Seven Miles to Arden

s's engagement there. The guest departed by way of the second-floor piazza and a fire-escape, and not even the night watchman saw her go. But

table. I feel now as if I'd been caught lifting the crown jewels, instead of giving a hundred-guin

had stated her payment of one Irish grandfather by the name of Denis-in return for the loan of the dress-and had hoped that Miriam would find him handy on future public occasions. Patsy coul

pt, clean world of open country it looked to Patsy as her eye followed the road before her, on to the greening meadows and wooded slop

n miles to Arden. I'd like to be following the road for days and da

e possessor of the road and the world that bounded it. So Patsy chose the way for herself-content that it would lead her to her destination in the end. The joy of true vagabondage was rampant within her: there was the road, urging her like an impatient comrade to be gone; there was her errand of good-w

ts back and scratch at ye-sure as fate; but if ye are wise and a bit patient ye can have it coaxed and smoothed down till it's purring to make room for ye at any heart

phy-so was she blessed in the matter of possessio

of free roadway, rugged hilltop, or virgin forest her feet crossed. She claimed squatters' rights on every bit of shaded pasture, or sunlit glade, or singing brook her heart rejoiced in. In other words,

she did this morning, probably because she had never before set forth

mped along; "it needs a few foolish ones to keep things happening. And

of the stumps appeared to be hanging a grotesque figure of some remarkable cut; it loo

o be partial to anything hanging to a thorn, or a s

ched on a lower prong of a root and it was a man, clothed in the most

lie Fay give his Sunday dinner if he could gather him in as he is, just-to play the tinke

his head slowly and gazed at her with an express

nder the earth or above the earth, but not of the earth. This was borne in upon Pa

cond sight and see the faeries. Aye, and he's as young and handsome as a

response, rende

lung down in the grass at the man's feet and

itant doubt, as if the speaker would have avoided, if he coul

; but there was a time-" Patsy's mind trailed off into the far past, into a maze of legend and folk-tale wherein tinkers were figures of romance and mystery. It was good luck then to fall

e was certainly not in possession of all his senses, from whatever world he might have dropped; and helplessn

k on an alluring hint of suggestion. "Ye can't be thinking of hanging on

nd her question with an exaggerated gravity;

that way myself; m

ay

far mig

en m

the distance already, I'm thinking. Never mind! What's behind won't trouble me, and the rest of th

from his perch on the stump fence, gathered up his kit, and in another minute ha

rying to match wits with Willie Shakespeare. If any o

used the tinker to cast an u

Arden. According to Willie Shakespeare-whom ye are not likely to be acquainted with-it's a place where philosophers and banished dukes and peasants and love-sick youths and lions and serpents all li

lemnly; and then of a sudden he

he suggested when the laugh was ended. "It improves ye wonderfully." An afterthought flas

y half conscious of the companion at his side. But Patsy's fancy was busy with a hundred things, while her eyes went afield for every scrap of prettiness the country held. There were meadows of brilliant daisies, broken by clumps

the meadow would be green with corn." A faint wisp of a sigh escaped her at the thought, and the tinker looked across at her questioningly. "Sure, it's my heart hungerin

ay

ay, wondering look that she had seen first in his face. "Poor lad! Like as not he

ht her eyes upon him

e not had a morsel of breakfast this day

s might be; but all he drew forth were his two empty hands. He looked down the stretch of

and went on without waiting for his answer. "Never mind! We'll sharpen

e tinker. It was the lo

It was a thoroughly well-kept-looking farm, and she picked out what she decided must be the side door, and

bs for my man there? He's a bit odd and says little; but he can solder a broken pot

n-handles off and holes in the bottom. He can mend them out on the stoop, if

winning comradeship as she stooped and picked up a tray of empty berry-boxes t

g folks; they're someti

folks-so ye best se

s backward glance at him, but saw that he was rolling up the rags that served for sleeves, thereby baring a pair of

inner satisfaction. "He may be

scraping of the tinker, who worked unceasingly. When they sat down to dinner at last there was a tableful-the woman and her husband, Patsy, the tinker, and the "ha

e, about to begin. Then he looked at Patsy, and, with that natural courtesy that i

deep with feeling: "For food and fellowship, good Lord, we thank Thee. Amen!" And she

iend parts with friend. The woman slipped a bundle of food-bread, cheese, and meat left from the dinner,

in a thousand years how we came to be traveling along together. What folks don't know can't hurt them, and 'tis often easier holding your tongue than trying to

e tinker nod

moment they sighted it Patsy's feet began to lag; and by the time they reached the crossing of the ways she ha

I've told so many lies these last two days I think I'll bide yonder for a bit, and see can Saint

h for his scattered wits. He dug the toe of his boot in the gravel of the church path and removed his cap

of course," c

ked the roads, when a sorrel mare and a runabout came racing down the road over which they had just come. There were two men in the r

" The driver swung the whip, in

" agreed the other. "But

Some one passed this way sence you been set

s his eyes and forehead, by way of seeking misplaced wits-

egan, angrily; but his companion silenced him with a nudge and a fing

t-undersized girl. She was asking the way

you want

" growled th

tayed last night in the Inn and this morning a couple of thousand

I think I saw her," and as the men turned southward down the road marked Arden he called aft

orrel above the dashboard before she plunged, then, with amazing speed, of mind as well as of body,

stepped out of the cross-roads church, peacefully radiant, and

ired of my company, after all, and gone on." Patsy lau

ointed to the straight road ahead, the road that ran w

d looked him over for the space of a second. "Ye are improving wonderfully. Mi

hy

sfactory explanation she led the way