Unlucky: A Fragment of a Girl's Life

singularly handsome face, and having a certain turn for mechanics himself, he was disposed to be sympathetic over Harold's futile efforts to construct organs out of cardboard and to mo

gs of those around him, and to whom he could safely confide his dearest and most secret projects without fear of ridicule. As for Helen, her feelings for her new friend partook of a motherly as well as of a sisterly character. Her added years and her larger experience, so far from giving her any desire to domineer over Harold, aroused in her heart a sort of tenderness for him, which his sister's treatment of him and the want of sympathy which he

spective belongings. Indeed, had it not been for the colonel's unwonted firmness, the probabil

den to his wife one day when Colonel Desmond and Helen had called

sighed Mrs. Bayden, taking up a fres

ho considered it a pity that the colo

noy me by having that rough boy continually here I can

you? He is scarcely ever in the house,

nows that he is a bad boy. Even Richard, who is a perfect idiot ab

ieve me, that boy has some good stuff in him. Besides, he is a fine, handsome little chap,

ustified by facts. Harold's face, notwithstanding its rounde

old and Helen can be good companions for one another. If she h

len looks better already for young companionship, and we cannot f

the smile fading from her face. "However, I shall say no more. If an

of this poor little thorn was fast becoming unendurable to her. She had resolved, therefore, that her stepdaughter must be sent away, and, like a wise woman, she was husbanding

ogether, either working in a rough workshop which the colonel had extemporized for them in an outbuilding, or rambling about the country in search of flowers and butterflies. Notwithstanding Mrs. Desmond's determination about Helen's future, it is scarcely likely that she cou

her waywardness and wilfulness had thrown a cloud over everything. Now she was honestly trying to do what was right and to keep her temp

s frigid good-night, but full of happy plans for the morrow. But even of gaining "mamma's liking" Helen did not alt

most in all the world?" she as

uest, were sitting under an apple-tree in the orchard. The setting sun flooded the fair June landscape, and threw a glory roun

nly to be just like everyone else. I should like people to point me out as I went by, and to say, 'That is Harold B

s," said Helen gravely. "I should like everyo

ou. It is much better to have one or

on't like me. I do

ther like you? And I think

you know that Grace and Agatha can't bear me. Perhaps you wo

nse, H

? I hardly like to speak of it. It makes me

t on earth

ent on his companion's face. She went

eve it sometimes. And when you say that I am so much nicer

el

that I tried to run away. Father followed me and brought me back, and he didn't scold me

by his son's iniquities, was often suggestive of tears, consequently the idea of a man's crying presented nothing very tragi

provoked." Harold spoke soothingly. He knew what it was to be provoked himself, and had had his own dreams of running away to sea, dreams which, it must be

on that bitter night that nearly killed my father. Just think: if-if he had died I

pause. "You didn't, you see. It is all right. Very like

n his bed, too feeble almost to speak, and I shall have the feeling that it was for me. I try to forget it, but it alw

e were going to die?" asked

speak the words

dying is like?"

ped behind a bank of red clouds. A little bree

and drew closer

on just the same when we are gone. The sun will shine and the birds will

is so easy to talk to her; one can tell her anything. She thinks that dying will be only like going to sleep in the dark. We shall be a little frightened, perhaps, but we shall know all the time that nothing bad can really happen to us. And if any pain comes to us afterwards it will be

ng, and who felt hopelessly puzzled. "Mother says that she is odd, and father says that some of her

ered Helen e

ey sat close together beneath the gnarled apple-tree, the dying sunset lights lingering on their fair

fter a few minutes, wearying of silence, and beginning to feel that even Agatha

rather re

say good-night to father, and afterwards

for me to-morrow morning, will you? They must match exactly,

eedn't fear. But, by the way, yo

there. I was thinking about him just now. I used to hate him sometimes when he sat in the choir and screamed in

thing for him?" sugg

returned Harold,

hook he

father if I may gather some strawberries and take them to a sick boy in the village. I

should never hear the end of it. An

ny questions. He will just say, 'Do as

and that he was never allowed to go near any cottage where sickness was. But he was sorry for Jim Hunt, who had done him many a rough ki

annoyed that her plan had not immediately approved itself to Harold, never guessi

ent, but I will tell Jim that I will give him the engine I am making now when it is finish

n the orchard to-morrow. If we walk fast across the fields we can st

gladly complied with his little daughter's request, and Helen, basket in hand, was awaiting Harold in the orchard some t

egan to think you were

shed, and did not wea

I was in a hurry everything went wrong. I hate Latin.

ngly. "You have come; that is the great thing

of fretfulness in his voice as, beneath a blazing noonday sun,

. Then she stopped short suddenly. "What is the matter?" she asked in altered tones.

