HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 1891-09-04, Page 2CHAPTER, XIV.
ISt'r1 1l weals of MTE. '
Oa the Thursday immediately preceding
the opening of the exhibition they did • not
to the libraryr as usual, nor to Gunsler's
x,•their ;lui ieh. Like a number of other
people,. their habits were deranged and
themselves d�errioral xed by anticipation of
0o -impending festival., They 8.,tayed at
home to make themselves new bonnets for
�...F.•�_._... hegccatioh un l`t o a cold :.dinner while
at their work, and two of them did not stir
outside their rooms from morn till dewy eve
for so much as a glance into Myrtle street
But in the afternoon it was found that
half a yard more of ribbon was required to
complete. the last of the bonnets, and Patty
volunteered to• " run into town " to fetch it.
' h et,
r ls1 n
n ,
of an adjoining road which was an emu •bush
route, intending to expend threepence, for
once, in the purchase of a little precious
time, but every omnibus was full, and she
had to walk the whoe way. The pave-
, meats were crowded with hurrying folk,
• who jostledandobstructedher. Collins street,
.when she turned into it seemed riotous with
abnormal life; and she went from she to
usual eolosing-hour was past, and the even-
ing beginning to grow dark. Then she got
what ehe wanted, arid set off home by way
of the Gardens'
"feeling a little daunted by
the noise and bustle of the streets, and,
fancying she would be secure when once
those green alleys, always so peaceful, were
reached. But to -night even, the gardens
were infested by the spirit of unrest and
• enterprise that pervaded the city. The
quiet walks were not quiet now, and the
sense of her belated isolation in the growing
dusk seemed more formidable,here instead
of less. For hardly had she pssed through
the gates into the Treasury enclosure than
she was conscious of being watched and
peered at by strange men, who appeared to
pwarm all over the•place ; and by the time
she had reached the Gardens nearer home
the appalling fact was forced upon her that
a tobacco -scent d individual was dogging
her steps, . as ' if with an intention
baccosting her... She was bold,.
ut her imagination was easily wrought
upon ; and the formless danger, of
a kin& in which she was totally inexperi-
enced, gave a shock to her nerves. So that
when presently, as she hurriedly pattered
on, hearing' the heavier tread and an occa-
sional artihcial cough behind her, she sud-
' denly saw a still more expeditious pedes-
trian hastening by, and recognized Paul's.
light figure and active gait, the words
seemed to utter, themselves without con-
scious effort of hers—" Mr. Brion 1—oh,
Mr. Brion, is that you?" -
He stopped at the first sound - of her
voice, looked back and saw her, saw the man
behind her, and comprehended the situation
immediately: Without -speaking; he -stepped
to her side andoffered hie arm, which she
took for one happy moment, when the de-
lightful sense of his protection was too
strong for her, and then—reacting violently
from. that - mood—released. ".I I am
mortified with myself for being such a fool,"
she said angrily ; "but really that person
did frighten me. I don't know
what is . 'the matter with. Mel-
bourne to-night—I suppose it is the
.'exhibition." And she went on to explain
liow she camp to he • abroad alone at that
hour, and to explain away, as she hoped,
,her apparent satisfaction in meeting him.
" It seesaw to promise for a fine day, does
it not ?" she concluded airily, looking up at
the sky,
Paul Brion put his hands in his pockets.
He was mortified, too.. When he spoke, it.
was with icy composure.
" Ara tyou going to the opening!"
'" Yes," said Patty. "Of 'course we are."
" With your swell friends, I suppose ?"
" Wheat do you mean by our swell
Mende ? Mrs. Duff -Scott is not in Mel-
bourne,. I believe—if you ;'allude to her.
But she is not swell. The only swell person
we know is Mrs. Aarons, and she is not our
friend." •
He allowed the allusion to Mrs. Aarons
to pass. " Well, I hope you will have good
seats," he said, moodily. " It will be a
disgusting crush and scramble, I expect."
" Seats ? Oh,. we arenot going .to have
-seats," said Patty. " We are going to
mingle with the common herd, and look' on
at the civic functions, humbly, from the
outside. We; are not swell"—dwelling upon
the adjective with a malicious enjoyment of
the suspicion that he had not meant to use
it—" and we like to be independent."
