Show aa az mi A ROMANCE E old I 1 D I 1 d ech no IV continued you don t seem altogether happy in hero here a cheery voice calls out at this moment as shell a somewhat mocking face appears at the open window happy I 1 cries ruby derisively would you feel eel happy caged up with a couple of 0 young bears the children have been behaving shamefully lave have they returns shell in a tone which denotes doubt as aa she bhe steps la in over the low window ledge and gently begins to stroke megs meg a h hilr tir which has become disheveled through her various emotions the child nestles up against her side clasping her skirts nemly as it for protection tec tion while bob indulges in a vigorous welcoming nod for he knows he la Is not allowed to speak yes have given me quite a headache 11 pursues ruby pi pleasing easing her h er hand to her brow I 1 shall be fit f for 0 r nothing the tha rest of the day it if I 1 can t get rid of it I 1 wish ou on would hear the children read for or me why should 1 I answers shell bluntly As aa you know I 1 disapprove ot of their coming here and I 1 told you from the first to expect no help dom inell tue shell speaks in french that the children may not understand dundei stand but meg guesses with the quick instinct of childhood that she Is refusing to take charge of them you hear me read sell she with a look ot of almost piteous entreaty on her baby face I 1 me ale v N ill tie be dood shell looks down tor for a moment with unrelenting eyes then she catches meg up in her strong young arms gives her a resounding kles kies and turning to ruby says all right if you are tired I 1 dont mind looking after them till they ate aie botched only I 1 ion don t to be a good hand at teaching 1 I wish you be so rough with them says ruby rising from her chair with a sigh of intense relief now us ia la Is happy cries dob bob slid ing down from his bis chair and L hla small arms with delight as aa ruby disappears but us wilst cinat go on with our leg lea sons says shell gravely all right acquit sees bob as he begins to hunt foi their leading book you sit down in the big chair and have meg on your lap like ilka you did last time and I 1 can stand beside you my dear children fan isn t it rather hot for that und lind of arrangement I 1 ex postulates shell as meg springs into her arms arasi whilst dob bob installs him self with his big firm arm around hei bet neck but the only know that they lovo love her and want to be as near lier ier as possible any such minor consideration as aa the state of the thermometer la Is a matter of supreme indifference lu to their and consequently selfish little Il lialas that evening as luck will have it when the children come in to dessert their father begins to question them a as to their conduct 1 I hope iou were both very good children thlu mo coining ining he says helping each to a supply of strawberries no pa us ug wasn gasn t berry good 11 falters meg with downcast eyes and burning cheeks I 1 dear me that to Is very sad mega ageg sas aas robert Cli champley ampley with ith a laughing glance across the table fable at ted I 1 row how did you mis behaN a yourselves 7 1 I dida didat t know tree times tour four replica mex megr looking deeply abashed that was waa extremely wicked of you 1 says bays her fattier father smiling and now that meg has made an open confession of her sins we ve must hear dear your enormities mr air dobby bobby laughs hla his uncle how did you offend miss Wll wilden den bob heaves a profound sigh I 1 I 1 did some fink dreadful he say bays s in a low shamed voice something dreadful repeats ted looking intensely amused come out ut with it I 1 papa dear dont to be angry wid dob bob ha be didat know interposes meg suddenly laying hold of her fathers arm aud ald hugging bugging it vigorously dear me this to la getting alarm ingi what did you do bob asks mr champley ampley Cb with real interest bob takes a kind of gulp to swa wallow I 1 down his big tear fear and then he ha saya say in an awestruck awe struck voice 1 11 I pulled her hair out good gracious whose hairl asks bla big father looking startled miss bliss wildena explains bob much alarmed at the sensation his bis announcement had bad created fou young villain vill atut t exclaims me hla uncle what induced you to attack ft a lady like that 1 7 I attack her says saya poor dob bob on the verge verga of sobs 1 I just I 1 pulled out her plus for tun fun when she bhe was setting ray my copy ant and then all her aale air tumbled down on the carpet not all hastened to explain meg only a lot of it ted Chanry ey li is seized with a violent fit at of coughing which mends tilia blin ever to the th window for relief whilst hie bill older brother as suddenly develops a cold which necessitates vast amount of handkerchief play before he speaks a aln then be says BAYS quietly to do bob b g that was waa very ungentlemanly of h wh akal WJ ja you and if I 1 illar hiar of sour our being rude again I 1 shall punish you kp air V this threat from ilk his usually indulgent father ras bas such a depressing effect on bob a spirits that he be makes up his mind to eschew temptation for the tu fu ture miss wilden won t tove love i 3 on oil if you dont behave like a gentleman continues the father severely as an appropriate ending to hla ropi inland Us dont don t love miss wilden herb interrupts meg with mith great dignity she Is a nasty cross croas old ting nonsense meg says her father placing his hand band under her chin and smiling do down n into her eyes it if you don t love miss wilden I 1 am afraid you must be EL a hardened little wretch tor for with a dreary sigh aus alas she la is only too devoted to youl you meg shakes her head bead in an uncomprehending pre way and repeats with a determined little littin pout Vs Us dont like lier ber ui lores sell bell I 1 yes us loves dear sheil I 1 chimes in bob eagerly she tells us lovely stories 11 my dear misguided children your affection for miss shell la Is decidedly misplaced here their uncle returning aiom his post at the window I 1 she doesn doean t like ilka boys boya and girls at RII all not like little boss and derest berls repents meg qu te taken aback by such an statement no indeed in fact act she gave me to understand that she almost hated them repeats ted much amused at the children s look of horror so I 1 strongly advise you not to waste your young affections on such an jve ive object the tha warning being clothed in words beyond their understanding makes no impression on the children a minds but their strong preference for the youngai sister bister es their father forcibly and ho be catches himself murmuring moie than once in a wondering