| Show PICA vr fj ri d R 0 04 3 sn d e J fj w W 1 I 1 I 1 A ROMANCE 11 1 I 1 jw ga 4 A 9 V I 1 I 1 I 1 M ien i z R dayi lA Yi ta jau alu JM VII one tho the following morning as shell Is carefully folding in tissue paper the superfluous tea spoons brought into use on the previous evening ruby once more bursts in upon her solitude I 1 have brought over one ot of meg a dresses as aa a guide and I 1 think this ought to make up prettily she bhe says unfolding a parcel which she carries find and displaying with some triumph a tiny totton lotton frock and a piece of some light blue material shell pauses in the act of rubbing an imaginary spot aiom one ot the spoons and stares at the articles produced with wondering ebes what aro are you talking about she asks its with ith bewildered stress on the w ord are I 1 why I 1 am going to make it a dress for poor little meg explains ruby in it a rather impatient and injured tone you must have bave noticed how badly the poor childs things fit her turns perfectly crimson you callet can t mean what you say ruby she cries in a voice of horror Y you 0 it have surely not been offering to make clothes for robert Gh Gharap ampley leys 0 children why not I 1 demands ruby with it a faint flush I 1 I 1 consider it only 9 a corn coin mon act of charity to help the poor man when uben he be Is in such dire need of help oh then he be sake asked you to see about it queries shell looking relieved well not exactly we were talking about the children and I 1 remarked that the nurse seemed to have no idea how to dress them properly of 01 course he objected to my taking tiny any trouble in the matter but I 1 could see bee that ho he was ans distressed by what I 1 told him so this morning I 1 went over and caught the nurse just about to cut out another monstrosity so I 1 just marched off her stuff and one ona ot of meg a dresses for a pattern I 1 the nurse a trifle sur posed asla asks shell in dry sarcastic tone she did seem beem a little put p ut out admits ruby with alth a quick flush 1 I shall wain champley against that woman I 1 think lie he must be mistaken in her she ehe has most shocking manners I 1 do you set bet up na as being a judge of manners I 1 asks aaka shell still sneering I 1 set up for knowing when people ure tire rude and disagreeable answers ruby shortly shell having carefully disposed of lier her last spoon Is turning ly silently ellent ly from the room when ruby calls her back where are arc you going she asks crossly 1 I am going to lock up tip the silver replies shell without retracing her steps when ou have done that I 1 wish you would help me to cut out meg a dress you are so much more used to that kind of thing than I 1 am cays R ruby uby gazing despondently at the little dress which she has been turning inside 9 ide out to see how it Is fashioned I 1 am really very sorry answers shell coldly but I 1 can t possibly help you I 1 never cut out a child s dress dreas in roy my life nonsense don t be so cross crosa you must do it for me cries ruby beginning to look alarmed of course I 1 quite reckoned on you or I 1 should never have undertaken such a task I 1 I 1 am very sorry repeats shell in ahard a hard unfeeling voice but I 1 don t in tho the least understand children s things I 1 should advise ott to send for patterns or put it out you will get no help from mo me and then she curriee from the room nearly upsetting violet whom she meets in the passage would you yon believe it VI W that wretch of a shell has turned sulky grumbles ruby as her cousin enters the room I 1 she vows boyi a sho she won wont t help roe me with megs dress or even cut it out isn t it disagreeable of her what on earth will you do I 1 know you can t manage it yourself laughs violet instead ot of ing she ehe seems only amused at her cousin a dilemma I 1 am sure I 1 don t know do you think sou ou could cut one out salts asks ruby hopelessly violet turns the little dress all round about then holds it out at arms arm B I 1 length on ath by both sleeves not it if hanging were the alternative she ehe laughs it la Is quite beyond roe 0 o dut but for ruby it to la no laughing matter tears of mortification and vexation force themselves thema elves into her eyes baht bah I 1 dont tako take it to heart cries violet lightly we 11 send for some lorna patterns and then make an ostentatious show of cutting it out in shell it presence she won t be able to withstand that I 1 know for she haape to see good stuff wasted i and violets violet a aure proves successful for when a few days later having oata