The Making of a Soul

g day when Owen called her to him; and she hastened

mind helping me this afternoon. I want some books from my house down at Willowhurst t

Mr.

books up to town, I thought if you would come down too, bringing the little Blick typewriter

Toni's eyes

. I should be

out and get some lunch. Will

ime to run throu

oir! I'll be back

nd the room before settling to work-somewhat to

-practising the tu

hotly, and tried in va

to motor down to Willowhurst with him abo

Barry could not resis

se, I've only been in taxis and char-à-bancs and things, but I'v

r childish confession made Barry

s in my position don't go about in motors! Of course"-with one of her sudden changes of m

in Italy

how beautiful Italy is in the spring, when the pink almond-blossom makes the hill-sides look like a great rose-garden ... and the oranges and lemons

th, almost a poetry, in the nature he had thought shallow and

ed to watch him pipe, and make a garland of vine-leaves and put it on his curls, and my father would laugh and call him Pan, and say he was really thousands of years old

and this time Ba

d his flock, what did

nd we would hear his pipe growing fainter and fainte

ang up

alking! That life's over and done wit

up some papers. "But just tell me this.

ated, con

ld all be different. My father wouldn't be there, nor

ould be the same

e since I came to England-when we went to Southend for the day. And there it was all cold and

r absently into his own room, leaving her to her work-which work was done none the less care

i ran down the steps with a smiling face from w

oot was actually on the step when she turned and look

you drive the

you know-ah, would you

y as a queen, was installed by the driver's side, and the car began to glide f

and for a second his heart stood still at the expression on her face. Surel

oat in the car." He spoke abruptly, b

uite warm,

f some thin material which framed her face very sa

the miles so fast that before they knew it they were out in the country, flying along the

ow they caught a glimpse of a carpet of golden kingcups, and once they passed a tiny dell in whose very heart an azure mist whispered of bluebells; while the blackthorn and the may ma

l blossom, the pink and white bloom standing out against the pale blue of the sky with the eff

was different from the stagnant air of the Brixton streets; the scent of flowers was grateful after the odours of the City,

ch sealed her lips; and although he cast a look now and then at his companion

destination did he begin to point out

I remember. She liked it better than our own church-the one you can just see peeping between the trees. The village-Willowhurst, I me

r round a small green. There was a pleasant, old-world look about the place which was oddly charming; and Toni was quite sorry when the car left the little green behind. But in another minute the

enriver-my home-b

nce they had entered and were rolling up the broad aven

ouse as that in which Justice Shallow might have entertained Falstaff-a long grey building with a porch in th

ately loveliness of the grounds, under whose tall elms many a joyous company must have roamed when the river was the highway of elegance and fashion, and great barges floated down the Thames bearing Royal personages reclining on their couches covere

rs in parterre and bed, the wonderful completeness-and in some cases the antiquity-of the contents of the famous herbaceous border; an

came to a standstill at the foot o

s your

er out of the car. "And here is my old

n came forward as Owen advanced, and

beginning to wonder if

have to go back just yet. I want to have a chat with you by and bye, Mrs. Blade

as Mrs. Blades' old-fashioned reply. "Shan't

Miss Gibbs isn't tired, we'll get on with our work f

ry. Owen busied himself, for a few moments, at the shelves, searching for the books he wanted;

ancing daffodils. The grass, smooth as velvet, led to a stone balustrade, beyond which lay the river, sparkling in the sunshine, whilst beyond that

all her life Toni had never entered such a room-had never im

wall was distempered a lighter shade of green, and the carpet was of a darker tone. In one of the deep window embrasures was a bureau, of just the right height

ned its walls. Shelf after shelf of them rose from the floor, almost to the ceiling; and since

rple suède, gay with gold edges and lettering; priceless old volumes, rare black-letter editions, poets, classics, all the standard

ents would be appallingly dull; and her eyes fled gladly to the more congenial scene outside the windows where the flowers danced

bearing an armful of thin books, boun

ms, and gave her one or two instructions, while Toni, conscious that she had been d

des," said Owen presently. "Then we'll have tea, and if there'

t her as she sat among the books; and if she had looked up she could not have f

r a few seconds' scrutiny he went

he took the last sheet of paper out of the typewriter the door

e. "That's good! Now you shall have some tea to refresh you

ld be suitable; and as the afternoon sunshine still str

nty sandwiches, hot cakes, and a big and substantial-looking seed-loaf,

ive silver tea-pot on the tray-"will you pour o

ack frock for a serge skirt and a girlish-looking white blouse, open at the throat; and now that she had thrown asi

