i f.
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I
6
1HE: KB Wt XOBTHWEST, THURSDAY, , APBHf 2B, iSSL
IN AN APPLE ORCHARD.'
AX
J
.:
exgush rromr.
The bouse stands somewbe re between Plymouth
and Modbury, a good distance fronvthe high road,
from which It is approached by ji' 'tall-hedged
Uni 'Aril oretinU tarroaod It on all kid;
wildly luxuriant orchard, la which every kind of
Apple for which Devonshire Is famous U to be
found. There are a few quince and pear treef In
, terspersed among the apple tree In what Is railed
the home orchard on account of the trees In It en
CToachlng inoi closely-upon the house than In
either of the others; but In the time of bloaaora
the rrfse-eolor and pinks of every shade pot the
nowy bloom of pear and quince entirely Into the
minority."" a:laj"".a: t . .
' There is a court-yard In front of the boose; a
fine square court-yard, with a pond in the middle
of IVwItfa a willow weeping over its borJer.TThe
tables and coach-house are on one side of this;
the dairy and ben-nooses are on the other ; and
' crpoelte the boose, at the extreme end of the
yard, are the cow-house and pig-stye. There Is
always a great stir of life and animation In this
yard. Tbe hens seem to cackle with louder com
placency ; the "pigs glre rent to more sonorou
fronts of conteni ; the gobbling turkey-cock, and
quacking geese and ducks, lift up their respective
Voice with more animation on this prosperous
farmstead than they do on neighboring Una.
Everything Is scrapaloasly clean and bright, from
Ldeep
th- -n rl hrlrk iTmnt which ran alonr In Icuh:iuK .uu
tonTo7Ybeboo(otbe woodenl-troaghVatT2
.1 i t vm..miiv. I onderstandlng of the Meslre of tne m
the farther end of the yard. In Winter carefully-
trained nolly-busnes, a pyracantnus. ana a scanei
Japonic giro the desirable tone of color to the
front of the boose. In Spring, the delicate apple
blossoms make the sweet air blush, and in bom
mer there are masse of myrtle and clematis, of
Jasmine and el aster-roses, clinging about the
rare and mingling their white and crimson and
buff hue together in delicious harmony. r.
The place is known a the Little Fir, farm and
boose, and It has been held by tbe Alnslle family
for several generations of Squire , Ffolett The
present bolder of the farm Is a young fellow of
27, Richard Alnslle, who wisely follows In the
economical footsteps of bis forefathers In most re
spects, bat departs from the path they trod in
" peace and prosperity In tbe matter of buutlng. ::r
"No tenant farmer, who gets his whole living
eat of the land, has time to go galloping about
after dogs and foxes; leave that to the gentry,
who'd be op to worse mischief perhaps if they
weren't trampling over the crops, and trying to
spoil tbe hedges and break their own necks," his
mother, who Keeps tbe boose with teal and dis
cretion, tells him. ' '
. Bat llichard, though be reveres bis mother's
opinion, disregards It on this one point. lie. al
ways has good horses In his stable, and bis seat
.and hands are not at all Inferior to those of the
gallant old master of the hounds. Squire. Ffolett
Himself, if oreovery though llichard Alnslle .has
cornered tbe Held more than once, and is never
bad place. It Is not alter tbe
I
tlnrlv and welL
The apple-blossom are In their fullest glory
Jnst now. and .old Mrs. Alnslle, sitting in her
comfortable hlghly-pollshed-up parlor at the end
of the boose, catches sight of dozens of the primeet
trees hung with sheets of rosy bloom. . Her soul
Is glad within her this morning, for several reav
sons. Unless high winds and destructive rains
come to blur It, the cider prospect is a fairer one
than ever this year, and Little Firs cider always
commands a high price In the market. This Is
- one great cause of gratification. - Another is that
ber favorite young friend, Janle Welbyn, has
come to spentf tbe whole day with her. And yet
'another exists In the enst-lousne that she has a
new cap jot out from Plymouth, which will pres
ently' surmount ber own kind, clear-eyed, soft
eomplexloned face most JbecomJ ngly Lastly. he
Is not Indifferent to tbe fact that the chickens
now being basted carefully at the kitchen fire for
the one o'clock dinner are bouncing bird, weighs
. Ing five pound apiece, being of a most success
fully mixed race which she baa. carefully bred
herself.
