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Show Wilden.) fcSSsOS AS "2 tj ... . f work come In 7 ference respecting his children ha be- almost unbearable-and chango from her immediate nXhborhood cannot fail to be greeted with enthusiasm. seems such a pity to leave PhimDlev House just -when the flow-Si flow-Si are so beautiful," sighs Ruby sentl- "?Sl tell the gardener to send oyer a basketful twice a week," returns Robert quickly. "Thanks; you are too-too kind gushes Ruby; whilst VI leaning back in her chair, smiles lazily at the little comedy being enacted before her "Oakmoor," muses Ruby aloud, after 00 "Tr sounds so rural and CHAPTER VII. One the following morning, as Shen Is carefully folding in tissue-paper the superfluous tea-spoons brought into use on the previous evening. Ruby -once ffi0re bursts in upon her sol tude , I have brought over one of M S dresses as a guide; and I think this merino ought to make up Jll sbe says, unfolding a parcel which b& carries, and delaying sm Humph a tiny cotton frock and a piece of some light blue material. P Shell pauses in the act of rubbing an imaginary spot from one o the pocme and stares at the articles produced with wondering eyes. "What are you talking about? she asks, with bewildered stress on the word "are." jrew "Why, I am going to make a diese for poor little Meg," explains Ruby in a rather impatient and l1.0 "You must have noticed how badly the poor child's things fit her?" Shell turns perfectly crimson. "You can't mean what you say, dainty, enuciui, un. - ner way. She feels perfectly safe her undertaking. Ruby is scarcely likely to blazon forth her own incom- petence. 1 One afternoon, as she sits at 1 open window smiling over her work, Robert Champley comes sauntering thoughtfully up the short avenue ot the Wilderness. Suddenly Shell, all unconscious of his close proximity, breaks into song. It is a bright, cheery little ditty that bursts from her lips, and her unseen listener pauses amidst the shrubs and waits for the end. Leaning idly against a strong young lilac, he not only listens to the words with an amused smile, hut watches the busy needle flashing m and out of her work. She makes a vivid picture seen between the breaks of greenery, with her brilliant hair, snow-white skin, and the patch of. b'e on her lap. This Is the second time he has come upon Shell unawares, and somehow he takes keen delight m so surprising her her quick change she is discovered, al- nice, only just a little vague. What Dart of, Oakmoor are you going to? "Our farm house is about a quarter of a mile from the village of Oakford." "Oakford-Oakford?" repeats Ruby "I suppose it is a very healthy spot? "I should think so. Oakford stands nearly eight hundred feet above the sea and there Is remarkably good Ashing Ash-ing in the neighborhood." "Oh how I wish I could induce mamma to go there for a time-I am sure the change would do her good! sighs Ruby. "I am really afraid you wouldn t like It" cries Robert, looking alarmed. "There is only the most primitive accommodations ac-commodations to be had and-and ladies are not used to roughing it. "That is just like you-always so thoughtful," says Ruby in rather an absent tone; "but I don't think we should mind roughing it a little, since the air is so invigorating." "I know I should mind!" Interposes ! Violet quickly. "I hate 'goratlng ., pyr.use for being though he cannot understand it, amuses him. "A very good song, and very well sung! Bravo, Miss Shell and please forgive me for listening!" he says, stepping up to the window hat in hand, when the last note has died away. "Oh!" cries Shell, becoming furiously furious-ly red; and then she throws her work upon the floor and conceals it with her dress. The sudden disappearance of the patch of blue attracts his attention far air it giveo lazy; as for out-of-the-way places I abominate them-no society no library, li-brary, perhaps even no piano. "I don't imagine that there is any hope of our going," says Ruby, looking look-ing blankly at her cousin. "There is no need to regret that fact-you would be tired of the place In less than a week," laughs Robert confidentially; "as for Ted and me, it is otherwise-we shall have our fish-ing fish-ing " "Yes of course. Well, I am sure I wish you may enjoy it," says Ruby, Ruby?" she cries in a voice oi "You have