tore tone Us ua loves shell us loves dear shell after that it often happens that ruby under some trifling pretext or other shifts the burden of her self Imposed task on to shells shell a 3 oung shoulders she has a headache or Is busy or has hag letters to ai write rite and then shell taking pity on tho the poor children who are sure to have a rough time of it if ruby la in dis inclined for them devotes her morning to their instruction and amusement she bribes them to be good at their lessons by the tha promise of a romp in the grounds when their basli la Is completed and so BO it happens that robert ch amiley chancing to drive over himself to fetch thorn them one lato late june morn ing cornea upon an unexpected and to him a chair ning right bight on a moa grown groan mound at tho the front of ii a copper beech sits shell in a dark daric print gown with her bright hair colled coiled around and around with daisy c chains h nine which the childr n a busy fingers have been weaving whilst she tells tella them a wonderful talo tale from ral fairyland ryland so engrossed are alt all three that they do not become aware of the intruders intruder a approach until ho he has descended from the trap and walked quietly to a few paces of their resting place then a about of 0 papa pipat pipa from meg rouses them all fiam their ideal world to a realistic one shell starts biorn her lowly seat crimsons crim sons to the very roots of her hair and puts on as forbidding a look as she can well ell assume oh pa it Is so jolly you come coma and listen too cries coo bob eager that his father should participate in their enjoyment the princess Is shut up in a dark room because her wicked godmother wont on t allow her ever to see the sunshine and the prince is keeping guard outside hei bet tower with a carriage and six to carry her away to an island blazing with light it he ha gets the chance rather bather trying for her cypa ayee wont it be I 1 should be inclined to recommend her bar a pair of spectacles till she bhe gets used to the glare laughs robert champlee Champ lev as he ab shakes hands bands with shell but shell has become fossilized she sha shakes hands limply puts on a stolid conventional expression and drawing her small figure up to its fullest height tries to look exceedingly dignified iler her efforts are somewhat marred by the dal daisies so BO profusely twisted around her head bead but as she la Is happily forgetful of their presence they do not trouble her bar sell dear she have blue spectacles did she cries meg shock shocked ad at such ouch P ft very suggestion 1 I dont don t know I 1 am sure eure responds shell in a tone ot of cold indifference but oo 00 does know cries meg waxing impatient a and nd shaking shells shell a in her anxiety to have the doubt settled 1 I am ray my children aro are wearying you miss fire shell saya bays their th belr fathie rather stiffly but I 1 have just come over to carry them avay 1 I find the easiest way to keep heep them quiet culet la Is to tell them ot stories ories says shell bluntly and ungraciously k 1 I am very sorry that you should be ba put to so BO much trouble particularly as you dislike children remarks mr C champley CA ampley with a curious and rather satirical glance at her flower booked head oh it doean doesn t matter answers shell condescendingly I 1 now then young monkeys it you are ready we may as well he be bays pointing to the trap which is waiting la in the avenue I 1 am going to take you for a dailve right around by the th aea ea take sell too pa pleads pleada meg etching catching her fathers hand and airey eairly airly jumping with delight with pleasure if she will only consent to go to la his ready answer whilst he darts an amused glance at tho the girl a flushed vexed face I 1 no thanks I 1 hate driving responds shell curtly you seem to hae bane a great many do da te stations miss shell says saya the gentleman I 1 I 1 have Is shell a laconic answer well then since we can t persuade you to accompany us we ae may as well we 11 start come children childre nl and making no effort to shake hands be raises hla hat politely A latent tear fear that she has been inhospitable assally shell wont won t you go up to the house she ehe asks almost eagerly I 1 no thank you since I 1 have been fortunate enough to meet with the tha children here good morning good morning answers shell stiffly and quite ignoring the two little faces that are turned up to her for a good bye kiss papa is us ua naughty asks aska meg me as she trots over to the trap beside her father I 1 I hope not why he ha demands de da absently cause shell t lilea idea us answers meg in a wondering tone kiss youl you repeats her father laughing she looked far more likely to bits bite dut but all the same at as ho he makes the th assertion a memory of shell as aa he first came to her with sparkling eyes and smiling lips and the two children bri kneeling celing beside her rises before his bis mental vision well have you got rid of those thosa little torments aska ruby languidly looking up from her book as shell enters ter the room their father has just come tor for them answers shell shortly their tether father on where villere la Is he hea cries ruby starting from her chair I 1 want to consult him about bobs bobb writing and I 1 must speak about the th nurse I 1 am afield site she la Is not very careful megs hands were quite dirty this morning where did you leave him I 1 lie ile is down by the sea I 1 dlan t leave him he loft left me I 1 answers shell I 1 why did no one tell me he was here aads ruby angrily I 1 ile he didn dian t come to the house I 1 was in the drive with the children and ho he picked them up there how very sti angel cut but it Is all lour fault taking them out tho the foolish way you do I 1 suppose you wera romping like a tomboy tom torn boy when ho he 11 C came ame 1 I was telling them stories anyway you a n ildi culous object says ruby with such an obviously scornful sneer that shell instinctively glances across the room at her reflection in the minor then tor for the first time becoming aware of her profuse decorations with a budden access of wrath she ghe tears the daisies from her hair whilst tears of mortill mortification ripe rife to her cea 1 I ya t have b ave had him see me so BO for a hundred pounds she says say angrily what nonsense ersel I 1 don t suppose that ho he enen eien noticed them observes ruby with cutting aaroin ali ah perhaps not murmurs shell with a sigh of relief and et at thinking it over she remembers clearly that twice or three times during their short interview she noticed an amused aello flicker over his face to be continued |