Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1890, 24 March 1874, Page 4

obliged to leave England for his health ; and for many years he resided entirely on the continent. r*o it happened that Tom and his future bride had never met. About a month before the time fixed for his decision, Tom betook himself to a small ma in the village of bettlebourne, near Stockford, nominally to fish, but in reality to escape from his father's arguments, and to get a little time to himself for quiet reflection, while he solaced his wretched soul with tobacco. One day, as he lay lazily smoking by the silver beck, Bomething fell from a high bank above him and dropped lightly on to the water, while a girl's voice exclaimed — "Oh my gracious, my hat ! " Tom looked andsaw a very neat little hat floating, boat-like, down the stream. " Bother the young women," he grumbled; " I suppose now she'll expect me to fetch it." As he rose, he looked up to the spot from which the voice had proceeded, and saw a girl whose beauty surprised him. She stood bareheaded on the bauk gazing witb a look of comic dismay after the fast receding hat, and Tom bad an opportunity of examining her critically, from the little head with its crisp brown bair, disordered by the wind, to the slim ancles which her position revealed as she stood above him. Running some yards down the bank he stepped out on an old willow, which protruded over the stream, and waited in the hope tbat the current would bring the hat within his reach. He was not disappointed, and in a few minutes more he was ugain on terra firma with bis prize.' " I must make friends with this young person," he thought, as he carefully dried the dripping feather with his handkerchief. The fair stranger had watched his efforts from her elevated post, and smiled sweetly on him as he climbed the bank with his recovered treasure. She had evidently been sketching, for her materials were scattered in picturesque confusion around her. " I hope it's not much damaged," said Tom,' as he looked rather ruefully at the result of his manipulation ; " I'm afraid the feather's in a bad way." " Oh, it doesn't matter in the least, thanks. How kind Of you to take so much trouble. But for you I must have walked home bareheaded." " I wouldn't put it on just yet," Tom said; "let it lie in the sun a little and dry, while you go oh with your work." " But suppose it starts off again, when there's no one to recover it for me," she suggested. " Let me guard it, then, and you can work in peace. ' You are sketching, I see ; may I look?" " Oh, yes ; but it's a miserable failure, I'm afraid;" she said, laughing, as she handed it to him. Tom examined it, and, being a bit of an amateur himself, proceeded to criticise, and, finally, to instruct. He found this girl very charmfhg; she seemed so delightfully free from all conventionality, without at all resembling his bete noir, the " fast girl." They grew quite confidential as the lesson proceeded, and more amazed when, on consulting their Snatches, they discovered that it was half-past six. " I must fly," sbe said, "or I shall be late for dinner, and Sir John can't stand that." " Have \you .far to go?" asked Tom craftily. " About a mile. I'm staying at Newland?. Good-bye. No, I can carry them, thanks ; I couldn't think of troubling you any more. Good-bye," and she was off. Tom. went to his room thinking a great deal about bis new friend, wondering where the charms lay which, ever more than her beauty, had fascinated him. " Perhaps it S'her dress," he thought; "she dresses better th2n any woman I ever saw ; and then her boots !" Here he lit a cigar, and fell into a dream about' the said boots, nnd about the little white hand which had worked so industriously and confidingly under the direction of his big, brown paw. All the next day he wan- 1 dered by the river, but she came not. That evening he was restless and ill-tempered with his hostess and everyone who approached him. The day after he was more fortunate. She Wftflraitting-iu theold-spot, and greeted him smilingly. ] " You're just in time," ahe Baid,." look at my tree ; isn't it Tike those bright green cauliflowers you see in the pickle bottles ?" Tom sat down and Bet to work on the refractory tree, while she watched him. " I say," Bhe said at last, '• isn't this dreadfully improper ?" "Which?" asked Tom, working away vig' rously. - " Why, you and me,", she replied, ungrammatically ; "we've never been introduced, and I' don't in the least kuow who you are or anything about you. Lady Turnbull would have a fit if she knew." " Let me introduce myself," .aid Tom laughing ; "my name is Luttrell— Tom' Luttrell; or, if you prefer it, Thomas Curzon Alvanley Luttrell." If she had not been sitting behind hinij Tom must have noticed the flush which spread over ber face at this announcement. After a pause, she said, slowly, " So you're Tom Lutireli ? " " Yes," said be, looking up ; " What do you kuow of me ? " " There is a young lady staying at New lands who is a great friend of mine, she hastold me about you." " Indeed 1 and what's her name ? " " Miss Leigh— Nellie Leigh." It was Tom's turn to blush now. v Miss Leigh," he repeated ; " good heaven. , {ou don't mean to say she is in the neigbourhdbd?" < "You don't seem fond of her/ she said, quietly. . .-■:-..';,',' .•'■• .: . i ■■■■• Tom painted viciously.: , ; . h " I hate fast girls," he said at last. " How do you know she's fast ? Yoo n ver Baw her."