky does hurry up Old Time a lot." An

the gate. She appeared to him now not much older. And how completely he felt at home. He rode along the old pike through Westways, nodding to Mrs. Lamb, the mother of the scam

can't swim-can

im, pleased to have the chance, as the boy grinned at Billy's mocking malice. "Hal

t's good-John.

He wished they had let the matter alone. What had a girl to do with it? He was again conscious that he felt of a sudden older than Leila, and did not fully realize that in the race of life he had gone swiftly past her during these few months, and th

ange noises nor machines disturbed Dixy as John rode through the busy iron-mills to the door of a small brick house, so well known that no sign announced it as the home of t

asleep in an armchair, a red silk handkerchief over his bald head, and a swarm of disappointed flies h

rnoon, Tom. My uncle has let up on the swim

ossly. "After all it was your

f you want to get me into another row, I won't object; but I was not asked for

parson hadn't come,

s," sai

about it. You loo

ribed as horse-happy and indisposed to quarrel. "S

shoulder, "Wake up, Dad

chief. The flies fell upon his bald pate. "D

to Westways to-morrow and do

l co

after Peter Lamb. He's

ows. He has no more morals than a tom-cat. I'll come, but it's waste of good doctoring." Here he turned his rising temper on T

the peaceful rector must have watched the fight and overheard what caused it. Tom scow

ly and went back to pill-ma

ee the Squire after I have doctored that w