" 0 yes, I know you do. Bat you'll find
the Rights of Woman not much . good to
you to -morrow in the Melbourne streets, I
fancy, ,if you go there on foot ' without au
escort. May I ask how you propose to take
" We are going," said Patty, " to start
very early indeed, and to take up a certain
advautegeous position that we have already
selected before the streets fill. We shall
have a little elevation above the heads of
the crowd, and a wall at our backs, and—
the three of us together—we shall see the
procession beautifully, and be quite safe
and comfortable:" •
" Well, I hope you won't find, yourself
mistaken," he replied.
A few minutes later Patty burst into the
room where her sisters were -sitting, placidly
occupied with their bonnet -making, her eyes
shining with excitement. "Elizabeth, Eliza-
beth," she cried breathlessly, " Paul Brion
is going to ask you to let him bo our escort
tr►-morrow. But you won't—oh, you won't
— }ui
e him, will you ?"
" No, dear," said Elizatbeth, serenely
"not if you would rather not. Why should
wo? • It will be broad daylight when there
can be no harm incur being mit without an
escort. We shall bo mucfi happier by our-
selves." e'
•" Much happier thin with him," added
Patty, sharpy,.
And they went on with their preparations
for the great day that had' beep so\long de-
sired, little thinking what it was to bring
forth.
C1APTER XV.
nLiZAB1TI-i FINDS A FRIEND.
They had an early breakfast, dressed
themselves with greet care in their best
frocks and the new bonnets, ' and, each
carrying an umbrella, sot forth with a
cheerful resolve to see what was to be
seen of the' ceremonies of the day, bliss-
fully ignorant of the uature of their under -
taking. Paul Brion, (int of bed betimes,
heard their voices and the click of their
gate, and stepped into his balcony to see
•them start. lie took note of . the pretty
costumes, that had a gala air about them,
and of the fresh and striking beauty of at
least two of the three sweet faces and: he
kroaned to thinksof such women being
hustled and batted, helplessly, in the
fierce crush of a solid street crowd. But
they had no fear whatever for themselves.
Hove ver, they had not gone far before
they perceived that the idea of securing a
good ,position early in the day had occurred
to a great many people besides themselves-
EE•ea•-sleepy Myrtle. Street b away- and
active, and the adjoining road, when they
turned into it, was teeming with 'holiday
life. They took their favorite route through
the Fitzroy 'and Treasury Gardens, and
found those sylvan glades alive with asks;
and by the time they got into Spring ktreet
the crowd had thickened to an extent that
embarrassed their progress and made it
devious and slow. And they had scarcely
it ge 't`ffl'i 're isiury'i3Tiii fifili . hoe' ' esti
who ha4tbeen suffering from a slight sore
throat,began to cough and shiver, and aroused
the maternal anxiety of her careful elder
sister. "0, my dear," said Elizabeth, com-
ing to an abrupt standstill on the pavement,
" have you nothing but that wisp of muslin
round your neck ? And the day se cold—
and looking so like rain ! It will never
wind, -with the chance ofetting we ,
unless you are wrapped up -better. - We
moat run home again and fix you, up. And
I' think it would be wiser if we were all to
change our things and put on our old
bonnets."
" Now, look here, Elizabeth," said Patty,
with strong emphasis ; " you see that
street, don't you ? "—and she pointed down
the main thoroughfare of the city, which
was already gorged with people throughout
its length. " You see• that, and that "—
and she indicated the swarming road ahead
of them and the populous valley in the
opposite direction. " If there is such a
crowd now, what will there be in half an
hour's time ? And we couldn't do it in half
an hour. Let us make Nelly tie up her
throat in our three pocket -handkerchiefs,
and push on and get our, places. Otherwise
we shall be out of it altogother—we shall
see nothing,"
But the • gentle Elizabeth was obdurate on
Som. e occasions, and this was one of them.
Eleanor was chilled with the cold, and it
was not tobe thought of that' she should
-run the' risk 'of an illness from imprudent
exposure—no, not for all the exhibitions, in
the world. So they compromised the case
by deciding that Patty and Eleanor should
"
run" home together, while the elder
sister uw�}}ted their return, keeping pos-
session of'a little .post of vantage on the
Treasury steps—where they would be able
to see the procession, if not the Exhibition
—in case the • crowd should be too great
by -and -bye to allow of their getting
farther.
