The Yellow House

nal. He preached without manuscript, almost without notes, and he took particular pains to keep within the comp

to the fresh, sunlit air. "Why, he is an orator! He should preach at cathedrals! I never heard any one whose style I like bette

with her

m come here and bury himself, w

forget that I have lived abroad all my life; I really

u are here, I shall insist, positively insist, upon coming every Sunday. My husband says that it is such a drag for the horses. Men have such ridiculous

ends upon what Providence has in st

the carriage step. "I looked through your card plate the other day whilst

nswered, laughing. "He has not

the soft cushions of her barouche,

rate," she said. "If you do you wil

oss the park I could see a huge knickerbockered figure leaning over a gate, with his back to me, smoking a

hed, it limped up, whining, and looked at me with piteous brown eyes. I recognized the breed at once. It was a beagle-one of Mr. Deville's without a doubt. It lay

ning and licking my hand every now and then. Just as I was finishing off the bandage I became conscious that some one was ap

t I think one of

ht have been of good cut and style, but was now only fit for the rag dealer. He wore a grey flannel shirt with a turn-down collar of the same material. His face, whatever its natural expression might have been, was disfigured just then with a dark, almost a fer

med my

ntil I have finished the bandage. You should take better care o

hout glancing at me again. He seemed

le lady, little lady, what have you b

otten that I was able to observe him at my ease. His face and voice had changed like magic. Then I saw that his features, though irregular, were powerful and not ill-

f those damned traps of Harrison's, I suppose. I shall kill

k out my skirts. There are

ly welcome," I r

resence. He looked up with darkened face. Lady Nas

fact, I thought that you had gone away. Thank you for attending to the dog.

ed. "Thank you! Do you think that

re large and brown, but they were not without a certain shapeliness. They looked strong, too. He bore the glan

n I get back," he said. "This is fairly done, tho

away with the dog under h

I asked, "and why

nnoyed at having to sta

ant farmer who objects t

ossing his land?"

it. Sometimes I am forced to cross his farm if a hare is running, a

ur tenant

es

then? I wouldn't have a man w

istinctly impatient. He was ev

as a long lease

ning, Mr.

over his

now my

Don't you

N

olliot-the pale-faced chit, you know!" I add

my back, and almost felt the flash of his dark, fiery ey

was looking at me with genuine interest. The lines of his mouth

ed, slowly-"Ffolliot?

O, double L, I, O, T. Rather a pretty name, we think, although I am afraid that you don'

Mr. Deville turned round rather abruptly. The two men met face to face, my father dignified, correct, severe, Bruce Deville untidy, ill-clad, with sullen, darkened face, lit by the fir

aid, sternly. "I am afraid that I can offer yo

him up and down w

m you. Had I known that you were to be amongst my near neighbors,

her mutual. At any rate, we can see as little of e

wer beds with reckless unconcern. My father watched him go with a dark shadow resting upon his face. He laid his fingers upon my arm, and their touch t

im?" I murmured.

, inward breath throu

he most unhappy chapter of my life. It was all over and done with before you were old enough to understand. It is many, many year

ight. His face was white and strained-some symptoms of yesterday's faintness seemed to be suggested by those wan ch

this dark chapter," I whispered,

own secrets. I looked into it, and felt a vague sense of trouble stirring within me. Was that chapter of his life turned over and done with forever? Was that secret at which

he said, slowly. "I shall never ce

hen?" I

rsely-"until the end, and God