The Little Colonel's Knight Comes Riding

the Little Colonel held the reins, and was testing the

Gay and Miss Marks on the back seat. "It's like flying, the way they ta

e penalty for being so obliging the day before. She had lain so long on the rocks in her pose of the drowned fishermaiden, that her face was burned to a blister, and she

nsailed sea. I thought I knew every gah'den around heah within a radius of five mile

old-fashioned wicket gate and a straight, box-bordered walk leading up to the back of such a quaint vine

e back premises of old Doctah Shelby's place, and yoah wondahful English gah'den is their kitchen gah'den. We could have reached their front gate in ten min

ed, with the flashing smile she had learned to look for. "I h

e'll forgive you for the sake of the ride. I nev

around to the front of the house, an

z, and stay from breakfast till bedtime. I called Doctah Shelby 'Mistah-my-doctah' and his wife 'Aunt Alicia,'" she went on as Leland resumed his seat in the carriage. "They said

stop coming

tariums and hospitals most of the time since. I've seen her often, of co'se, but n

Lloyds, so this old homestead had its peculiar effect upon her. As she went up the path she had the same feeling of absolute sovereignty that she had had a dozen years before when her slightest wish was law in this adoring household, and where every act of hers, no matter how o

all thing to do to give a child pleasure, and that there was no reason why she shouldn't have them upside down if she wished. So strong was the old spell now, that as she stepped up o

did you do tha

e it was such an ugly old thing that I always stood it on its head t

around the room, renewing her acquaintance with all the old objects that had once held a fascination for her. She called his attention to the tapestry on the wall, a shepherd and shepherdess beside a trellis on which hung roses as big as cabbages, and tol

up a round china box. A gilt eagle, hovering over a nest of little eaglets formed th

howl if there wasn't, and they couldn't beah to have me disappointed. Well, I wish you'd

he saw that it had been freshly filled

have neglected her. Heah I have been going to picnics and pahties and all sawts of things evah since I came home from school,

ch Lloyd had deposited in her lap, scrutinized everything with interest. This was Alex's home now, and she wondered how he would look in the midst of such surrounding

"Why it's the Little Colonel! Oh, my dear! My dear! what a joy it is to have you here again!" Then they heard Lloyd laughingly expla

g charm of youth about her, just as there was a faint suggestion of lavender still clinging to the fine old lace that fell over her little hands. Almost as soon as she had finished welcoming them an old coloured man fo

y anniversary of mine and the doctor's. I have been thinking of it all morning, and when Lloyd came up the stairs just now, so glowing and bright, i

den. This was my grandmother's place then. Richard bought it afterwards. And a year from to-day if we live, we will keep our golden wedding. If you can use t

her shining hair with a tall ivory comb, and it hung in soft curls on each side of her glowing face, in the old fashion of Mrs. Shelby's girlhood. The thin, clinging dress enveloped her like a pale blue clou

and she turned a timid glance towards Leland, who had risen quickly. His glance a

oth to pin on the milk-white phlox," began Mi

ll send a servant to bring it and to call him over, for he will want to see Lloyd in that gown I am sure. How I wish Alex wer

er veil down hastily over her blistered face. Behind its protecting screen she watched the old couple keenly, whe

amily. I hope Doctor Alex won't come in time to be photographed with her. If he'd never fallen in love with her before he'd

ken enough plates to satisfy herself he led Lloyd off to the end of the garde

here in the place where she had done all the dictating and others had obeyed, it aroused a feeling that Mom Beck would have labelled "the L

ition had completely vanished. She felt that it would be one of the pleasantest pastimes that could be devised, to study such a musical language under such

premises in search of further possibilities, s

her series of Fancies, and she's found a place where there's a bit of terrace for you

to follow as they chose. Leland finished the verse in a clear tenor voice as if

ming, my ow

ver so ai

ould hear

e earth in a

and tremble

m in purpl

eath, the entire verse again, forgetf

arling old hat tied under her chin? It's too b

ently. "She's too dark for the part

lessed the Martinsville Springs, which had taken Kitty off in the nick of time to save her for a different fa

ide the phlox, and turn so that I'll get your profile. It is so like your uncle's. I'll call that one 'Hand in hand when our life was May.' Th

atching the devoted old couple who for fifty years had been lovers and for forty-nine years had been wed. Marriage like that seemed a beautiful thing; s

d Gay and Leland to stop at The Locusts for lunch, but Gay refused because she couldn't go to the table in a veil and under the circumstances she couldn't go