Presently the old lady bears voice outside tbe
window, and ber face brightens as she. looks up
. and sees ber well-grown son walking along under
the glowing apple trees. by tbe side of a trim
figured, hazel-eyed girl, whose- dress of striped
ralatea is molded a accurately to ber rounded
form by ber own deft fingers as if It bad been the
work- a llegent-etreet milliner. r $ r- -
"They're a handsome couple, and a Lad shall I
be tbe day I bear It's settled that they are to be
married," Mrs. Alnslle thinks as ber eyes follow
them ; for It I one of the pet scheme of her honest,
active brain that Janle shall succeed her as queen
of the Little Firs farm-house.
.'There's no pinching, aor wasting, nor Idleness
in tne weibyns' nouse," sne is telling herself in a
self-congratulatory spirit, when ber reflections on
ben one of these is chosen. "Then Dirk'll set
tle himself," she think, .."settle himself with
Janle.' " '
The brown colt "I a picture," and deport him
self faultlessly. ' Miss i folett, standing by him In
his stall, flings her arm round hi strong shiny
neck, presses ber fair cheek down on hi satin
skiu, and vows that "he, and no other, shall be
ber own dear horse." Dirk, standing about some
where between the colt's heel and the harness
room door, wstcbes the group with-curiously
compounded feelings' of pleasure and anguish.
How good she Is to look upon I How graciously
she permits him to look upon her! How closely
she seems to approach him In her likingsnd sym
pathy and Interest In the colt I How far she Is
away from him In reality I
The young farmer bates bis 'position, and de
spises himself for so bating It, aa he stands watch
ing ber. it is useless for him to attempt to re
mind himself that the "rank I but the guinea
stamp, the man's the gowd for a' that." What's
;aeoTnethlnglrrbihtthTtlted
horse's hoof clattering over the stones In the
court-yard, and of a bright bell-like voice ringing
out a demand to know "If Mr. and Mrs. Aluftlie
are at homer
The old mother's face grows curiously perplexed
and flushed as these sound greet .her ears, for the
voice I the voice of Miss Ffolett, the Squire's
daughter, and intuition teaches Mrs. Alnslle that
Miss Ffolett's visits bode no good to ber son. But
she cannot retain a touch of vexation In Mart or
manner when the room door Is swung pen and
Mis Ffolett come bounding In, sweet and full of
life as are all the Spring influences around her,
and beautiful with the beauty of youth and Jttgh
breeding and gentlest courtesy. She Irtn 'hernial
and habit she Is rarely seen out of these gar
ments until nightfall. Indeed and as she ad
vances, her slender, willowy, figure clearly out
lined, her sapphire-blue eyes sparkling with high
health and Intelligence, ber fair face brirht and
clear In hue as a monthly rose, Mrs. Alnslle feels
that her Dick would be blind Indeed If he did not
I; ,
Janle more substantial charms will everjhayjt
""thepowtrtodorTTn , , . . .
"I come with a message from papa," says this
dazzling young Diana, shaking the old lady's
hand heartily. "He hasn't given a tenant' ball
tine the year I was born, and now he' going to
give one on my coming of are-he third of next
xuonlb, you know. I would come and give the
Invitation te Dick and you, myself, and I'll tell
vou what I'm roinr to wear, and all about It ; but
I must see Dick too, please Mrs.' Alnslle, about
the brown colt. I know I'm -to have another
horse given meou my birthday, and of all things
I woum like Dick's brown eon; nui ne musui
tell, and you m us n't either, that I've said any
thing about It, for I'm supposed not to know.
She laurhs delirhtedly as she says this, and
Mrs. Alnslle Is beginning to say how she Is sure
that the Squire would give this apple of his eye
all that Iter fancy desire, when Belle Ffolett
catches sir ht of the emirte out In the orchard.'
A "Who that with Dick V she asks, quickly ad
vancing to the casement and opening IU "What
a pretty picture tbey make under tne apple trees.