obtained ned some patterns from longou ruby deliberately begins to arronge arrange then tho the wrong way aay of the shell impatiently cornea comes to the roscue and having once taken possession of the sels wields them to the end paving cut oitt oat ahe be dress she soon eoon de icks to malre it site she Is a good work nork tto OM naan an nad ncr batore has haa rub bubb a A A it sa s1 M t I 1 W lt ama 0 S V A 1 I lo 10 dainty enticing bit of work come in her way she feels perfectly aade in her undertaking ruby Is scarcely likely to blazon forth her own ova incompetence one afternoon as she elie site at tho open window smiling over her work vork robert champley Chain pley comes sauntering thoughtfully up the short avenue ot of the wilderness suddenly shell all unconscious of his close proximity breaks into song it la Is a bright cheery little ditty that bursts from her lips and her unseen listener pauses amidst the shrubs and warb waits tor for the end leaning idly against it a strong young lilac ho he not only listens to the words with an amused smile but watches the busy bugy needle flashing in and out of her work she makes a vivid picture seen between the breaks of greenery with her brilliant hair snowwhite snow white skin and the patch of bs ble a on her lap this is tho the see second ond time he has corns come upon shell unawares and somehow he takes keen del delight light in so surprising her ber her quick change of manner when she Is i a although he cannot understand it amuses him A very good song and very well gungl sung dravo bravo miss shell and pie please nse forgive me for listening he ha says stepping up to the window list hat in hand when the last note has died away oh 1 cries shell becoming furiously red and then she throws her work upon the floor and conceals it ft Y ith her dress the sudden disappearance of the patch of blue attracts his attention far more than it if she had left it on her knee and a somewhat contemptuous look steals into his big eyes as ho he cornea comes to tile the conclusion that shell Is ashamed of being caught dressmaking it beta him into a teasing mood miss shell it you ever got get an offer of jewelry I 1 advise you to ahoo tur he be says with ith his keen area hied steadily upon the girls burning cheeks cheeka I 1 am not going to get any Jewel jewelry stammers et at ammers shell shall too confused cont used and surprised to find a ready answer because pale blue suits yon to perfection fec tion answers mr air champlan champlay Cham play ploy with a meaning nod and then intensely amused at her bewildered look he ha proceeds on his bis way could he be have seen ceen my work muses shell as she withdraws withdraw it from froin its hiding place and carefully shakes out the delicate lace trimming which has hag become a little crushed from her summary treatment 1 I don t imagine he be could and 3 let at what made him talk about pale blued in the meantime mr champley has proceeded round to the hall door and bien shown by the trim houser hou nall into the cool and airy draft ing room where he finds violet flower floer burled buried in the d of a low cozy chmir chair and engrossed with a novel tell miss wilden that mr champley Is let heie ell she says to the mald maid as she halt half rises from her chair and stretches out a lazy white hand jn n greeting I 1 pray don t trouble to rise laughs robert as he hastens to her side you looked so BO exquisitely happy when h I 1 camo came in that I 1 should be sorry to disturb you I 1 am always happy when I 1 am doing nothing answers violet naive naively Y this hot weather wea aber Is BO frightfully enervating that no one in the tha house las has a spark of energy left excepting shell 11 you are not altogether lazy you were reading says mr air champley politely yes I 1 have just life enough left to take in ideas as they are put before me rek responds ponds VI with nith a lazy little yawn though I 1 find it a groat great exertion holding up a book you should get one of those wonderful literary machines which one sees advertised laughs robert champley turning to greet ruby who has just entered the room I 1 came over miss wilden expressly to thank you for all your kindness to my children be begins in a formal tons tone as ail he reseats resents hImself 6 oh please dout don t mention III it answers ruby casting down her ees 1 I assure you their coming over so BO frequently las has been a great pleasure plen yure to rno me 11 it Is very gm fowl 1 of you to say eay so BO returns robert in a tone which does not convey any great amount