02
THE WEST SHORE.
Dnlla. in that moment of indecision, but that look ling
turned the acnlo and ho accept M. Lnvnl's hospitality.
"But I will not ngroe to tiilk EugliHh with you,"
1L Laval, laughing. " If you can not talk French
to mo you must nuk my daughter to converse with you.
Hhe hna studied English at school nnd it in for her nn
agroenblo ciercise ; in it not, Aimeo ?"
"Yen, papa," b!io nnswers, hitching.
But ho Iihm no opH.rtiuiily to talk English with Aimee
that evening. Mademoiselle Kt-phnuie in not to bo won
over easily, nnd n)ie receives the young man's advances
coldly. When nho leave in-r room tho next morning Hhe
nee. with satisfaction that liiH Ixiot nro still outside his
door, am) liofore sho goes to attend to her household af-
f'lira the order. AimAo into tho garden.
Hut circumstinco. nro too Htrong for Mademoiselle
Ktphanio. When Horace comes dowu half nn hour later,
lie mm tho house empty, and ho sees Aimee Hitting on
tho step, which lead from n gins door into the garden.
Another minute nnd ho in standing by her side.
"You nro to iitlk my own Innguago to me, you know,"
ho nay. nmiling, nnd nn hIio answer his greeting in
French. " You hnd an English grent-grand-mother, nnd
you ought not to forget it"
"Iniaknto many mistakes," she says, in her pretty,
hesitating way. " Hut it will lie nn ndvuntago to mo if you
will pardon my mistakes."
"Have you no English friends ?"
"I hnvo only two young friendH, nnd they have never
learned English. No strangers oomo t ront-Avi.e, nnd
my aunt docs not raro for society."
And you uover go away?" says tho young man with
ort of horrified astonishment
" I hnvo boon twice to Itouon," erieH Aimee, brighten-
ing. - nnl gay street and lieniitiful shop windows 1
linvo also Ixh-ii once to tho theatre. And every year 1
hall return for n week or two to tho convent, whero I
wa at school, jly mint is one of tho mum. It in v
onooful nnd happy there,"
"Hut you must not go there too often," replies Ib.r-
N nuieuy. lou inuht not be ahut up between high
wall forever. What would your father any if you were
never to oomo iMirk again ?"
"Ah, paw!" nho any innoceutly; "I am a
charge to poor mii.h
" Ni4 a very heavy one, I think," any,, Horace, laiiL-h
m. n i uio iiuio nguro in tho close-fitting
dtm of dark linen which economy nnd propriety nlike
uggoat to Mademoiselle Stophnnio an most suitable to
aiiiikoi years.
-Jul I a.u ,fWu in hi. way, you know Ho often
My. if I bad boon . ,n it would havo Un, ,ml,, ,Hlt.
W. I should hnvo understood hi. nffaira. No doubt it
would bar. Uon bolter if I hod Vou . ,
"It would not haro Uo at nil Utter," cries Horace
2J&. "" u" u wouM h-
Hi. blu. eye. wor ooking itrni ht t h ,
what if Mademoiselle
"Breakfast will be
great
door hna slammed in the distance
Stephanie should find her here !
" I must go," she says quickly,
ready and papa will be waiting."
" Nonsense," cries Horace, gently constraining her to
sit dowu ngain. " They will come and tell us when break,
fast is ready. Why should you not stay here with me a
little longer?"
Aimeo is in nu agony, for she hears her aunt's voice
coming nearer. "Aimee, Aimde," she cries, calling to
her from the back passages, and in another moment she
may be upon them.
But it is not Mademoiselle Stophunie who interrupts
them, after all. It is M. Laval bimself. He looks neat
and alert, as is his custom when things are going well.
He glances at AimeVs flushed, averted face without dis
pleasure; ho shakes hands in a friendly manner with his
guest
Then they go together into the bare, shady dining
room, where old Marie is waiting to hand round the beef
steak nnd fried jMjtatoes, and Mndemoisolle Stephanie is
too much occupied in seeing that all is as it should be, to
give much hoed to her nioce.
it.
Dinner nt M. Laval's is apt to be a somewhat dull
nITair, but this evening the master of the house is un-.
usually agreeable. He even tries to draw Aim6e into the
talk, and to her unfeigned astonishment it is her father
himself who proposes that they should adjourn to the
garden, though he knows his sister is afraid of the night
air, and alter awhile lie says something of the imperative
demands of business, and he too withdraws into his
study.
Horace has lighted a cignrj his fair head is uncovered,
his eyes are fixed a little absently on Aimee's, as she sits
near him on a garden chair; he looks round at the neg
lected wnl s and woody borders, and says presently :
" It is really a shame that you should know so little
about (lowers There is a language of flowers which I
thought all young ladies studied. You can fancy what
flower your friends most resemble. Let me see. to whnt
shall we liken you? But I can not tell unless you let me
see your face."
Slowly, shyly, she turns towards bim. The warm
glow from the sunnct rests on the childish rounded cheeks
and dark head, ami softly touches the outline of the white
figure in the big wicker chair.
"lou nro uot like a gnrden flower at all." he snvs with
a half laugh. Is it only the sunset which crimsons his
sunburnt face? " You are like the wild rose."
Aimee droops her head It seems to her that he ha.
Hjioken disporngiugly, and yet his eyes contradict his
words.
"Ami I rather think vou are onlv a rosebud. Mndem-
oittello Aimoe."
" I am older than you imagine," she say. quickly.
That is Why pupa is Vexed I in nnt nn Iwclx tn nrliooL
and it would not suit him t, i k Mr
- uuio jug oifffajr uoiw 4