The Brass Bound Box

nd what and where it was. But thought seemed difficult, and he closed his lids again, wondering what mad

me, even upon the most prolonged of fishing-trips. Yet the softness beneath his head was not that of a pillow in i

I a-at? Who's a

ght I had killed you. I'd never killed anybody before, though stepmother said I'd tried. I mean I-I sup

hat horrid girl, and he had forgotten the ravine beyond "deserted cottage." He had fallen down it and hit his head. He c

been a baby. He tried to wriggle away from her on to the ground beyond, but this she sturdily prevented, and t

eakness, Monty ceased to wriggle, and dema

wed. When you ran

t Eu-Eu-ni

g you I was sorry. But, you see, I never before knew anybody who stammered, and I didn't think how rude I wa

d earnestly offered. Besides, that was as it should be. Humility was the correct attitude for in

e you. But I don't see. G-g-

course. It was so fearfully dark in that forest that I nearly lost you once, but I could hear if I couldn't see; and it wasn't so bad when we got outside again. Yet whatever should make you, a boy-a boy!-go a

declining explanations, and wondering how she had perceived his distaste for girls. Besides, he was rapidly regain

e hung for a s-s-s-sh

icry so strong that she couldn't help replying and laughing: "J-j-j-jus

ery tone. He even condescended to laugh back; then u

That's exactly what I wan

as herself shivering violently, but only from the cold of an autumn midnight, against which her light summer dress was small protection. She ached from long sitting on the stony ground, and from holding the heavy shoulders of her companion. She was frightened by the lateness o

Yet also a boy who was a gentleman by birth; so that, while his first im

or, a-a-anyway? I-I-I'

ay, and I'm afraid. I'm afraid of everything! Of that terrible forest, of Aunt Eunice's anger, of her ref

f the round little Snowballs seemed so humanly lovable to Kathari

b-b-be for the w-w-w-whole. 'Tain't far to the pool. We can go f-f-fishin',

htful. She forgot that she was cold, that it was late and she was where she should not

ever went fishi

d, now readily taking her cold hand and set

d none the less, it may be, because all the time she was conscious of a certain daring and danger in their escapade; and her pace more than outstripped Monty's as they

l as if I were part of a story-book myself, like all the rest of Marsden!" said Kate, half-breathless

water, listening and peering up and down the stream. Then, with disappointment depicted in

Master Sturtevant now guided Katharine; herself, also, so tired from her day of travel and her night of adventure; and finally,

ome road, and not on t

pid transit to his grandmother's low kitchen roof and through a window to his bed, as he fondly hoped, forgotten and unobserved. He didn't intend that any strange girl should throw all his plans agley, for she had done more than mischief enough alread

ood blood of many past Sturtevants stirred now in their desce

ght. I don't m-m-m-mind it-m-m-much, not much;" for even ch

h him, and, despite the fact that the moon was shining, all three men carried lighted lanterns. They were overcoated and muffled to a degree, and Moses' first action was to unfold a great shawl which he had carried on his shoulder, and wrap Kate in i

them both as if they must fall by the way. That terrible silence, too, and the firm grip of her arm, made Kate wonder if Mr. Jones had suddenly become a constable in

. It seemed to him that he had been hurried and tramping along ever since he was born. That never had he done a single thing besides lifting one heavy foot after another and planting each a bit farther along that glar

is eyes a moment; and when he opened them again he found himself being carried swiftly homeward in Moses' strong arms. He being carried! like one of Mis' Turner's babies! More ignominy still. As i

, Un-un-uncle Mose. What you d

and there was nobody to hear Unc

nigh druv two old women crazy, and set the whole village a-teeter. Just because I walked through it ringin' a bell an' cryin', like any respectable constable would have done if I'd been one, and this 'most makes

, no longer resisting the relief of walk

, amazed and alarmed. "Wh

n' she come to say s

any sense? Why, there's been more'n a half-dozen cattle killed in that plaguey hollow sence I can remember. Yet you wasn't. Well, I'm glad of i

in, then Monty suddenly asked: "How

r somethin'. And there she has landed on her feet sound as a cat. Though speakin' of cats, Sir Philip has had the bout of his life, and he looks pretty peaked to me. But here we are to home, an' your grandma ain't likely to scold you none if you just mention

them again and strain the boy to her heart, while her stately figure shook like an aspen. But Moses knew the lady's temperament of old, and how her alternate severity and

shaver, Madam, only he fell down Foxes'

Sturtevant he had no further glimpse during

e had, fortunately, but little to say beyond the statement that, "I went to apologize, and I stayed to-to fish, I guess." The relief of being safe indoors

umber, she looked so like Aunt Eunice's lost "little John," that the lady stooped and kissed h

with such a charge. For years her father left me ignorant of how his life was passing, and it seemed to me he had no right to impose the care of his daughter upon me, just because I had once tried to b

vant rather than the statelier mistress. Also, in the old days when "Johnny" had been with them, though the aunt had loved she had, a

she's the cut an' dried image of her own pa, bless him. Send her off? Course you'll do nothin' o' the kind. If you d

image" of anybody Miss Eunice smiled, and her perplexity vanished-for

t. I am surely obliged to you for the help and comfort you are to me,

n us without no druther of our own, an' a bad beginnin' gen'ally makes a good ending; an' I 'low I'd best take one more pe

rrow, the Widow Sprigg took herself out of