Black_Three_Feathers.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
offer of reconciliation stopped there.
again the slow days went by, until the world began to
stir with the new spring-time the saddest time of the year
to those who live much in the past. was out and about
a great deal, being continually busy ; but she no longer took
' . 293
those long walks by herself in which she used to chat to the
butterflies and the young lambs and the sea-gulls. fresh
western breezes no longer caused her spirits to flow over in
careless gayety ; she saw the new flowers springing out of the
earth, but it was of another spring-time she was thinking.
day, later on in the year, . sent down the
wagonette for her, with the request that she would come up
to the for a few minutes. obeyed the summons,
imagining that some business connected with the
claimed her attention. she arrived, she found .
unable to express the gladness and gratitude that
filled her heart ; for before her were certain news-
papers, and behold! 's name was recorded
there in certain lists as having scored a sufficient number of
marks in the examination to entitle him to a first commission.
was no concern of hers that his name was pretty far down
in the list enough that he had succeeded somehow.
who was the worker of this miracle who but the shy, sad-eyed
girl standing beside her, whose face wore now a happier ex-
pression than it had worn for many a day ?
" this is what he says," the proud mother continued,
showing a letter. " c isn't much to boast of, for in-
deed you'll see by the numbers that it was rather a narrow
squeak ; anyhow, pulled through. old tutor is rather a
speculative fellow, and he offered to bet me fifty pounds his
coaching would carry me through, which took : so shall
have to pay him that besides his fees. must say he has
earned both ; don't think a more ignorant person than my-
self ever went to a man to get crammed. send you two
newspapers ; you might drop one at the inn for -
warne any time you are passing; or if you could see her and
tell her, perhaps that would be better.' "
was about as pleased and proud as .
was.
" knew he could do it, if he tried," she said, quietly.
" then," the mother went on to say, " when he has once
joined, there will be no money wanting to help him to his pro-
motion ; and when he comes back to settle down here, he will
have some recognized rank and profession such as a man
ought to have. that he will remain in the army- for, of
course, should not like to part with him ; and he might be
sent to , or , or the . know,"
she added with a smile, " that it is not pleasant to have any
one you care for in the ."
got home again, she told .
294 .
to say, did not clap her hands for joy, as might have
been expected.
"," said she, "what made him go into the army?
it to show you that he could pass an examination ? or
was it because he means to leave ? "
" don't know," said , looking down. " hope he
does not mean to leave ." was all she said.
was, however, about to leave ,
though not because he had been gazetted to a colonial regi-
ment. came down to inform his mother that, on the fif-
teenth of the month, he would sail for ; and then and
there, for the first time, he told her the whole story of his
love for enna , of his determination to free her
somehow from the bonds that bound her, and, failing that, of
the revenge he meant to take. . was amazed,
angry, and beseeching in turns.
one moment she protested that it was madness of her
son to think of marrying ; at another, she
would admit all that he said in praise of her, and would only
implore him not to leave ; or again she would hint
that she would almost herself go down to and beg her
to marry him if only he gave up this wild intention of his.
had never seen his mother so agitated ; but he reasoned
gently with her, and remained firm to his purpose.
there half as much danger in taking a fortnight's trip in a
mail-steamer as in going from to in a
yacht, which he had twice done with her consent?
", if had been ordered to join a regiment in ,
you might have some reason to complain," he said. "
shall be as anxious as you, mother, to get back again, for
mean to get up my drill thoroughly as soon as am attached.
have plenty of work before me."
" 're not looking well, ," said the mother.
" course not," said he, cheerfully. " don't catch
one of those geese at looking specially lively when
they tie it by the leg and cram it and that's what 've been
going through of late. what better cure can there be
than a sea-voyage ? "
so it came about that, on a pleasant evening in -
ber, . received a visit. saw the young man
come riding up the acacia path, and he instantaneously
guessed his mission. own resolve was taken as quickly.