l fretfully. "I am quite well, only

and began to talk on other subjects; but H

d houses, very picturesque in appearance, but telling a tale of age and decay. Towards one of these, rather larger than the rest, and separated from the road by a strip of garden, Harold now led the

n almost untasted plate of food away from him, but several flaxen heads were busy over the table, wh

ied the man, whilst the woman droppe

ask about Jim,

I can see," returned the man

r myself," said Harold stoutly; "and ple

wife excha

Mrs. Hunt, after an instant's pause, du

en, "we only came to see Jim

l," observed the man, answerin

him things he can't swallow. But if Master Harold and the young lady like to go upstairs they're welc

on a rough bed, Jim, with wide open, blank eyes, lay tossing and tumbling. The atmosphere here was less oppressive than that

AROLD AT JI

ked Harold, going up to the

unmeaning stare, and be

ome strawberries," said Helen, a

as he looked from Helen to the strawberries, but i

ng for him?" asked

ing with deft fingers to straighten the bed-clothes and raise the pil

o for him as I would. There's the children; they must be seen to, and the fowls and the pig

t better?" a

very night as he was took I says to his father, he's

k of consciousness stealing

his side and gave th

he asked, poin

lady from the Grange, she-" But Jim was already beginning to wander again, and

en as they stumbled down-stairs preceded by Mrs.

d off homewards at a rapid pace. It did occur to Helen to ask her father's permission for this second visit, but when she arrived at home she found that he was out and not expected back until late in the a

were straw-plaiting and gossiping idly at their doors, and these stared and whispered one to another as Helen passed them on her way to the Hunt

n answer to Helen's timid knocking; "go up if you like. Nobo

that stood by his bedside. Then he closed his eyes, and she went and sat down by the window, wondering whether a sense of human companionship was the comfort to Jim that she fancied it would be to herself under similar circumstances. Very slowly the afternoon wore on. Every now and then the sick

leasures, who was stupid, every one said, and whom no one had cared for much. That very night, perhaps, he would know more than the wisest man living; he might be seeing more beautiful things than we can even picture, and be making the most wonderful discoveries about that undying love whic

ed to wake up. Boys shouted and played; lowing cows were brought in to be milked; the women began their preparations for the evening meal, and, from their open doorways, called loudly upon their respective children. Life was there; and here was death

was the doctor. Helen felt a little shamefaced at the idea of being caught watching beside the sick boy, and she advanced to the door to see

could do the poor lad any good, I would see h

emed to brighten up like when Master H

er Ha

sped out in quick

young lady from the Grange. They come just as we was sittin' a

Harold was here this mo

; and the

tements. Helen had already guessed from Mr. Bayden's agitated to

e?" cried the clergyman

ered Helen. "I am very sorry if I did wrong. Please d

cried Mr. Bayden, wringing his hands. "Come

t in some indignation; whilst Helen,

mself. "Anything that I can do for the poor lad, of course, as a clergyman, I am prepared

half inclined to throw it after its donor, who was by this time half-way down the village street, followed by Hel

ite unconscious that in his terror and excitement he had omitted to explain to her the cause of his perturbation at Harold's

oo fast for you

to keep up with her companion. "I hope you won't be angry with Harold,"

. "It was a most wicked, thoughtless act. And to

is anything the m

touched the clergyman

"He ate no lunch, and he complained of he

hen, to her joy, she saw her

running after him. Her tale was nearly

ked the colonel, smiling. "Interfering w

Bayden tremulously. "But-

" he went on as Helen obeyed, an anxious

im Hunt is dying, may be dead already. He ought to have been isolated from the first. B

e disease infectious?" interr

of it. Two more children in

ren have been

yden n

elen has been thoughtless. I will speak to her. The less said to anyone else the better

ing again. "Harold was not well when I left home. Nothi

l Desmond for his apparent unconcern, and resolved to i

joined h

ss. What could have induced you to go to the Hunts' cottage

elen, "I did not think that

a fever. And now Mr. Bayden

tood it all now, Mr. Bayden's distress and her father's annoyance. A

he child's evident distress. "You are too heedless. That is at the root of all your troubles. There, run in now and get yours

informed her sister that Harold was dangerously ill, and alluded to his visit to Jim in Helen's company in terms that there was no mistaking. Mrs. Desmond's annoyance at the reception of this information was not lessened by the fact of its having been hitherto kept from her k

d. All communication between the Rectory and the Grange was stopped, and Mrs. Desmond was making hasty preparations fo

the Grange, that the father and daughter, walking sadly through the lanes, enc

infection here, Bay

d. "He is very, very ill

little fellow! He is

urned the clergyman; "though

ence. Colonel Desmond was half surprised at his little girl's silence. He even thou

ld he see her when, finding herself alone in her own room, she sat down and buried her face in her hand

answerable for Harold's illness. More and more the poor little head puzzled itself over questions that can find no answer here; but strangest of all it seemed to her to think of the

s even Agatha knew that she loved her brother now. How sad th