The Awakening of Helena Richie

r eyes crinkling with fun, "I'm not going; but you've got to;

a perfect mania about truth," he said ruefully; "it is sometimes very inconvenient. Yes; I'll enlarge upon your heada

want. They say Mrs. King is a great housekeeper. And besides, if you

uld," he assured her, a

was coming, Mrs. King had protested that there was nothing in the house to eat.

at we were going t

I must say, fla

dling away and hearing the reproachful voice lesse

and laugh himself. The doctor did not laugh very much in his own house; domestic virtue does not necessarily add to the gayety of life. During the afternoon Willy tried on three differen

a said; and William, out of the corner of his eye, saw that she was smiling! Well, well; evidently Mrs. Richie's defection did not trouble her; the doctor was gl

e told William afterwards. "I don't know why," said Martha, "but I sort of distrust that woman. But the brother is all ri

at Nelly's bread and jam would have been better. But probably bread and jam, followed

me way of dismissing him; as it was, she let him stay. He was bareheaded; he had seen a bird flapping painfully about in the road, and

e cried, when he showed

ck; he would tell u

ere?" Sam as

ent. He has gone to ta

lightened w

ng," she charged him gayly. "I didn't go to Mrs

asked, so anxious

t before tea I-di

m her surprised hand and tore it into strips; then, lifting the broken wing with exquisite gentleness, he bound it into place. She looked at the bandages ruefully, but Sam

ichie

a near the fire, for it was cool enough these spring evenings to have a little fire. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his fist, and staring into the bla

to tell you about-something

with a sweet eagerness tha

blisher for your truck,' he said. He always calls the drama my 'truck,'" Sam said snickering; "but the main thing, evidently, was to have me get away from home. To improve my mind, I suppose. He said all gentlemen

to get you away?" she asked coldly. There was an alarme

w cakes and ale when I saw them,'" Sam q

k one of the little hand-screens from the mantel, and held it so that he could

orward with parted lips, intent upon the exquisite sound-a dream of summer leaves rustli

that made her voice hard, "that it would

leave

hat way. Your grandf

r loveliness that you can't. If you could, you would know that I can't g

l you please remember how much older I am than you? Let's talk of something els

ou, and what you mean to me-

she sai

poetry and

iful, and I'm

" the young man went o

quiet! I won't

mly. "Mrs. Richie, I've got my skiff; it came yesterday

k I care about bo

; "why, I only got it because I t

the water," sh

I wish I'd asked you before I bou

, for the connecti

used," Sam explained. "Do

aughing; "of course you will

ng is worth while? I mean, if you are disappointed in anything? A feeling as if you didn't care,

aughed so harshly that the boy

; "I hate

t the clock. "Sam, I have some letters to write to-night-will you think I am very ungracious if I ask you to excus

ha

I bothe

"I mean, when you talk about your pl

nd took himself off after one o

old Mr. Wright mean by "knowing cakes and ale"? And his leer yesterday had been an offence! Why had he looked at her like that? Did he-? Was it possible-! She wished she had spoken to Lloyd about it. But no; it couldn't be; it was only his queer way; he was half crazy, she believed. And

with its throngs of people, where she had lived for several years, had grown intolerable; in Old Chester she and Lloyd had agreed she would have so much more privacy. But how differently things had turned out! He did not have to come to Mercer nearly so often as he had expected. Those visions of hers-which he had not discouraged-of weekly or certainly fortnig

ed eyes. But oh, she was afraid!-afraid of what? She had no answer; as yet her fear was without a name. She picked up

anquil, and looked up from her novel to welcome him and laugh at his stories of

r; "when that little boy comes you'll have something to a

tle boy, but I had anot

r admire

no

aimed, for her

f course I snubbed him. But it makes

e put his hands in his pockets, and standing with his back to the fire regarded his boots. Helena was staring straight

he said-and knocked the ashes from his cigar with elaborate

ad sharply, "Well

our friend, Frederick, is excellent. But if this fellow were not

aps w

ppiness; but in my position I-I am not as free as

!" she said

ushed and angry. He stood a long while with his back to the fire, staring at the lamp or the darkness of the uncurtained window. By and by he shook his h

elly, let me speak t

le

el

le

y back to the parlor where the fire was out

our later he went

joke! Oh, a cruel joke, a cruel joke!" "You know I didn't mean it. Nelly