"-Well, make yourself as big as you can;"
id Patty, -resignedly.-___
" And, whatever you do," implored
Eleanor, " don't stir an inch from where you
are until we come back, lest we should lose
you."
Upon which -they set off in hot haste to
Myrtle street.
Elizabeth, when they were gone, saw with
alarm the rapid growth of the crowd around,
her. It filled up the street in all directions,
and condensed into a solid mass on the
Treasury steps; very soon absorbing the
modest amount of space that she had hoped
to reserve for her sisters. In much less
than half an hour she was so hopelessly
wedged in her place that, tall and strong as
she was, she was almost lifted off her feet ;
and there was no prospect of restoring com-
munications with Patty and Eleanor until
the show was over: In a fever of anxiety.
bitterly regretting that she had consented
to part front them, she kept her eyesturned
towards the gate of the -Gardens, whence
she expected them to emerge ; and then
she saw, presently, the figure of their good
genius and deliverer from all dilenunas,
Paul Brion, fighting his way towards
her.' The little man pursued an ener-
getic course through the crowd,
which almost covered` him, hurling himeelf
along with a velocity that was out
of all proportion to his bulk ; and. from
time to time she saw his quick eyes flash-
ing over other people's shoulders, and that
he was looking eagerly in all directions. It
seemed hopeless to expect him to distin-
guish her in the sea of faces around him, but
he did. Sunk in the human tide that rose
in the street above the level. of his head, he
made desperately for a footing on a higher
plane, and in so doing caught sight of,her
and battled his way to her side. " Oh, here
you are !" he exclaimed, in a tone of relief.
" I have been so anxious about you. But
where is Miss batty ? Where are your
sisters ?"
" Oh, Mr. Brion," she responded, " you
lways-seem-tv--tr rirn=u
as we get into trouble, and I am so thankful
to see you ! The girls had to go home for
something, and were to meet me here, and I
don't know what will become of them in this
crowd."
" Which way were they to come ?" he
inquired eagerly.
"'By the Gardens. But the gates are
'completely blocked."
",I will go and find them," he said.
" Don't be anxious about them They will
he in 1101e—they will be all right. You
will come,. too, won't• you ? think I can
manage to get you through."
" I can't," she replied, " 1 promised h
would not stir from this place, and I must
not, in ease they should o in the street, or
we should m;sa them."
". ` The boy stood on the burning deck,'"
he quoted, with a laugh. He could afford
a little jest, though she was so serious, for
3 he was happy in the conviction that th.e
girls had been unable to reach the street,
that he should find them disconsolate in the
gardens,. and compel Miss (Patty to feel, if
not to acknowledge, that he was of some
use and comfort to her after all. " But I
hate to leave you here," he added, glaring
upon her bni. oinfortable but 'inoffensive
neighbors, " all alone by yourself,"
"Oh,, don't mind me,'"- said Elizabeth,
cheerfully. " If you can only find Patty
and Nelly, and be so good as to take caro of
tl}om, I shall he all right."
And so, with apparent reluctance, but the
'utmost real elate ity, he left her, flingit.g
himself front the steps into the crowd like a
' swinimer diving into the sea, and she saw
hint disappear with an easy mind.
Bat long ,before the Queen's repre9entn-
tivo made his appearance upOla the scene,
p to help us as soon
Elizabeth had cussed to see or care for the
great spectacle that she had been so anxious
to witness. Moment by moment the crowd
abort her grew mere dense and dogged,
more pitilessly indifferent to the comfort
of one another, more evidently minded that
the fittest should survive in the fight for
existence on the treasury steps. Rough
men pushed her forward and backward;
and from side to side, treading h r
her feet, and tearingthe stitches of
gown, and knocking her bonnet awry, until
she felt bruised and sick With the buffetings
that she got, and the keen eenscioueuess of
the indignity of her position. She could',
scarcely breathe for the pressure .around,
her, though the breath of alrisorts oi'un-'
pleasant people was freely poured into her
face. She would have struggled away, and
gone home—convinced of the comforting
tact that Patty and Eleanor were safely cut
of it in Paul Brion's protection—but she
could not stir an inch by her own volition.