surely not been offering to make clothes for Robert Ohampley s children?" ... "Why not?" demands Ruby, with a faint flush. "I consider it only a common com-mon act of charity to help the poor man when he is in such dire need of help." , . "Oh, then, he asked you to see about it?" queries Shell, looking relieved. "Well, not exactly. We were talking talk-ing about the children, and I remarked remark-ed that the nurse seemed to have no idea how to dress them properly. OI more than if she had lert it on nei knee, and a somewhat contemptuous look steals into his eyes as he comes to the conclusion that Shell is ashamed of being caught dressmaking. It sets him into a teasing mood. "Miss Shell, It you ever get an offer of jewelry, I advise you to ohoose tur-quois," tur-quois," he says, with his keen eyes fixed steadily upon the girl's burning cheeks. "Turquois why? I am not going to get any jewelry!" stammers Shell, too confused and surprised to find a ready answer. "Because pale blue suits you to perfection," per-fection," answers Mr. Champley Vlth a meaning nod; and then, intensely oTT,i,ori tit her bewildered look, he trying to look in earnest; ana men, when their visittor has taken his departure, de-parture, she falls into a meditative mood, from whioh Vi's bantering remarks re-marks are powerless to rouse her. On the following morning Bob and Meg arrive with the nurse in their little donkey-trap, looking very important im-portant and well pleased with them-Selves them-Selves "Please, Miss Wilden, we have come to wish you good-by; and please take this with our love," says Bob, striding first Into the room and repeating the words that have been drilled into him with a slight frown. "How handsome how lovely! Oh, - - , how kind!" she cries; then, unfolding course he objected to my taking any trouble in the matter, but I could see that he was distressed by what I told him. So this morning I went over and caught the nurse just about to cut out another monstrosity, so I just marched off her stuff, and one of Meg's dresses for a pattern." "Wasn't the nurse a trifle surprised?" sur-prised?" asks Shell, in dry sarcastic tone. "She did seem a little put out," admits ad-mits Ruby, with a quick flush. "I shall warn Robert Champley against that woman. I think he must be mistaken mis-taken in her ehe has most shocking manners." "Do you set up as being a judge of I o, - oi.ii oill enpprinc:. manners: aoha oijgii, D.iu "I set up for knowing when people are rude and disagreeable," answers Ruby shortly. Shell, having carefully disposed of her last spoon, is turningly silently from the room, when Ruby calls her back. "Wrhere are you going?" she asks crossly. "I am going to lock up the silver," replies Shell, without retracing her steps. "When you have done that I wish you would help me to cut out Meg's a small scrap oi payei ,i the case, she reads the somewhat stiffly-worded note enclosed: "Dear Miss Wilden. Please accept the watch from Rob and Meg as a small token of their regard and gratitude. grati-tude. Yours truly, "ROBERT CHAMPLEY." Whilst Mrs. W'ilden and Violet are admiring the watch, and Ruby is perusing the note with a feeling of disappointment, notwithstanding the costliness of her present, Meg makes her way to Shell, and, thrusting a parcel into her lap, cries triumphantly triumphant-ly "Dat is for oo, dear Sell! "Dear Sell" looks anything but delighted de-lighted at the information. "Nonsense, Meg you have made a mistake!" she says, so coldly that Meg begins to pout her under lip preparatory prepara-tory to a cry. "Me haven't!" she says stoutly. Dat is for oo pa said so." Hearing that her parcel is of no intrinsic in-trinsic value, Shell condescends to open it. Having done so, a handsomely handsome-ly bound copy of Tennyson's poems lies exposed to view, (To be Continued.) . proceeds on his way. 1 "Could he have seen my work?" muses Shell, as she withdraws it from its hiding place and carefully shakes out the delicate lace trimming, which has become a little crushed from her summary treatment. "I don't imagine he could and yet what made him talk about pale blue?" In the meantime Mr. Champley has proceeded round to the hall door, and been shown by the trim housemaid into the cool and airy drawing-room, where he finds Violet Flower buried in the depths of a low, cozy chair and engrossed with