No I dWt call them ; I like, fo look at tbemI
wish I could sketch." " " . ' " " -
"It's Janle Welbyn, Miss Belle, Mrs. Alnslle
says, co roinr and stand inr by the side-of ber
vounr visitor. "Don't you remember her? She's
grown away a fine girl since she's boen at school
in Plymouth." . , 1 .. , c
"And la Dick going to marry her? Miss
Ffolett asks with quick Interest. "Yes,. I know
ber again now; isn't she pretty? I'll tap to
them, and make them look foolish " and she tap
with her whin on the window-pane, and rings out
a clear, merry "Good morning, Dick V. without
.hesitation.
r "Ja hie looks rou nd from u nder the" green leaves
and pink blossoms happily and undisturbedly as
Eve might have looked In Paradise. "It's Miss
Ffolett' she says simply. ' 'Oh ? Isn't she pretty,
Dick?" and In her absorbing admiration for tbe
pretty young lady of tbe laud, the girl doe not
see the nervous agony of confused embarrassment
which seems about to overwhelm Dick. Even If
she saw It she would not understand IU For Miss
Ffolett I "tbe Squire's daughter," a young lady
who soends her trlitterlmr -life in dining and.
piay-
onderstapding
tar.' , - - -. '
"Come In, both, of you," crie Belle, with the
gracioos peremptoriness that is In ber manner to
all alike, from peasants to Princes ; "come In and
bear my news.' And the pair bey ber ; the girl
glad to go and be questioned and shaken bands
with by "dear Mis Belle again,! and the man
sick unto death nearly at being so near to her,
with such an Impassable gulf between them..
"Shal I congratulate them r Belle asks hur
riedly, as the young people pass out of si gh t on thel r
way round to tbe entrance door, and Mrs. Alnslle
shake her bead and says :
"Dick hasn't spoken yet. Miss Belle,, but I
know what her answer will be. Bless tbe child,
she-worships the ground he walks onVand she'll
make bim a good wife ; no wasting and no pinch
ing for the AVelbyns; they're all through of a
ftiece. I couldn't abide a coverslut to come here
n my place."' . ..
"I think I should like the man to worship the
ground I trod oo,",Belle says ; and Just then Dick
proceeds to tell them about ber blrtbdsy ball, and
. . .... . t. . '
to asa aoout me orown con wuuout ueiay.
Have him? "Of course she shall have him;
there Isn't a question about that.
Dlek's eyes dance with pleasure at the thought
of seeing ber on the colt be baa bred so cleverly
and nurtured so tenderly. His soul burns with the
ardor of his desire to give her the colt, but he does
not dare to do this. lie almost wince as ne
a - s a a a a a i . s. . e .
the aurnria that: would flash fromerotber on my blrtlwlay."
(louuus i.u i.r IMS u.,iu.im. .w . . . . , . nmnMMl ...oh s. thlnr. ami i "I've told Orelnirton. and nrenare.1 him for ths
B-v- .b' .a . . k a a a a ass . a aia sr m mm
he almost bears tbe sternly grave tones in wnicn
the Siuire would reuse the offering for his
daorhter.
"I had him out In the low meadow, and took
him , over some timber this morning, and if I'd
had a cup of. water In my hand there wouldn't
hare been a dron spilled. He's as clever at his
fences already aa bis mother. Bay leaf, was, and
you know what she was, Miss Ffolett; you've
seen ber many a time."..
"Ves, ana you rode her so spieuaiaiy," tne
umenung mm.
vounr lady says, frankly com pi
without a thought of the way In which her words
made the blood . leap along hla Teln.'! abou Id
like to see the colt, Dick."
"I'll bring him out," the young farmer says,
nroriiDtlv: but Belle sars:
"No, tief-ril goto the stable and look at htmn
ana, mina, not a wont to papa or any one aoout
my having asked, about him. Tbey want to sur
prise me," she laughs joyously, "so you must help
me to keep the secret I ve found out; but if you
hear of any one from our house wanting to buy a
horse, mind you offer the brown colt.
She Is going out to the stable with Richard
Alnslle a the says this, leaving Mrs. Alnslie and
Janle In the parlor. " . " ,
J' What a pretty girl Miss Belle has grown,"
Janle bursts forth, with enthusiasm. "I saw. her
In Plymouth the other day, riding with her pa
and Lord Charles Collingford, onexf the gentle
men on hoard the Admiral's ship. Tbey say In
Plymouth that Lord Charles Is after her.'1
"Now, do they T Mrs. Alnslie responds, fer
vently. With ber whole heart would she rejoice to bear
that' every nobleman's heart In the country was
laid at Miss Ffolett's feet. All the better for her
son's peace of mind, the old lady deems It, thst
fair Mis Belle should have many ardent and gab
away from the brown colt's near scolder, and says.
"f mustn't selfishly give all my thoughts to the
eolt, Dick. Your mother tell me that Janle W el
byn and yoo . . . L ' . . .
She pauses abruptly. The man' face 1 charged
in a moment with such passion and such grief
thst she can say no more. ...