e duties of the tea-tray, Owen told himse

ove might shine unchecked, casting its beams unashamedly upon the object of its devotion. Later she might learn, as many women do, to interpose a veil between her soul

nocently, pathetically intense that it was no wonder O

s was inexpressibly attractive; and if Owen's eyes were blinded by suffering, there was sur

usk was falling; and the garden wore a ghostly look; while

ght-grew tense, electric, almost, one would have said, expectant

itated for a minute before he spoke. She looked so young, so wistful, so helpless. It was almost unfair, selfish, to sp

f her name set the whole atmosphere throbbing with wi

only her eyes fas

ver bring yourself to marry me? Oh, I know you're surprised-I ought not to spring i

, hooting, past the window, and in the du

e quietly,

u mean it? You w

ld, so powerful was the illusion of youth in the large-eyed

her, one hand on the arm, the other clenched on

and the next moment she was kneeling beside

stion his meaning. "But-how did you know I lo

Italian eyes gazing at him with an intensity of appeal

hat! But if it's true-if you do l

r, as a child, weep at the sight of a group of violets growing in the grass, at the sound of the shepherd's pipe, the scent of the sea-laden breeze. Although her heart was so full of bliss that she could scarc

f, begged her to listen to him, to refuse him if the thought of his offer made her miserable. Toni only cried the harder; and a

t his heart like a child, and as he felt her little body in his a

d marry her and devote his life to making her happy; and in his curiously exalted state of mind Owen quite lost sight

o had sobbed herself into quiescence

u say, shall we get Mrs. Blades to give us a little dinner

e, like a child that is uncertain of its treatme

self to re

ll light a candle, and you shall put your hat stra

rror, Owen gathered up the papers she had typewritten; and when he turned

rst, do you mind if I let old Blades into our secret? She's a faithful ol

g the door Owen led her across the

r which shut off the servants' premises, they found themselves in a brightly-lit passage, at the end of w

g with fun; and drawing Toni's arm through his he ran with her down the passa

flaring in an iron cage; but on the table in front of Mrs. Blades were no less than ten small oil-lamps, evidently

her turn round quickly. "The Ten Littl

first Mr. Leetham used to say a good big lamp would be best, at the head of the sta

ok, Toni, they're really quite pretty, aren't they? A

ies'?" Toni looked,

he bedrooms are, was always as dark as Erebus." He laughed, catching sight of the blank look on Mrs. Blades' face at the word. "So my mo

the n

they've always been known as the Ten Little Ladie

rejoined Mrs. Blades somewhat formally; and som

, apparently, to carry off the tray with the Little Ladies; but on Owen approach

nds in his and turned to the old housekeeper, who g

and I hope that before many weeks are over we shall come down to live

had watched Owen grow from boy to man, and now, after a lapse of years, saw him in his manho

e afternoon. "Cheer up! Don't look as if we were going t

pression; and managed presently to shake Toni's cold little hand with a resp

and Owen was about to take his seat when he remembered that

umped down from the step. "I won't b

dewy eyes. "Don't hurry-it's so lovely he

dency to what she called "chronical brownkitis," had not ventured to brave the night air; an

natched them up as he spoke, and crammed them into the po

s he passed her; but to his surprise she p

you really mean that you're g

pulled himself together. "Why should I

arry. She ... she's not like the other lady you were going to bring here as mistress of G

r seen before crossed Owen's face.

usand times more suitable to be the mistress of Greenriver. The-the other lady

e his bride-a girl she was, only eighteen-but the highest lady in the land couldn't have been evened to her. Miss Gibbs is prett

ss Gibbs good enough to be my wife that's quite sufficient for ev

egretted her foolish words. "I'm growing old, and maybe I'm in my

is steps receding down the passage towards the hall. There was impatience in his very tread; for, truth

osed, by her long connection with the family. But suddenly a feeling of vague une

I were making an unsuitable marriage." He frowned thoughtfully, anger dying before s

, out of the twilight, brought to birth by an old woman's homely words; and in those illuminating seconds Owe

waiting so trustfully, so happily for his coming; and with a su

s she went over the little scene. She felt suddenly old; and for the fi

rosy Maggie to her, delivered into her hands the Ten Little Ladies,