e adores discovering old places like that and doing unexpected things. It almost spoi

e'd care for those things in quite the same way as she did

irds. That's just what Lucy was, a dear little humming-bird, always in a flutter of doing and going; and you needn't tell me

that term covered all that could be desired of

nd when our

when our ha

m, and Jameson doesn't interest himself in a single thing that she likes. He's devoted to her, so devoted he doesn't want her out of his sight; but i

re were old Mr. and Mrs. Apwall, who quarrelled like cats and dogs, but somehow even they had given her the impression that they enjoyed their little encounters, and quarrelled to pass the time, rather than because they bore each other any ill-will. Then she reflected that these were all people of an older generation than

Leland had improved his opportunity and had exerted himself to make friends with the old Colonel, for to Lloyd's amazement he cordially insisted on Lela

honour to begin giving Miss Lloyd lessons in Spanish. So few young ladies nowadays play the harp, t

that she had learned to play on her grandmother's harp. Any reference to it always put him in a gentle humour. She wanted him to be cordial and friendly with Leland, and was glad that he was no longer preju

she was submitting meekly, without a word. It worried her after they had driven away. A

ed, it looks as if he were winding me around his fingah. But he isn't! He sha'n't! I'll take the lessons, but I'll have no foolishness abo

th her embroidery when Leland came up the next morning, the first of July, to give the first lesson. She smiled to see how energ

ould count to one hundred or name the months of the year. It became his habit to take the book, while, perch

rate you'll soon be ready for a trip to the Alhambra, and I'm bless

home now, and Elise was to have a house-party soon. There were half a dozen good reasons why she could not take the time. The principal one, which she did not give however, was that

t after that he usually found some excuse to stay: there was a new song that he wanted to hear, or a game of tennis, or a stroll down to the post-office. Sometimes when he had no excuse at all he lingered anyhow, lounging on the shady porch, and talking of anything that

the rustic dance in the Mallards' barn to-night. But nevah mind, little mothah," she added with a hug, as she caught a wistful look on Mrs. Sherman's face. "It'll all be ovah soon. This is the last su

ad to have you go, dear," she answered, "especially to all the out-door merry-makings.

her mother's toilet. "Wait! Yoah side combs are in too high, and yoah collah isn't pinned strai

on, "That last one they had three yeahs ago was lovely. Will you evah forget the way R

erman, smiling as she recalled the ridiculous appearance he

e drove home from the picnic. He had just come out from town, and he looked so hot and dusty and ti'ahed it made me feel bad. He's like a strangah now, didn't stop to speak, only

rs before. The same old negro fiddlers furnished the music. The same flickering lantern light made weird shadows on the rough walls, and the same sweet smell of new hay filled the place

recalling how many things were alike on the two occasions, even the colour of the dress she wore. She remembered that because Rob had said she looked like an apple-blossom, and it was

d her. She was looking so pensively past the gay

his dull t

n Ad

't I wish

shed to

seemed to have read her thoughts. "Robin Adair" was one of Mrs

car. Not that he would change places, not that he regretted for an instant the part he had to take in the grimy working world. But the chance encounter had suddenly opened his eyes to all that he had had to sacrifice for that work. Until now it had not even left him time to realize how much he had given up. Now to find this stranger enjoying all that was once his, stu

iddles and the rhythmic beating of feet in the Mallard barn

even longer than he had intended. The Colonel always had the latest news of every one, but to-night he had to t

was too much of a confounded foreigner; but I'm a big enough ma

be at home. Afterwards he regretted having made the promise. Although he went early Harcourt was already there, seemingly as much at home as if he wer

r Harcourt to turn to her as he did continually with some aside in Spanish. Never more than a phrase or a word, and "just f

sweet starlighted summer nights like this. What a goodly company of old friends they were! The kind that never change. He looked

as so symbolical of the change that had come between them that a fierce impulse seized him to rush back to the house and throw the interloper out of the window. Then he smiled bitterly at his own vehemence. What right had he to be so savage over her friendship? He was her big brother only, and even that merely in name, because she had chosen to call him s

, and for a long time he sat staring ahead of him with unseeing eyes. At last he rose, and taking a step towards th

d carved beside it, the last time Lloyd had stood up to be measured. He could almost see her standing there a

be true

w near

find w

an do f

always been his dearest wish for her, and standing there in the dark he vowed savagely that

uth was set in a firm hard line. He did not open his books again that night. Lying on the couch by his open window, he wa