"My mother shouldn't trouble you with the
nonsense she thinks about Janle and me. Miss
FfolettT Here, Jim," be calls eharpljr to the sta
bleman, rfyou haven't given the eolt half tbe
grooming tie ought to have after the sweating I
gave bim this morning.' c
He goes Into the harness-room, and comes back
a moment or two after, with a couple of fine
brushes I u his band.. ' - ' "
"I'll give the colt a rub down myself. Miss
Ffolett,' he says, stripping ofT his coat, and turn
ing to work with more than a groom's ardor. ' He
tskesa saVsge satisfaction in showing himself at
his roughest before ber. His honor demand that
he shall assume to be no more than he Is, a work
In farmer, before this radiant.' unmercifully
friendly young queen- of his soul, who, standing
by, aays presently : . ,
"I alwavs wish to do that for any horse I like.
Thedarlingl look liow-betursU, no to you.
his dear floe quivering nostrils, jiow can you
help kissing him? I couldn't."
"Miss Belle, will you go In to mother r!,he asks,
lanlrtn-tr She'll think SO much of It If you
go and praise up the colt to her, because Bayleaf
was my fathers favorite mare, ana roomer iuiuks
too much can't be said for tbe colt."
He looks haggard and harassed, but Belle
Ffolett takes no special note of his looks. She
merely give the colt a farewell pat, and then
steps across the yard to the house, daintily tap
ping ber pretty little Hungarian boots as she
walks, thinking pleasantly of bow much some
body will like to look at ber when she is on that
brown colt's back.
"I sbould be
"Dear old Charlie !" she thinks:
aaTondof TilmrhebJuIn'l a penny and nYherensTnsnerrihe-rre-sJks. alouiL a
wasn't his brother heir."
TheivJn"epit of tbl asseveration, bersplrit
kindle within her at the prospect of being a
marchioness, and she roes back Into Mrs. A Ins
lie's parlor with a lovelier light than ever beam
ing in hex eyes, and something in her step that
seems like jocund Spring Itself.
Looking at the brightness and tbe lightness,
and remembering that tbe girl has Just come from
the stable where her son is, the, old lady says to
herself. Indignantly :
"She's no business to go on like this flattering
him, poor bor, with looking so happy, because
he's got a coft she wants to buy! And all her
pretty ways make Janle seem set and heavy-like i
?et Jsnie's the wife for him, and the wife he'll
iave,and this one wilt be ho more to bim than
the crowned Queen on her throne."
Belle lingers for a few minutes, babbling on In
her happy unconsciousness; and then, without
giving a thought to young Ainslie's protracted
absence In the stable, she says good-bye to Mrs.
Alnslie and Janle, mounts her horse, and ride
away to luncheon at a big. country house near
Plymouth, whereehe Is to meet many of her friends.
To one of these, .Lord Charles Collingford, she
confides a little secret. . ' ' "
"You can have that brown colt, Charlie," she
says. "I have taken the trouble to find that-out
for you this morning. Young Alnslie, of Little
Firs, bred' It himself, so you can brine the colt
In one hand, and demand me of baba with the
tbl agreeable P"i oVs re evt short by tbe sound off ln nd suiLa bl& adorersUhrW will slut be.
worst he'll meet In you," Lord Charles says.
speaking of his brother, the Marquis.
men tbe pair, wno are not "engaged"' before
the world yet, but who are to be on Belle's twenty
first, birthday, proceed to develop some of their
own plans to one another, and to hope that
Occi ngton and papa VI 11 fall In with them.
Meanwhile, the chickens, a trifle overdone, for
Dick found a tiresome lot of things to detain him
In the stable, are served on the Little Firs farm
house table, and Janle surveys with secret grate
ful satisfaction the well-worn table silver and
linen, the glittering glass and fine old Weds wood
service, that will all be-hers if matters ro on as
she and Mrs. Alnslie, together with the gossip of
the neighborhood, have arranged' that they shall.
The girl does not notice that Dick iasusmclouslv
silent during dinner. It is the: habit of her father
ami brothers, stolid fanners of a heavier type than
Dick, to be silent during jneals. Nor does It
wound the vanity she has not, to find that Dick Is
alivejmd astir to get out over the farm after din
ner. There Is always a lot to do on the land, and
It pleases her well that the man who Is to be her
"master and keeper" should be on the alert in
looking after his own Interests.- But It does pain
her a littlewhenhls motherJeaves-them alone
for a few minutes before h goes out, that Dick
prefers to study one of the Plymouth dailies in
stead of talking to her. '
Is there much news In the paper, Dick?" she
ks. . . - p.. :
Poor soul, If be answered her that the Kimberly
Horse had jwined lsue with the Home Rulers,
and that the whole party had taken a tourist's
ticket to Home via Afghanistan, she would 'not be
much the wiser. IUt he is very literal.