When she did stir it was by some violent
propelling power in another person, and,
t., he ar
?n r2,
Edi'sst«..ad&'�`C3=-;u,"',�3' a �'., n1�[
way as to completely overbalance her.
A sudden wave of movement broke
against a stout woman standing imme-
diately . behind her, and the stout woman,
quite unintentionally, pushed her tel',
the edge of the step, and flung her upon 'the
fought his way bposition
shoulder of a brawny larrikin w'hru$had
ckwards into a
see the •meas
s ree, - I ' is sa = ' . '
.,, rri•in .a
tur-ned, .struck her aaxagely in the breast
with his elbow, demander ; with a roar mid
an oath, where she wasshoving to ; -and
between her two assail ts, faint andfright-
ened, she lost hes foots. g, and all but fell
headlong into the s ething mass beneath
But as she v' as falling—a moment so
agonizing at th time, and' so delightful to
remember aft wards—someone caught her
round the' aist with a • strong grip and
lifted her u and set her safely on her feet
again: It as a man who had been stand-
ing withi a little distance of her, tall
enough th overtop the crowd and strong
enough 'to maintain an upright position
in it ; she had noticed, him for
some time, and that he had seemed not
seriously incommoded by the bustling and
scuffling that rendered her so helpless ; but
She had not noticed his gradual approach
to her side. Now, looking up with a little
sob of relief, her instant recognition of him
as a gentleman was followed by an instinc-
tive identification of him as a sort of Cin-
derele's prince.
In short, there is no need to make .a, mys-
tery of the matter. At half -past 10 O'clock
on the morning of the first of October in
the year 1880, when she was plunged into
the most wretched and terrifying circum-
stances of her life—at the instant when.she
was struck by the larrikin's elbow and felt
herself about to be crushed under the feet
of, the crowd—Elizabeth King met her
happy fate. She found that friend for
whom, hungrily if unconsciously, her tender
earth had longed.
-CHATTER XVL
" WE WERE NOT STRANGERS, AS TO US AND
ALL IT SEEMED."'
".Stand here, and I can shelter you• a
little," he said, in a quiet tone that con-
trasted refreshingly with the hoarse excite-
ment around tjiem. He drew, her close to
his side by the same grip of her waist that
had lifted her bodilywhen she was off her
feet, and, immeiately releasing her;
stretched a strong left arm between her ex-
posed shoulder and the crush of the crowd.
The arm was irresistibly pressed upon her
own arm, and bent across her in a curve
that wag neither more nor less than a
vehement embrace, and so she stood in a
condition of delicious astonishrnent, One
tingling blush, from head to foot. - It would
have been horrible had it been anyone else.
" I am so sorry," he said, " but I cannot
help it. If you don't mind standing as you
are for a few minutes, you will be all right
directly. As soon ' as the procession has
passed the crowd will scatter to 'follow it."
They looked at each other across a space
of half • a dozen inches or po, and in that
momentary glance, upon which everything
that mutually concerned thent depended,
were severallyrelieved• and satisfied..He was
not handsome—he had even a reputation for
ugliness ; but there are some kinds of ugli-
ness that are practically handsomer- than
many kinds of beauty, and his was of that
sort. He had a leathery, sun-dried, weather-
beaten, whiskerless, red,moustached face,
and he had a roughly -moulded, broad-based,
ostentatious nose; .his mouth was large, and
his light gray eyes deeply set and small.
Yet it was a strikingly distinguished
and attractive face, and Elizabeth fell
in love with it there and then. Similarly,
her face, at once modest and candid, was an
open book to his experienced glance, and
provisionally delighted him.. He was as
glad as she was that fate had , selected him
to deliver her in , out of
the many who might have held out a helping
hand to her and did not.
" I am afraid you cannot see very well,"
he remarked presently: There were sounds
in the distance that indicated the approach
of the vice -regal carriages, and people were
craning their necks over each other's shoul-
ders and standing on tip -tie to qatch the
first glimpse of them.' Just in frofit of her
the exuberant larrikin was making himself
as tall as possible.
