Two Strangers

f the cause of some of them, for it was quite necessary that here and there Mr. Bertram should be made to

soft, kindly English landscape, like a good and gentle life, very reposeful and pleasant to{25} see, but not dramatic or exciting. It was Ralph, though he was to the manner born, who was, or pretended to be, the most impatient of these tame but agreeable vistas. "It don't say much, your landscape, Lucy," he said. "Bertr

nery, there's nothing like a home landscape. I've seen the day when we would have given all we possessed for a glim

upon his friend to observe where the copse spread dark into the sunset sky-the best covert within twenty miles-about which also Bertram was very civil, and received the informat

man-blew like a quiet little breeze through her youthful spirit. It was a breeze which, like the actual breeze of the evening, carried dead leaves with it, the rags of past reputation and visions, for already Lucy had asked herself this question in respect to one or two other men who had not turned out exactly as at first they seemed. To be su

you gave us no light, Lucy

village," cried Lucy. "A widow!-she says it's a term of r

ou said so-and who is she?

Lucy, turning to her other companion. "He always wan

s mysterious widow, too,"

to keep Ralph in counte

said that ob

al now. Hers might be almost golden if she liked, but she is not one to show off. And she is the nicest neighbor that ever was-comes up to the house just when one is dull and wants stirring up, or sends a note or a book, or to ask for something. She likes to do all sorts of

but all that doesn{29}'t throw any light upon the lady. Isn't she somebody's sister or cousin or aunt? Had she a father, had she a mother?-that

not introduced to us by any stupid people, if that i

she cried, "do you take credentials? And who is to know whether you are what you call yourself? I suppos

t sort of thing," said Ralph, "but

nd to me, and I'm not a Bertram of-{30}anywhere in particular. I have not got a pedig

cy, in deprecation, as if t

f the Ellangowan family, to b

t outside the park gates on the right side of a pretty, triangular bit of common,{31} which was almost like a bit of the park, with little hollows in it filled with a wild growth of furze and hawthorn and blackberry, the long brambles arching over and touching the level grass. There was a pretty bit of greensward good for cricket and football, and of much consequence in the village history. The stars had come out in the sky, though it was still twilight when they emerged from the shadow of the trees to this more open spot; and there were lights in the cottage windows and in the larger shadow of the rectory, wh

lady," said Ralph. "I thought

at sea-didn't you know? He never held

it to him in any way. He should have been sent about his business year

he was hi

elationship that counts. The doctor knew as we

is head again," said Lu

said the other man. "That is the true tragedy of it. Worthy o

ary and his curiosities, and everything he cared for? I never liked Carry. She would have no feeling for what he liked, po

e to her. She could not keep up the house, and she had no room for them in her own. Poor C

't go in with you since it's the doctor's house. I had a liking for the old fellow-and Bertram and

for a{34} moment in the faint twilight and starlight, holding her head a little

pose. Come, Bertram; see you're re

she fancied, that it was at all likely they would take to each other. Nelly Nugent was so quick, she would see through{35} him in a moment. She would perceive that there was not, perhaps, a great deal in him. He was not a reader, nor an artist, nor any of the things Nelly cared for-only a rough fellow, a sportsman, and rather commonplace in his mind. He was only Raaf, say what you would. Oh! he was not the one to talk like that of poor Charlie. If Charlie was only Charlie, Raaf was nothing but Raaf-only a man who belonged to you, not one to admire independent of that. But whatever Raaf might do it would never have made any difference, certainly not

und the common in the

ver knew one like him for all the wild creatures-observing their ways, don't you know. He'd bring home as much from a walk as you or I would from a voyage-more, I daresay. I buy a few hideous things,

I suppose,"

peak very well of Carry just now!-true.{37} She married a fellow not worth his salt, when, perhaps-But there's no answeri

ing for him," said Bertram

s old shiny coat with his brown gaiters in-what one calls-a better world. No kind of place suited him as well as here-he was so used to it. Somehow, though, on a

is t

u know? There's these stars, they say they're all worlds, globes, like this,

n them, for one thing, accordin

r thing, don't you know. There!" said Ralph; "I could have sworn that was th

ll, old fellow,

ld man, I didn't see him; I wish I could, just to tell him one or two things about the beasts which he was keen about. I don't th

ts, as some people think; only I don't see, if you{39} take in that, where you are

which wasn't much of a museum, but he knew no better. Besides, there were a few good things in it. And enough of money to keep him all right. And then to think, Lord, that because of

le, but it happens from ti

e's clean swept away, and some baggage of a woman, probably no good, in his place, to t

stranger. So am I a stranger. You might as well believe that I should bring you to sixes an

o home to-night." And with that wise resolution he drew up, having come back to the poin