Wych Hazel

er the trees, with its great doors opening upon the lake. On the floor within could be seen the bags of flour and grain piled about, and the mille

s the miller's open door, where the sunbeams lit up his bags and him; the mill-stream brawled away somewhere

and Mrs. Saddler, who was confused out of all her proprieti

o?' said he,

ical way, lifting her hand and pushing back her hair with a weary sort of gesture as he spoke. So weary her face was, so ut

id he; 'I think you can rest there

mill door. Mr. Falkirk followed. The women had paired off to seek the miller's

so as to form an extempore divan. Harder might be; and over it he spread the gentlemen's linen dusters and all the travelling shawls of the party; and upon it then softly placed Wych Hazel. Poor child! she was used to cushions, and in need of them, from the way she dr

ed here?' said

s the counter- question. 'She is exhausted;

say what. O here's this, if she's fainted.'-And producing a very amulet-looking bottle of salts, suspended round her neck by a blue ribband, she at once administer

world are y

good girl; only don't stand about it. Can y

cup of tea was hastily brewed; and Rollo having contrived to find out pretty well the resources of the family in that as well as in other lines of accommodation, and having

dreamed; Mr. Falkirk also had moved off and at least made believe rest. Then did his ward take the comfort, a rare one to her, of pouring out a mindful to somebo

et that salts f

you was

is

an-I mean th

ng you down by the blue r

sed not to take it off,'

a pr

me, and so I promised. When folks give you thin

of all the day's distress, electrifying her listener with some of the fea

n feel very solemn to

ch Hazel. 'Is that

oe

you know, ma'am-and if the fir

g at the girl's quiet face. 'What do you mean, Phoebe?'- She coul

mplicity-'You know God calls us all to die somehow-and if he called me to die so,

. She lay down as she was desired, and with her hand

een seen. His gun was his companion, and with that it was usual for him to be in the woods much of the time. He came back from his wanderings however as the day began to fall, and now sat on a stone outside the mill door, very busy. The little lake at his feet still and dark, with the side of the woody glen doubled i

, eh? You don't seem so much used up as the rest on 'e

ot a match,

ipe with a burning glass. Won't that serve your turn? So t

care to see any more fire to-day than is necessary.'-And drawing his work off to a safe place, he went

ot a wife and four daughters you won't do much fa

y cook. 'Best always to be independent

re, to the great interest and amusement of the miller. Another spectat

here the young lady and her guardian were both sitting,-

if that is wh

u mean, Mrs

s gone and picked it ma'am-picked the feathers off, and they 're lyin' all round; and then he washed it in the lake, and he was hard to suit, for he walked a good way up the lake before he found a place where he would wash it; and now he's made a fire and st

s. The shy, shrinking colour and look told of what at six years old would have made her hide her face under her mother's apron. No such refuge being at hand, however,

r making myself conspicuous, sir! Have you

dryly, and soberly too. 'I think however it is rather some

ess attention of a cook or a courier, both which offices he had been filling, he went about his arrangements. The single chair that was in the mill was taken from Mr. Falkirk and brought up to do duty as a table, with a board laid upon it. On this board was set the bird, hot and savoury, on its blue-edged di

liment. The extreme gravity and propriety of her demeanour were a little suspicious to one who knew her well, and there could be no sort of question as to the prettiest possible curl which now and then betrayed i

you find th

who had taken a position of ease in the mill doorway,

a good

each. I did manage to pick up a second course, though--

ics of the robin, the miller's daughter, looking as if the whole thing was a play, brought out from some crib a

ollo!'-said the

serve it-but you may have some. And I will be ge

the other, laughing.

of doors, Mr. Rollo?'

g can b

call "stro

as June sunlight; strong in a gentle way;

as trying to find out whether your private colla

but now that you speak of the matter, I

the strawberries-just t

elp her carefully and to put a bowl of milk in suggestive proximity to her right

plan of proc

e mountain; there is no object in our making such a circuit, if we could get on from here,-besides the f

y here is out of the qu

The only sole vehicle here is Mr. Miller'

wberries are not bad,' he sa

s and inoffensive-to berries. What will you do,

nd the night here in any tolerab

stand your system of ari

man creatures can. And as I shall take Phoebe with me when I go, will you ple

ange with her fat

s arranged, sir. What

any extent, Miss Hazel, if you continue t

merry little laugh, but fur

he said, jumping up and floating off to the mill d

e arrangement for her at the miller's

e princess," ' said

re than a few vege

'--He hesitated, and

ired? Certainly he

sy spirit was uncon

t very

Miss Kennedy will trust herself to me-perhaps it would be less wearisome than to stay here; and it would ma

es, Wych-will you go to meet them, or will you wait for them? There's no escape either

e.' Clearly Miss Kennedy thought her

en, sir; Miss Kennedy can hardly spend the night

his own for negativing that pla

l take care of you!' And he said it with something of the war

since until then Mr. Falkirk had always been the one to care for her so carefully. She felt oddly alone, standing there by them both, looking out with her great brown eyes steadily into the sett

drew near, and put her hand upon his arm,

atigue of going or the fatigue of staying. You must judge. Dr. Maryland will receive you as his own ch

r the butternuts,' she added, recovering her spirits the moment the decision was ma

difficulties to-morrow. I hope the play will not i

clasped hers, lifted