of belief in her statement and I 1 intend to send over the little ones tomorrow morning to thank you themselves 1 I am sure I 1 feel thanked more than enough already murmurs ruby 1 I have been fortunate enough to secure very comfortable rooms in at a farm house on Oak moor pursues robert champley Cli ampley with his eyes fixed upon tho the carpet the aar seems purr pure and bracing and I 1 hope holis that a couple of months spent there will ill benefit them wonderfully CHUTER VIII are yoi yo i going with them us aska is I 1 ruby sweetly yes yea oh yes arimenta ari senta the ge gentleman antle with giatcu lie ile cannot co conceal feeal hla his feeling of dell delight glit at the coming change indeed of late lata ruby a inter www I 1 ak I 1 Y I 1 i 1 i e i ference respecting his has ha be t como come almost unbearable and which takes him from cpr immediate cannot fall to be greeted ni with ith enthusiasm it seems such a pity to leave champley house just when tho the flowers are so BO beautiful sighs ruby sentimentally I 1 I 1 will tell the gardener to send over a basketful twice a week returns robert quickly thanks you are too too kind hind gushes ruby VI leaning back in her chair smiles lazily at the little comedy being eniet col before her 11 muses ruby aloud after a short pause it sounds bounds so BO rural and nice only just juat a little vague what P port art ot oc are 3 ou going to tot our farm house Is about a quarter of a mile from the village of oakford Oak Jord I 1 saltford haiford Oa iford ltford oakford repeats ruby I 1 I 1 suppose it la Is a very healthy spot I 1 I 1 1 I should think so BO oakford stands elands nearly eight hundred feet above the sea a and there Is remarkably good fishing in the neighborhood orwood oh how I 1 wish I 1 could induce m mamma amma to go there for a time I 1 am 13 ure sure the change would do her goedl sighs ruby I 1 I 1 am really afraid 3 ou v wouldn t like it 11 cries robert looking alarmed there Is only the most primitive accommodations to be b had and and ladles ladies are not used to roughing it that Is just like you always so BO thoughtful sa BB a ruby in rather an absent tone but I 1 don dont t think wo a should mind roughing it a little the air Is so invigorating 1 I 1 k know now I 1 should mind interposes violet quickly I 1 hate invigorating air it gives one no excuse for being lazy is as for out of the way places I 1 abominate them no society no library perhaps even no piano I 1 I 1 don t imagine that there Is any hope of our go going ing sas ruby looking blankly at her cousin I 1 I here is no need to regret that fact tou ou would be tiled thed of the place in less than a week meek laughs robert confidentially as for T ted ed and me it Is otherwise we ve shall hane haie our fishing 1 I 1 yes of course well I 1 am sure I 1 wish you may enjoy it says bays ruby trying to look in earnest and then when their vIsIt tor has taken his bla departure she eha falls alia into a meditative mood from which VI s bantering remarks remark are powerless to rouse her on the hollowing coining B dob and met meg arrive with the nurse in their attle donkey trap lo looking oldrig very important and well pleased with them salves Plo plea aaa jae mlee min wilden we haie baie come to wish viall you good by and please take taka this with our love says bob striding first arst into the room and repeating crepea tang the tha words that b have ave been drilled into him with a slight blight frown how randsome handa band ome some how lovely I 1 oh ch how kludj she cries then unfolding a small scrap of paper contained la ili the case she reads reada the some somewhat hat stiffly w corded note enclosed dear miss wild n please accept tho watch from rub rob and meg as aa a small token of their regard and gratitude yours truly I 1 ROBERT CHAMPLEY whilst mrs wilden and violet are ara admiring the watch and ruby to la perusing the note with aith a feeling of disappointment notwithstanding tha ilia costliness of her present meg makes her way to shell and thrusting a parcel into her bar lap cries triumphantly I 1 dat Is tor for oo oci dear sell I 1 dear sell I 1 looks anything but delighted at the information nonsense meg you have made a mist ml altel she says so coldly that meg begins to pout her under lip preparatory to a cry I 1 ma lie haven ta t she says stoutly dat la is for 00 oo pa said BO 80 hearing that her parcel Is of no intrinsic value shell condescends to open I 1 it t having done so a handsomely bound copy of tennyson 5 poems lies iles exposed to view to be continued |