" my soul, is it you, ? " he cried, with appar-
ent delight. " mayn't believe it, but am really glad to
see you. have been going to write to you for many a day
back. 'll send somebody for your horse ; come into the
house."
young man, having fastened up the bridle, followed his
host. was a calm and business-like rather than a hol-
iday look on his face.
" what were you going to write to me about ? " he asked.
" , you know," said , good-naturedly. "
see, a man takes very different views of life when he knocks
about a bit. my part, am more interested in my bus-
iness now than in anything else of a more tender character ;
and may say that hope to pay you back a part of the
money you lent me as soon as our accounts for this year are
made up. , about that other point don't see how
could well return to , to live permanently there, for
a year or two at the soonest ; and and, in fact have often
wondered, now, whether it wouldn't be better if asked
to consider herself finally free from that from
that engagement "
" , think it would be a great deal better," said -
yon, coldly. " perhaps you would kindly put your re-
solve into writing. shall take it back to .
you kindly do so now ? "
" ! " said , rather sharply, " you don't take
my proposal in a very friendly way. imagine am doing
you a good turn too. is not every man would do so in my
position; for, after all, she treated me very badly. ,
we needn't go into that. will write her a letter if you like
now, indeed, if you like ; and won't you stop a day or two
here before going back to ? "
. intimated that he would like to have the letter
at once, and that he would consider the invitation afterwards.
, with a good-humored shrug, sat down and wrote it,
and then handed it to , open. he did so, he no-
ticed that the young man was coolly abstracting the cartridge
from a small breech-loading pistol he held in his hand.
put the cartridge in his waistcoat-pocket and the pistol in his
coat-pocket.
" you think we were savages out here, that you came
armed ? " said , rather pale, but smiling.
" didn't know," said .
morning there was a marriage in , up there
at the small church on the bleak downs, overlooking the wide
sea. spring-time had come round again ; there was a
296 .
-like mildness in the air ; the skies overhead were as
blue as the great plain of the sea; and all the beautiful green
world was throbbing with the upspringing life of the flowers.
was just like any other wedding, but for one little incident.
the bride came out into the bewildering glare of the
sun, she vaguely knew that the path through the churchyard
was lined on both sides with children. she was rather
well known to the children about, and they had come in a
great number ; and when she passed down between them, it
appeared that the little folks had brought vast heaps of prim-
roses and violets in their aprons and in their tiny baskets,
and they strewed her path with these flowers of the new spring.
, she burst into tears at this ; and hastily leaving her hus-
band's arm for a moment, she caught up one of the least of
the children a small, golden-haired girl of four and kissed
her. she turned to her husband again, and was glad
that he led her down to the gate, for her eyes were so blinded
with tears that she could not see her way.
did anything very remarkable occur at the wedding-
breakfast. there was a garrulous old lady there, with
bright, pink cheeks and silvery hair ; and she did not cease
to prattle to the clergyman who had officiated in the church,
and who was seated next her.
", . ," she said confidentially, " al-
ways said this is what would come of it. any one of
those * set his heart on a girl but he got her ; and
what was the use of friends or relatives fighting against it ?
, don't think there's any cause of complaint not !
's a modest, nice, lady-like girl she is indeed although
she isn't so handsome as her sister. , dear me, look at
that girl now ! 't she be a prize for some man ! de-
clare haven't seen so handsome a girl for many a day.
as tell you, . , it's no use trying to prevent it ;
if one of the falls in love with a girl, the girl's done
for she may as well give in "
" may say so," observed the old clergyman, with a sly
gallantry, "you do not give the gentlemen of your family
credit for the most remarkable feature of their marriage con-
nections. seem to have always had a very good idea
of making an excellent choice."
old lady was vastly pleased.
" , well," she said, with a shrewd smile, " there were
two or three who thought that was this
young man's grandfather, you know lucky enough, if
one might judge by the noise they made. , dear, what
a to-do there was when we ran away ! , don't you know,
. , that ran away from a ball with himand
drove to with my ball-dress on, as 'm a living
woman ! a ride it was ! why, when we got up to -
lisle"
that story has been told before.