The open horizon towards the west had taken a warmer color from the already slanting sun when Mr. Hamlin, having rested his horse, turned to that direction. He had noticed that the wood was thinner there, and, pushing forward, he was presently rewarded by the sound of far-off wheels, and knew he must be near the high-road that the boy had spoken of. Having given up his previous intention of crossing the stream, there seemed nothing better for him to do than to follow the truants advice and take the road back to Green Springs. Yet he was loath to leave the wood, halting on its verge, and turning to look back into its charmed recesses. Once or twiceperhaps because he recalled the words of the poemthat yellowish sea of ferns had seemed instinct with hidden life, and he had even fancied, here and there, a swaying of its plumed crests. Howbeit, he still lingered long enough for the open sunlight into which he had obtruded to point out the bravery of his handsome figure. Then he wheeled his horse, the light glanced from polished double bit and bridle-fripperies, caught his red sash and bullion buttons, struck a parting flash from his silver spurs, and he was gone!
For a moment the light streamed unbrokenly through the wood. And then it could be seen that the yellow mass of undergrowth HAD moved with the passage of another figure than his own. For ever since he had entered the shade, a woman, shawled in a vague, shapeless fashion, had watched him wonderingly, eagerly, excitedly, gliding from tree to tree as he advanced, or else dropping breathlessly below the fronds of fern whence she gazed at him as between parted fingers. When he wheeled she had run openly to the west, albeit with hidden face and still clinging shawl, and taken a last look at his retreating figure. And then, with a faint but lingering sigh, she drew back into the shadow of the wood again and vanished also.
CHAPTER III
At the end of twenty minutes Mr. Hamlin reined in his mare. He had just observed in the distant shadows of a by-lane that intersected his road the vanishing flutter of two light print dresses. Without a moments hesitation he lightly swerved out of the high-road and followed the retreating figures.
As he neared them, they seemed to be two slim young girls, evidently so preoccupied with the rustic amusement of edging each other off the grassy border into the dust of the track that they did not perceive his approach. Little shrieks, slight scufflings, and interjections of Cynthy! you limb! Quit that, Eunice, now! and I just call that real mean! apparently drowned the sound of his canter in the soft dust. Checking his speed to a gentle trot, and pressing his horse close beside the opposite fence, he passed them with gravely uplifted hat and a serious, preoccupied air. But in that single, seemingly conventional glance, Mr. Hamlin had seen that they were both pretty, and that one had the short upper lip of his errant little guide. A hundred yards farther on he halted, as if irresolutely, gazed doubtfully ahead of him, and then turned back. An expression of innocentalmost childlikeconcern was clouding the rascals face. It was well, as the two girls had drawn closely together, having been apparently surprised in the midst of a glowing eulogium of this glorious passing vision by its sudden return. At his nearer approach, the one with the short upper lip hid that piquant feature and the rest of her rosy face behind the others shoulder, which was suddenly and significantly opposed to the advance of this handsome intruder, with a certain dignity, half real, half affected, but wholly charming. The protectress appearedpossibly from her defensive attitudethe superior of her companion.
Audacious as Jack was to his own sex, he had early learned that such rare but discomposing graces as he possessed required a certain apologetic attitude when presented to women, and that it was only a plain man who could be always complacently self-confident in their presence. There was, consequently, a hesitating lowering of this hypocrites brown eyelashes as he said, in almost pained accents,
Excuse me, but I fear Ive taken the wrong road. Im going to Green Springs.
I reckon youve taken the wrong road, wherever youre going, returned the young lady, having apparently made up her mind to resent each of Jacks perfections as a separate impertinence: this is a PRIVATE road. She drew herself fairly up here, although gurgled at in the ear and pinched in the arm by her companion.
I beg your pardon, said Jack, meekly. I see Im trespassing on your grounds. Im very sorry. Thank you for telling me. I should have gone on a mile or two farther, I suppose, until I came to your house, he added, innocently.
A mile or two! Youd have run chock agin our gate in another minit, said the short-lipped one, eagerly. But a sharp nudge from her companion sent her back again into cover, where she waited expectantly for another crushing retort from her protector.
But, alas! it did not come. One cannot be always witty, and Jack looked distressed. Nevertheless, he took advantage of the pause.
It was so stupid in me, as I think your brotherlooking at Short-lipvery carefully told me the road.
The two girls darted quick glances at each other. Oh, Bawb! said the first speaker, in wearied accents,THAT limb! He dont keer.
But he DID care, said Hamlin, quietly, and gave me a good deal of information. Thanks to him, I was able to see that ferny wood thats so famousabout two miles up the road. You knowthe one that theres a poem written about!
The shot told! Short-lip burst into a display of dazzling little teeth and caught the other girl convulsively by the shoulders. The superior girl bent her pretty brows, and said, Eunice, whats gone of ye? Quit that! but, as Hamlin thought, paled slightly.
Of course, said Hamlin, quickly, you knowthe poem everybodys talking about. Dear me! let me see! how does it go? The rascal knit his brows, said, Ah, yes, and then murmured the verse he had lately sung quite as musically.
Short-lip was shamelessly exalted and excited. Really she could scarcely believe it! She already heard herself relating the whole occurrence. Here was the most beautiful young man she had ever seenan entire strangertalking to them in the most beautiful and natural way, right in the lane, and reciting poetry to her sister! It was like a novelonly more so. She thought that Cynthia, on the other hand, looked distressed, andshe must say itsilly.
All of which Jack noted, and was wise. He had got all he wantedat present. He gathered up his reins.
Thank you so much, and your brother, too, Miss Cynthia, he said, without looking up. Then, adding, with a parting glance and smile, But dont tell Bob how stupid I was, he swiftly departed.
In half an hour he was at the Green Springs Hotel. As he rode into the stable yard, he noticed that the coach had only just arrived, having been detained by a land-slip on the Summit road. With the recollection of Bob fresh in his mind, he glanced at the loungers at the stage office. The boy was not there, but a moment later Jack detected him among the waiting crowd at the post-office opposite. With a view of following up his inquiries, he crossed the road as the boy entered the vestibule of the post-office. He arrived in time to see him unlock one of a row of numbered letter-boxes rented by subscribers, which occupied a partition by the window, and take out a small package and a letter. But in that brief glance Mr. Hamlin detected the printed address of the Excelsior Magazine on the wrapper. It was enough. Luck was certainly with him.