"There's nothing tlmt yoo would care to hear,
Janle." "
"I like to bear the news., she sa vs. nerklnv
UMrslfur K(fe feel so silly if -on never hears
01 anymingiuat is going on away from our own
place. What a lot Miss Belle must hear, to be
sure I all those gentlemen in tbe regiments and
hips In Plymouth go oat to the Squire's to dine,
some ofi hem every day." .
Dick has been religiously brought up, therefore
he trie not to inwardly curse both services.
"Well, I'm otr," he shouts, flinging the helpless
paper away on hi mother's work-basket, "The
land won't look after itself, worse luck.. Hood
bye, Janle; you'll be gone before I come ln, I dare
say."
. , "Not If you're in to tea," she says, modestly.
"I'll say good-bye, at any rate. I never know
what may keep-me when I get on to the farm,"
he says, a little awkwardly, lor ber eye are bent
upon him with such a look of entreaty that he
can hardly bear to refuse her outspoken request.
And she is obliged to bear bim say good-bye, and
to see him go away without his having given one
word of the promise her heart is teaching ber to
hope for from hinu
rough nurgetOba,tis-bKfyTanno perceive jils
value? Would that be had the rank aye, and
with It the thousand and one traits and eharacter
ttlcA, habits and manners, and tricks of bearing,
that mark thedLCerence between those who wear
the rank from mere "men" such as himself. And
while these thought go surging through bis brain,
sb lift ber winsome, proudly gracious little face
Janie-stayr to tea-winner old friend ; but the
hours of the afternoon drag slowly, and the tea, to
which Dick does not come In, Is a dull meal. The
brightness that bad been about everything In the
morning In her eyes has vanished, and she almost
feels disposed to quarrel, with fate for havlnr
made Miss Ffolett's lot so much more brilliant
than her own. - - -, - . r
Bj anfL ' lh ?!?Jt?Prn.fWw evening
shade are gathering, the girl take leave of Dick's "
mot iter, and start on ber homeward walk to her
father's farm. ' . . -
"Strange of Dick not to come and walk alonr
with you," tbe old lady aays, a her favorite de--1
parts ; "but men who never neglect their business,
even when they're courting, make the best hus
bands." . ' ;
And with these comforting words ringing in her
ears, Janle is fain to leave without getting an
other glimpse of Dick. :
'.But he sees her pas out, of the court-yard, and
go on alone Into the dying light, from his post of .
observation In the harness-room, whither hs'has '
retired to smoke and think. ' , r.
"She's a nice good girl, but I can't go home
with her to-night," he says to himself, with a '
sigiu "I couldn't say anything to her to-night, -not
after seeing Miss Ffolett; and I know mother1
thinks I ought to speak out to Janle, or havedone
wlthlt. '
It Is the day before Belle Ffolett's birthday, and
the Sqnlre hashls otter-hounds out.. Everybody
who knows anything of either otter-hunting or
the Ffolett is here, for the pool to be drawn a the
famous- one-on-1 lie I J 1 1 le Fl rs- farm property
down at the bottom of the home orchard, where
the river winds among the apple trees in one of
Its most picturesque curves,
'- It is one o'clock when they near this polut the '4
best for the purjose of luncheon that they will
reach for the day. So the hampers are taker! out
from the wagonette In which Mrs, Ffolett hr
driven discreetly to see tbe sport, and the Squire' r
friends, and every stranger who likes to do sor
draw near to be regaled.
Belle is here with her long otter-pole In her
hand. In a dress and hat of gray serge which suit
her to perfection, and by her side always by her
side Is Lord Charles Collingford, whom she ad
dresses openly now a "Charlie," and to whom It'
is generally understood sne is engaged.
tbey settle lo the .serious work of the day.and-
leave a couple of wise old hounds to watch the '
hole from whence they kuow the otter will emerge
by and by. "Where is Alnslle? It' the flrW
time he ha not been out with us for two .years.
He must come and drink my daughter's health :
with the rest. His family are the oldest tenants'
on the property," he adds. In an explanatory toner
to the Marquis of Ooclngton, who is down here to
give his approval of his brother' choice In the
most unmistakable way on the morrow.