a novel. "Tell Miss Wilden that Mr. Champley Champ-ley is here," she says to the maid, as she half rises from her chair and stretches out a lazy white hand in greeting. "Pray don't trouble to rise," laughs Robert, as he hastens to her side. "You looked so exquisitely happy when I came in that I should be sorry to disturb you." x "I am always happy when I am doing do-ing nothing," answers Violet naively. "This hot weather is so frightfully enervating that no one in the house has a spark of energy left excepting Shell." "You are not altogether lazy you nrftr. nnillnCT " c qvd Mf PI, Q tv, ti! air t, dress you are so much more used to that kind of thing than I am," says Ruby, gazing despondently at the little dress, which she has been turning inside in-side out to see how it is fashioned. "I am really very sorry," answers Shell coldly; "but I can't possibly help you. I never cut out a child's dress in my life." "Nonsense don't he so cross you must do it for me!" cries Ruby, beginning be-ginning to look alarmed. "Of course I quite reckoned on you, or I should never have undertaken such a task." "I am very sorry," repeats Shell, in a hard, unfeeling voice; "but I don't in the least understand children's things. I should advise you to send for patterns or put it out you will get Tirt lioln frfim mp " AnH tlum chp hurries from the room, nearly upsetting upset-ting Violet, whom she meets in the passage. "Would you believe it, Vi? that wretch of a Shell has turned sulky," grumbles Ruby, as her cousin enters the room. "She vows she won't help me with Meg's dress, or even cut it out. Isn't it disagreeable of her?" "What on earth will you do? I know you can't manage it yourself," laughs Violet instead of - sympathizing sympathiz-ing she seems only amused at her cousin's dilemma, "I am sure I don't know. Do vou litely. "Yes I have just life enough left to take in ideas as they are put before me," responds Vi, with a lazy little yawn, "though I find it a great exertion ex-ertion holding up a book." "You should get one of those wonderful won-derful literary machines which one sees advertised," laughs Robert Champley, turning to greet Ruby, who has just entered the room. "I came over, Miss Wilden, expressly to thank you for all your kindness to my children," chil-dren," he begins in a formal tone as he reseats himself.. think you could cut one out?" asks Ruby hopelessly. Violet turns the little dress all round about, then holds it out at arm's length by both sleeves. "Not If hanging were the alternative," alterna-tive," she laughs; "it is quite beyond me." But for Ruby it is no laughing matter mat-ter tears of mortification and vexation vexa-tion force themselves into her eyes. "Bah! Don't take it to heart," cries Violet lightly "we'll send for some patterns, and then make an ostentatious os-tentatious show of cutting it out in "Oh, please don't mention it!" answers an-swers Ruby, casting down her eyes. "I assure you their coming over so frequently fre-quently has been a great pleasure to me." "It is very good of you to say so," returns Robert, in a tone which does not convey any great amount of belief in her statement; "and I intend to send over the little ones tomorrow morning to thank you themselves." "I am sure I feel thanked more than enough already," murmurs Ruby. "I have been fortunate enough to Secure Vprv nnmPn,-lQKln 1 Shell's presence. She won't be able to withstand that, I know, for she hates to see good stuff wasted." And Violet's ruse proves successful. For when, a few days later, having obtained some patterns from London, Ruby deliberately begins to arrange them the wrong way of the stuff, Shell Impatiently comes to the rescue, and, having once taken possession of the scissors, wields them to the end. Having cut out the dress, she soon de-;ides de-;ides to make it; sbe is a good workwoman, work-woman, and never before has such a .uuilu. Lome lYULUQ ill tl farm house on Oakmoor," pursues Robert Champley, with his eyes fixed persistently upon the carpet. "The air seems pure and bracing, and I hope that a couple of months spent there will benefit them wonderfully." CHAPTER VIII. "Are you going with thorn?" asks Ruby sweetly. "Yes-oh, yes!" assents (ho gentleman gentle-man with gusto. He cannot conceal 11 13 fccllnK ot flollRht at tho comini; chanao; Indeed, of late Ruby's Inter- |