" Oh, thank you—I dost want to see,"
she' replied hastily..
" But that was what you came here for—
like the rest of us—wasn't it?"
" I. did not know what 1 was coining for,"
she said, desperately, determined to set
herself 'eight in his eyes. " I never saw
anything like this before -1 was never iii .a
crowd I did not know what it was like.'
" Some one should have told you, then."
" We ha11e not any one belonging to us
to tell us things."
" Indeed ?"
" My sisters and I hs,ve lived in the bush
always, until now. We have no p seems,
We have not seen much yet. We ane out
this morning, thinking we could stand
together in a corner es, t look oa quietly—
we did not expect this."
"And your sisters?"
"They went home again. They are all
right, I hope:"
And left you here alone?"
E!h' d et.h explained the state of the case
more full3 , and by the time she had done
so the thwernors' carriages were in sight.
'The peopie were shouting and cheering s the
larrikin was dancing up and down in his
b -nailed boots, and bumping heavily upon a bench in an alley of the Fitzroy Gardens,
.arra tillt•#hielded her. Shrinking from Lleanor and Patty side by side, and Paul
him, she drew -her f ; tion
the left was firmly on the other aide of Eleanor.
two ; upon which t s % free sprang up as soon as they saw her
r;
the pressure of thos ty �n4ng,with gestures of eager welcome.at INF., .. " Ah !" said Elizabeth, her face flaming
throbbingiron re .to defe of his hes T. «. 1tith an entirely unnecessary blush; ""there
easun•
sound of his deep -ch -p dues- b'e my sisters I—I am all right now. 1
nou very muceed not trouble
" you any further. Thank
ca
ear—no consideration o . y
unlm romantthe ic necessittremulous y oex
f ' ,;,a She paused and se did he. She bent her
masticated to , her by , �- , Aged without lifting her eyes, and he took
wrings. off his hat to her with profound respect.
Oh,. how hideous, how sem
it would have been, had t t .I ; Y toupon le And so they parted—for a little while.
r;, CHAPTER XVII.
another breast and • fico ems than
his f�,h Ise ss ! As it was, it rade , , said AF2E1L QRN T] A.
he feared she was,;.tef•-•, ; � emfortaable When he had turned,, and Ieft her. Eliza,
but, thought ehe-did-not con a
felt in the secret depths of ' fat him, she beth faced her sisters with that vivid blush°
felt i atshehacreverbeenn Mier primitive still on her cheeks, and a general appear-
To be cared for and Pr'
s:0'4
oorecomfortable. ance of embarrassment that w too novel
sensation, and, though pt ,btected was a new to escape notice, Patty and El nor stared
anxious responsibili*= :goes had had to bear for a moment, and Eleanor laug ed.
es for herself and " Who is he ?" she inquired, 'saucily.
others, she had non _.atural vocation for ins " I don't know," said Elizabeth. "Where
dependence. kgany a time since have they have you been, dears ? How have you got
spoken off thi;� first half hour with pride, on ? I have been so anxious about you."
S�t��=li€��e�t � its?.• �'IW+'t:lmr: .r•A,Cv,...t �►-..:i._
1�
,lenA.'.itfiliaas_s;. r. "4-,^' ,fid ' •a..: r.,s �'
sight, „�''�izr��,ltej+��t<dutted=x.acI��Fr't;r���1ti "�
ceding no pro pgerience I have not the least idea, I tell you
"Yrother people—fool �£, for they Perhaps Mr. Brion knows."
Inns but a man and woman, and not gods. ' " No," said Mr. Brion. "He is a perfect
" I took you to my heart the first moment stranger to me."