Bonnie pretty Belle Is going to be a very great
lady ; but she feel a heartier pleasure this day in
showing her father's tenants and friends how her
father's daughter Is appreciated than she will ever
feel in her more dazzling triumphs In society by"
and by. ; - '
"One of you youug fellows run up to the house
and bring Alnslie down,'.' the Squire shouts; and"
good-natured Charles Collingford jumps up and
declares he will fetch him out.
"And I'll come with you," Belle says. "AnJ
have a look at the brown colt," she adds, In a?
whisper. And the handsome pair suit the action
to the word, and walk away through the orchard ' '
to the house to fetch out Ainslle. and look at the "
COlt..:' ' ,.
But Dick Is not at home to-dav- His mother
thinks he had business In Plymouth. At any
rate, he went away, early this morning on the
brown colt. - - - '
-"AimI Is it settled with pretty Jane Welonf
yet?" Belle asks, standing up proudly by the side
of the young lord, her lover, who is so soon to take . ,
her away from her own people.
"Yea, thank God V his mother says, rever
ently;"Dick has made a wise choice, and wilr
have one of the best and most prudent of girls for
a wife." .
"I'm so clad ! and Lord Charles and I will go tr
their wedding; won't we, Charlie VI Belle says
buoyantly; and then she whispers a few words tr
ber betrothed, and he says: ' .
"Will your son, Mrs, Alnslle, be kind enough:
to send the brown colt un to the Squire to-mor-
row mornlnr?" And then he laughs and adu
gallantly : -W to be the first present my futnrcL
wife will deign to accept from me, Mrs. Alnslle,
so I'm an x lour to secure hira- at your son's pricer
of course." .' .. . .
"lx. Alnslie make the handsome, Jolly-looking .
young naval nobleman one of her daintiest mix'
tares of bow and courtesy ; and he goes back pres
ently to the group by the river-side with Belle,
declaring himself to be quite. enraptured with the
AliiMliesand their surroundings... - i "
"If I were a girl, I should fall In love with that
fine young fellow and this old-picture hoi m,'l he,
ayr Jolll tyr-"Bcile7-wh3rhaventryourtound a
pretty girl for him to marry ? You neglect youf
duty. Upou' my word, I shall nave to brunh foT
up and make you" keep your eyes open when I
take you to our place;" ami then be calls hlr
brother to his aid, and they both begin chaffing
her charmingly about her future duties as queeu;
regnant of the house of Occi ngton. a -
"Mr. Alnslie has found a pretty girl for him
self," Belle chimes In. "Papa, you ought toarx -,
range that your two old tenants' children should
be married on the same day as your own daugh
ter. I should like it of all things, for the brown
colt (he Is mine now, isn't he, Charlie?) will !'
ways be a bond between Dick Alnslle ami pie."
childhood, you see," the Squire says, smUingiyr
to Lord Occi ngton, and he replies:
"A pity she should, as they're such pretty waysv
I think Charlie's one of the luckiest fellows in the
nil
aor Id, and
There Is a rrv that the otter ham come out
gone down the stream at this juncture, and the.
whole party throw off their luncheon lethargy
and prepare to follow him.- He Is a wary old dog
Otter, conversant with every twist and turn of the
river, and with every hole in the bed of it accu
rately mapped out in hi head. He gives them
lively lead for half an hour, and then, Just as he i
twisting himself round the trunk of a tree thst
seems to spring out of a stone by the river edge
Dick Alnslie suddenly appears and tails him !
He Is an old dog-otter, sorely hunted and sav
age, andiie turns and rends the. band thst bW:
Checked hU career. ' '
"Bitten you In the thumb, has he. Pick? Mis
Ffolett says eagerly coming forward. "Let
bind It upL-OhUaltnothing? I'm an glad, I
was afraid he had hurt you." r
"Will you have his skin a a foot-warmer, Ml
Ffolett ?' Alnslie ask. "Do. You will, won t
your' and be swings the otter, that i dead now,
round htm, and clear a circle a be peaks.
"Young Alnslie will Jump Into the river and gej ;
bitten by hunted beasts once too of tern two or
three of younr Ainslie's friends sav toone another.
a a w v .w Aos
a uey jog-iMMtaftee-toe-oaermni aji;;:;
inere s something queer in his famuy
TUT
j-MTsttrfMi'"-"-"" m 'ffliaj'bj Maxell
. ( .......
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