Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
130 a WILD MARGARET.
gratify a whim which you have fastened upon me, you |
silly boy?” shesaid. ‘‘ Seriously, Blair—don’t trouble.”
‘But thatis just what I mean to do,” he said. ‘‘ I don’t
want you to be bored, even for a moment; and I should
feel happier myself if I could see you with your. beloved
paints and turpentine. You shall make a sketch of Ap-
pleford—and we'll hang it up wherever we go, and look at
it when we are quite old, so that we may remember that
we were ‘too happy,’ eh, Madge?” and he put his arm
round her and kissed her.
At this moment the landlady, Mrs. Day, came from the
cottage behind them. She was still a young woman, and
her appearance was rather above that of the ordinary Ap-
pleford fisherwives. She had an intelligent face that
rather impressed one.
Margaret had taken to her at once, and for Margaret
Mrs. Day had a warm admiration, which expressed itself
in her dark eyes and a smile which shone in them when
Margaret spoke to her.
Mrs. Day generally had some knitting in her hands, and
the needles were glistening in: the sunlight as she ap-
proached. She had evidently not seen them, for while her
hands were busy her eyes were fixed on the boat, which
was gradually making its way across the bay. .
Suddenly she lowered her eyes, and catching sight of
her lodgers she started slightly, and, with a quick glance
from them to the boat, turned to retrace her steps, when
Blair called to her. .
She came up to them with a little bow, that was almost
acourtesy. — of
‘Sorry to call you back, Mrs. Day,” said Blair, in his
genial manner, which won all hearts; ‘‘but I want to
know the best way to get to Ilfracombe?”
Mrs. Day’s needles stopped. a
** The boat’s out, sir,” she said, ‘‘ or you could have gone
by that.”
‘‘ Yes, I know that she is,”’ said he, pointing to it; ‘‘ Day’s
gone fishing, I suppose?’ :
‘Yes, sir,” said Mrs. Day, promptly and_placidly.
** There’s no train now till the evening, and it’s too far for
Mrs. Stanley to walk.”
ia, Mrs. Stanley isn’t going,” said Blair. ‘‘I’m going
alone. .
\
‘* Then you could ride, sir,” said Mrs. Day: ‘I could bor- |
row Farmer James’ colt, if you cared——”’
‘The very thing,” said Blair, at once.
Mrs. Blair inclined her head respectfully.
Pl go and send for it, sir,” she said, with the prompt