I saw you." he says. "And I knew, even ". hie is a new arrival, I suppose," said
as soon as that, that it was my own place," Elizabeth, stealing a backward glance at her
-she calmly replies. . Whereas, good luck, hero, whom the others were watching
and not their own wisdom, justified then,, intently as he walked away. " Yea, he can
w, i e necessar' y h ceding her, embraced, asfstone put to the building of Cologne Cathe-
it were, to protect herfrom the crowd ; at dral, and that was not more than six or
the same time he put himself to some trouble severe weeks ago. He has conte to see the
to make conversation, which was less em- exhibition, probably. He seems to be a
barrassing toher than silence. He remarked great traveller."
that he was fond of crowds himself—found " Oh," said Eleanor,.. turning with a
them intensely interesting—and spoke of grimace to Patty, " her have we been
Thackeray's paper on the crowd that went mooning about in the gar ns., and she has
to see the man hanged (which she had never been seeing everything, a d having adven-
read) as illustrating the kind of interest he tures into the bargain !"
meant. He had lately seen the crowd at " It is very little I have seen," her elder
the opening of the Trocadero Palace, and sister remarked, " and this will tell you the
that which celebrated the completion of nature of my adventures "—and she showed
Cologne Cathedral ; facts whioh proclaimed them a rent in her gown. " I was nearly
him a " globe-trotter" and new arrival in torn to pieces by the crowd after you' left.
Melbourne. The few words in which he I am only • too thankful yon were out of it."
described the festival at Cologne fired 'her " But we are not at all thankfuI," pouted
imagination, fed "so long upon dreams of Eleanor. " Are we, Patty ?" . (Patty was
foreign travel', and made her forgetfor the riilent, but apparently amiable.) " It is
moment that he was . not an old acquaint- only the sticking that is undone—you can
ance. mend it in five minutes: We wouldn't have
"It was at about this hour of the day," minded little trifles of that sort—not in the
he said, "and I stood with the throng • in least—to have seen the procession, and
the streets, as I am doing now. They put trade the acquaintance of distinguished
the last stone on the top of the cross on travellers. Were there many more of them
one of the towers more than six hundred about, do.you suppose ?"
years after the foundation stone was laid. " O no," replied Elizabeth, promptly.
The people were wild with joy and hung out " Only he." ,
their flags all over the place. One old " And you managedto find him 1 Why
fellow came up to me and wanted to kiss • shouldn't we have found him too—Patty
me—he thought I must be as overcome as he and I ? Do tell us his e, Elizabeth, and
was." how you happened on hislfs and what he has
" And were you pot impressed ?" been saying and doing."
" Of course I was. It was very pathetic," •" He took care of roe, dear—that's all.
he replied, gently.. And she thought was crushed almost into a pulp, and he
" pathetic" an odd- word to use: Why allowed mo to—to stand beside him until
pathetic ? She did not like to ask him. the worst of it was over."
Then he made the further curious statement "How interesting !" ejaculated Eleanor_
that this crowd was the tamest he had ever "Arid then he talked to you . about Cologne
-seen. _.__. ^_-_-_--Cathedral?"-- --•-- ---- -. — ___--
" I don't call it tame," she said, with a "Yes. But never mindabout him. Tell
laugh, as the yells of the larrikin and his me where Mr. Brion found you, and what
fellows rent the air'around them. you have been doing."
He responded to her laugh with, a pleasant " Oh, we have not been doing anything—
smile, and his voice was friendlier when he far from it. I wish you knew his name,
spoke again. " But I" am quite delighted Elizabeth."
with it, unimpressiveas it is. • It is corn- . ".But, my clear, I don't. So - leave, off
posed of people who are not wanting any- asking silly questions. 1 daresay we shall
thing. - I don't know that I was ever in a never see or. hear of him again.,"
crowd of that sort•before. I feel, for once, • "Oh, don't you believe it! I'm certain
that I can breathe in peace.," we shall see hire again. He will be at the
" Oh, I wish I could feel so 1" she cried. Exhibition some day when we go there—to-
The carriages, in their slow, progress, were morrow, very likely."
now.. terming at the top . of Collins street,- " Well, well, never mind.. What are' we
and the hubbub around them had reached going to do now ?'
