Kilmeny of the Orchard

that he would. The Williamsons, as well as the rest of the Lindsay people, took it for granted that he was a poor college student

greatly. She was a slight, gray-haired woman, with a thin, sweet, high-bred face, deeply lined with the records of outlived pain. She talked little as a rule; but, in

lace at the table. Outside of the window behind him was a birch grove which, in the westering sun, w

old man, half lost in loose clothes that seemed far too large for him. Wh

a snowy breast and white paws. After old Robert had taken a mouthful of anythin

hard on yourself as on them. One teacher we had four years ago used to lock them in and go home. Then he'd go back in an hour and let them out-if they were there. T

olroom to do some wor

n mischief than eat. He tries to run on every new teacher and he's run two clean out of the school. But he met his match in Mr. West. William Tracy's boys now-you won't have a scrap of bother with THEM. They're always good because their mother tells them every Sunday that they'll go straight to hell if they don't behave in school. It's effective. Take some preserve, Master. You know we don't help things here the wa

Eric. "Is he a tall man, with gr

n you mean is Thomas Gordon. I seen him driving down the road too. HE won't be troubling you with invitations up, sma

llow he had with him?

Neil G

eyes. I should rather have expected Guisep

that's exactly what he is. You've hit the nail square on the head. Italy

alian boy with a Scotch name is

our Jim was born and he'd have been twenty-two if he'd lived, poor little fellow. Well, Master, twenty-two years ago a couple of Italian pack

dvice. Old James Gordon was living then, Thomas and Janet's father, and he said he would never turn a child out of his door. He was a masterful old man and liked to be boss. Folks used to say he had a grudge against the sun 'cause it rose and set without his say so. Anyhow, they kept the baby. They called him Neil and had him baptized same as any Christian child. He's always lived there. They did well enough by him. He was sent to school and taken to church and treated like one of themselves. Some folks thin

mson. "The poor boy had a real hard time when he went to school, Master. The

company. He goes to the harbour a good deal. But they say he takes sulky spells when he hasn't a word to

k so about your neighbours

ons ain't like other people and never were and never will be. They're about the only queer folks we have in Lindsay, Master, except old Peter Cook, who keeps twenty-five cats. Lord, Master, t

used to holding fast to a given point of inquiry throug

oes there. There's just old Thomas, and his sister Janet, and a niece of theirs, and this here Neil we've been talking about. They're a queer, dour, cranky lot, and I WILL say it, Mother. There, giv

d terms," said Mrs. Williamson, bet

er and AT each other. Mrs. Foster says she really thought she'd have to keep them all night, for neither would start to go home afore the other. Finally Jim Martin came in to look for his wife, 'cause he thought she must have got stuck in the marsh, and that solved the problem. Master, you ain't eating anything. Don't mind my stopping; I was at it half an hour afore you come, and anyway I'