Love Me Little, Love Me Long

seriously, as a man might have been apt to do, reminded her of her honorable promise-not to be caught in the net of matrimony at Font Abbey.

or very blind," replied

aid Lucy,

ation during the last week, had satisfied herself of Lucy'

und to me a fortnight ago that you had an admire

Tal

a young gentleman would come to Font Abbe

refle

he place that you

shed with something very like

Jane

servant into

thout seeming to take any notice. To tell the truth, I have done

ask must have been U

ld have told

nt, and would not have

uestion a person I can read without. Your uncle, with his babyish cunning that everybody sees th

boys happens not to be at hom

il I came to Font Abbey, he was here three times a week. You admit that. I come; you

deceived me," said Lucy, cold

note from

orrespondence w

herself into correspondence wi

tter r

est, he called at the lodge of Talboys Park, and the people informed him Mr.

as dum

ng, Lucy, so I asked

lar commission

them-and he is so good-natured. Well, what

s sacrificed it for once to his affection for me. I fear you are right; my eyes ar

ss of a sto

ks a great match, and now you assign ill motives to him. Yes, I confess he has deviated from tru

han wisdom. In spite of her niece's trouble, and the brimming eyes that implored forbearance, she drove the sting, merrily in ag

nk he says noth

idn't know he had that vice. Ah! and, p

ways find something ill-natured to say,"

the air at an angle of forty-five. She said, with majestic di

descend to back

my Lady Disdain's very breath. She sat transfixed; the

linging down her firebrand

r from remonstrating; nor was there any positive necessity. She was one of those young ladies who seem born mistresses of the art of self-defense. Deriving the art not from experien

uld not tell how or why, for they had never even suspected this girl's power. You would have seemed to them as one that m

tagnated. Mr. Fountain suffered next in proportion. He began to find that something was the matter, but what he had no idea. He did not observe that, though Lucy answered him as kindly as ever, she did not draw him out as heretofore, far less that she was vexed

ampion's real name is I have in vain endeavored to discover, but he is called "Headache." When this terrible ally mingled in the game-on the Talboys nights-dismay fell upon the wretched males that abode in and visited the once cheerful, cozy Font Abbey. Messrs. Fountain and Talboys put their heads together in grave, anxious consultations, and Arthur vented a yell of remonstrance.

ed its climax just before dinner. All remedies failed, and there was nothing for it but to return to he

the study, where he sought out with care such wild romances as give entirely fals

lausible reasons; and, if neither made any progress toward converting the other, they gained this, at least, that each corroborated himself. Now Mrs. Bazalgette was gone no direct reprisals on her were possible. Registering a vow that one day or other he would be even with her, the senior consented, though not very willingly, to co-operate with his friend against an imaginary danger. In answer to his remark that the Dodds were never invited to tea

astily, "will you relieve Mr. Dodd o

said the othe

Arthur, and keep him till Miss Fountain leaves us. Bramby will refuse me

sented with a

im next week," said

gh him the sacrilegious thought that the Conqueror must have imported an ass or two among his other forces

ne under cover of trigonometry. He found Mr. and Miss Fountain just sitting down to luncheon. David and Arthur were actually together somewhere, perhaps going throu

we are to part so soon." Arthur got next to Lucy, and had David on his left. Mr. T

officers find time

ow it is a part of

heard tha

n time, but were, in truth, hardly to be trusted to take her from port to port. "We get a word with these old salts now and then when we are becalmed alongside, and the questions they put make us quite feel for them. Then they trust entirely to their instruments. They can take an observation, but they can't verify one. They can tack her and wear her (I have seen them do one when they should have done the other), and they can read the sky and the water better than we young ones; and while she floats they stick to her, and the greater the danger the louder the oaths-but that is all." He then assured them with modes

ll you have said, Mr. Dodd, but t

d the other day in the House of Lords, 'That is a positio

, with a sneer, "may I ask, have nautical commanders

and I find few but what can teach me something, and what

seems to me so singular. Mathematics are

s news

a firma,

as sixteen-candid epoch, at which affectation in man or woman is intolerable to us; we get a little hardened to it long before sixty. Mr. Talboys bit his lip at this boyish impertinence, but he was too proud a man to notice it otherwise than by quietly incorporating the offender into

into the earth as

algebra and geometry,

motive,

Lucy uneasy at seein

nks I do my best for Arthur,"

ed and looked

out of pure goodness

Now what is the real reason you walk a mile every day to do

sir," said David, griml

n this

y man that is worth the shoe-leather he stands in. Can ye read the riddle now, ye lubber?" and David started up haughtily, and, with contempt an

rose and went quietly out

shall set his foot withi

at last that he is

Nonsense a

ted? She went out with tea

omfort reigns, and balmy peace, and shall reign unruffled while I live. The passions are not admitted here

u had better exc

; but I will give it no handle. I will exclude

rstanding the

, she working placidly. She looked off her work demurely at him several times. He w

his romance, heart and soul. Another sidelong glance at him; t

wo fools quarreling, page after page, and can't see, or won't see, what everybody else can

t the book down

e how long the two fools will go on

umber of volume

ly youth; "you'll only make a mess of it. What is the use dr

retorted Lucy, in tones

g sil

you hold this

r gro

I will try and ma

on't, now

cy's supple white hand disentangling impossibilities instead of chattering as he was intended to. Lucy gave a litt

carelessly, "did Mr. Dodd say

t ab

d after you went ou

said? Something a

ention it, it is not worth while. Yo

is not fair to excite one's cu

hat is all, and Mr. Dodd was not so patient as I have seen

Tell me, which do you like best of

nly keep your

your chaf

what i

t isn't that affected foo

to share your prej

actually

t disli

your taste,

d if he was what you describe him, Uncle

ink my guardian and you are mad upon just t

if you speak so of my uncle's fr

el just now, if

hough? Why

r skein is n

tle black-he

said the urchin, pompously; "

good sense. "Now don't you see my friend

quite s

ble, so kind

n he is a tr

natured things wrapped up in politeness that you daren't say out like a man, or you'd get kicked. He

eworth. His hands are not

est eyes? Why, you don't see such eyes as Mr. Dodd's ev

r. You must admit hi

gentle whenever he speaks to you. I have notice

skein is wou

el

friend Mr. Dodd said while you were out of the

hang th

f politeness. I have taken y

esently came running back, crying: "There, I have thrown them behin

victory over an inanimate rival. Then she said softly,

s before I betray it," s

: "Mr. Talboys, who, with many good qualities, has-what shall

ou are tal

an teasing him, and wanting to kn

on? What did t

r. Dodd evidently thought that some slur was

! sham

r in every man who is worth the shoe-leather he stands in. That is all the riddle, you lubber!!' It was terribly rude; but oh! Arthur, I must tell you your friend looked noble; he seemed to swell and rise to a giant as he spoke, and we all felt such little shrimps around him; and his lip trembled, and fire flashed from his eyes

ced silk and broadcloth as if they had been calico and fustian, and made a fashionable young lady and a b

; "a sudden thought strikes me. You

y, with a look

did. Now tell me

he pleasure of

so simple as the others think; som

Well, you know

I d

iss Edgewort