its height;. They consulted with Paul for a few,
" It will soon be over now," he mur- minutes, and he took them where they
inured encouragingly. could get a distant view of the crowds
"Yes," she replied. In a few minutes swarming around the exhibition, and hear
the crush would lessen, and he and she the- confused clamor of the bauds—which
would part. That was what they thought, seemed to gratify the two younger sisters
to the exclusion of all interest in the pass- very much, iii the absence of more pro=
ing Spectacle. Even as she spoke, the trounced excitement. They walked about
noise :inti confusion that had made a solitude until • they saw the Royal Standard hoisted
for their quiet intercourse, sensibly subsided. over the great dome, and heard the
The tail of the procession was well in eight ; saluting guns proclaim that the exhibition
the heavy crowd on the Treasury steps was was open ; •and then they returned to '
swaying and breaking like a huge wave Myrtle street, with a sense of having had
upon, the street : the larrikin was gone. It breakfast in the remote past, and of having
was time for the unknown gentleman to spent an enormously long morning not ami
resume the conventional attitude, and for pleasantly, upon the' whole. '
Elizabeth to remember that he, was a total , Mrs. McIntyre wasstanding at her gate
stranger to her. when they reached home, and stopped
" You had better take my arm," he said,. them to ask what they had seen, and
as she hastily disengaged herself. before it how they had enjoyed themselves. She
was safe to do so, and- was im.me,liately had stayed quietly in the house,' and
caught ; in the eddy that was setting busied herself in the manufacture of
strongly inthe direction of the Exhibition. meringues and lemon eeeese-cakes—hav-
" If you don't mind waiting here for a' few 'ing, she explained;^ •-superfluous eggs m
minutes longer, you will' be able to get the 1'arder, and a new lodger coming falai;
home comfortably.'.' and she evidently prided herself upon her
She struggled back tohis side, and took well -spent time. " And if you'll' stay, you
his arm, and waited ; but they dad not talk shall have some," she said, and she opened
any more. They watched the elisintegra- the gate hospitably. " Now, don't say no,
tion and dispersion of the great mass that Miss King—don't, MisaNelly. It's Vest f,
had hemmed them in together, until at last and I've get a nice cutlet and mashed pota-
they stood in ease and freedom almost'alone trees just coming on he table. Bring theist
upon that coigne of vantage -which had been
won with so much, difficulty—two rather
imposing figures, if anyone had cared to
notice them. Then she withdrew her hand,
and said, with a little stiff' bow, and a bright
-and becoming color in her face—" Thank
you." -
" Don't mention it," he replied, with
perfect gravity., " t am veru happy to
have beenof any service to you."
Still they did not move from.' where they
stood. -
f4 Don't you want to see the rest of it Y7"
she :asked tnuidly. ;
" 1-3o you '?" he responded, looking at her
with 0, -smile.
`.` 0 deur no, thank you ! I have had
quite enough, and I ant very anxious to -find
my sistors. •' ,,,
" Then allow me to be your escort until
you are clear of the streets." He did; not
pat it as a rertueet, and' he began to descend
the steps before she 'could inake up her
mind how to answer him. So tyke found
herself walking I' -fide hint along the'Y,foot-
path and ,through the gardens, wondering
H ho be was, awl how she could politely dis-
miss hirn--or how soon he would dismiss
her. Now and then she snatched a side-
long glance at him, end noted his great
stature and the easy dignity with which he
carried himself, and transferred one by one
the- striking features of his countenance to
her faithful memory. He made a powerful
impression upon her. Thinking of him, she
had almost forgotten how anxious she was
to find her, sisters until, with a
start, she suddenly caught sight
of them sitting; comfortably on
Ott
along, Mr. Brion. I'm sure they'll tome of
you ask them."
ere be Continued
—To build and fit up a hansom
,
.. � ,
—The Duke of Fife is ;lye measned
for his neckties.
about $250.
cab coats
": ie ccff,,'are yelps ' i
.Nicely, Thymic You."
' 'Thank Who?"
i ' Wb.y the imient-r of.
Which cured me of CONS PTION."
Give thanks for its discove . That it
does not makvryou•s' when you
take it.
'Give thanks. That it is three times as
efficacious as th5 old-fashioned
cod livetioil.
Give thanks. That it is such a wonder-
ful flesh producer.
Give thanks. That it is the best remedy
for Consumption,Scrofui',
2ronchitis, Wasting Dis-
eases, Coughs and Colds.
Be sure you get the genuine in Salmon'
color wrapper,; sold by all Hint gists, Lt
soc, and $t.00,
SCOTT ate BOWNE, Belleville.
4