Under the Country Sky

ff the contemplated letter to her almost unknown cousin. How the invitation would be received she had little idea, but since a letter of thanks was undeniably d

sealing and stamping her letter after having read it aloud to her father. "A

Mr. Warne spoke from the depths of an old armchair by the living-room fire, where, with a lamp at his elbow, he was not too deep in a spee

admit that anything tastes as it should, but I

scarf of scarlet silk (dyed from a Semi-Annual petticoat!), which served less as a protection than as the finishing touch to her gay winter's night costume. She was likely to meet few people on her way, but th

at sundown, another door a few rods down the quiet street banged loudly, and the sharp creak of rapid footsteps was i

Curious that I should break out of Mr

t? I stole out like a cat just to avoid s

sition beside hers as if by right. His hand slipped lightly under her arm, and he turned her gently to face the direction in which he himself had set out. "That's like your impertine

re won

under that cape? G

asket, Jimps; never min

basket when I'm around! Sp

atorial to-nig

t of new hands to-day, who didn't

doors every minute!"

f house jobs? See here, you need a run. Let's take the time to go

fully. "I'd love

he corner of an overgrown old place which they were passing, and deposit

coast at the end of the season. But there'll undoubtedly be more. Honestly, now

what I should have do

years away at school and college-well-- Anyhow, I pride myself the partnership has w

t as

n it, but he did not pursue the subject further. Instead h

having him at all, he's so quiet,

, but daught

t and listen to their discussions-and jump up to wai

doesn't he get up

Jimps, we're going t

" The questio

te Crofton. At least I'm writing to as

r heads so high for no particular reason except that

I ever said of them to

entirely against her will, of course-as the daughter of Thomas Crofton? She's

h her head held quite as high as if she belonged to that branch

your breath for the run down. Come on, George; one more spur

n. Stuart's grip was tight, or more than once Georgiana would have slipped on the rough iciness of the descent. But she did

it to a younger brother. "You haven't played basket ball and rowed in your 'Varsity boat for nothing.

ms, and carrying up woo

?" They were walking on rapidly now. "I'll be over in the morning and take up

he know who puts the wood in his room? I don

k you very much, my good girl.' I don't like this boarder bus

, and such delicious tobacco that I find myself sniffing the air w

up your hall so you won't have to sniff the air

haped the plans of these two young people had been the means of inspiring much comprehending sympathy between them. An almost lifelong previous acquaintance had put them on a footing of brotherly and sisterly intimacy, now powerfully enhanced by the sense of need each felt for the other. It was small wonder that their fellow-townsmen were accustomed to couple their names as they would those of a pair long betrothed, and that, as the two came together into the village post-office, where as usual a group of citizens

re, discussed soberly enough certain problems of Stuart's connected with the commercial side of market gardening. He spoke precisely as he would have spoken to a man, with the possible difference that he made his explanations

crisis, what would you

showed that she understood precisely the points to be taken into consideration. He answered concisely, and

with a relieved laugh. "I admit it-it's a mighty good suggestion; it may be the way out. Anyhow, it's well worth trying. George, you

t want to be a girl-at twenty-

ight, "as long as you continue to act enough like a normal girl to run down the hills with me after dark. Well, here w

rdid to-day, in spite of all my efforts, and I m

and smoke his spices-of-Araby mixture by your fire,

terary light goes off for a long tramp by himself, and often doesn't come back till all our lights are out, except the one

side, as he does at your table. I know your father's soft heart. Yours may not be quite so vulnerable, but if the

if she does come, which I doubt more and more-you may

ll pair off with him, while I do my prettiest not to look like an awkwa

James Stuar

uart responded cheerfully. But t