The Awakening of Helena Richie

ace, with a mouth that smiled easily. His heavy-lidded eyes behind astonishingly thick and curling lashes were blue; when he lifted them the observer felt a slight shock, for they

uld be bett

y so in person. "I suppose I ought to go, anyhow; I haven't bee

led his daughter Alice's pretty ear and said he was going aw

she said, in her sweet, anxious young voice. Her father, smiling, promised prudence, and for the mere joy of watching her let her pack his bag, lecturing him as she did so about his health. "Now that you

anything happened to you?" she insist

of co

laugh. "And what w

and kissed her and bade her be careful. "What would

little mother dove with a hundred questions

yes; po

he

ace called O

u going to

s-bag! I never heard

are away, and know just where you are and

ake the night train for Mercer, which made it possib

hair that had been chopped short around the bowl of some domestic barber. He sat on the oppos

yor tossed a quarter out of the window to a hostler and bade him go into the stage-house and buy an app

apple gravely, and said, "Thank you, sir;" but he was not effusive. He looked out of the window and hugged his bundle. Half-way to Old Chester he began to nibble the apple, biting it very slowly, so that h

ou any little b

top of his newspaper with a start. "What? What did you say?

as big

itched his glasses off. "About twice

ig! And twi

ld are

n, going

she is twice and five years more

r two with some amusement, Mr. Pryor returned to his paper. After a while the

no further conversation. The old stage jogged along in the uncertain sunshine; sometimes Mr. Pryor smoked, once he took a na

ter, Mr. Pryor roused himself. "W

ndle, but he said nothing. When they drew up at the

it tied up in my handkerchief. Why," he interrupted himself, screwing up his eyes and

eagerness. But when the very little boy clambered out, the old minister onl

he added in a cheerful after-thought, "I'm going up your way; get out and come along in my buggy. Hey! Danny! Stop your

y," Mr. Pryor protested. "I'll jus

imbed in himself and off they jogged, while Jonas remarked to Van Horn that the old gentleman wasn't just the one to talk about snails, as he looked at it. But Mr. Pryor, watching the April sunshine chased over the hills by warm cloud shadows and bursting into joy again on the low meadows, reflected that he had done

r. Lavendar observed. David glanced up at

r. Lavendar, and smacked a rein down on the shaggy old ba

me Goliath?

hope you haven't such a thing as

rew very red, bu

olor was hot in the child's face for many minutes. He had nothing to say for the rest of the pull up the hill, excep

dar," he said in his coldly courteous voice, a

lo

other home, Mrs. Rich

anding inside the he

she said agai

hook hands with her in

with your brother. David, suppose you shake hands with Mrs. Richie?

rs. Richie had not noticed the little boy; but when she took his hand her

y, but he looked over

Alice is

with a blue gleam; then he laughed. "Oh yes, I'd for

he buggy went tugging on up the hill. "David, if yo

nd brought up the gingerbread, wrapped in a red silk

ll take any. Suppos

ank you

ook his head in

ease, sir," he said, "was that

vendar told h

y reasoned, "why didn't she kiss him? Jan

inquired, looking at the

sses.'" His whole face quivered. A very large tear gathered, trembled, then rolled over; he held his hands tog

pretty nice sister,

he looked up speechless

s-like way, "would you mind driving for

eks were wet but his eyes shone. "I don'