FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>  
ed. "Let's move on and get a different view." There was not a soul to be seen. With the exception of the swans, the inhabitants of the Manor did not seem to be early risers. Lenox and Diana grew bolder, and ventured nearer. By degrees they got right to the edge of the moat. The view here was beautiful, for it took in the bridge and the embattled tower, with the coat of arms over the doorway. It was exactly what they wanted to carry home to America. Lenox snapped it with huge satisfaction, including the swans, which luckily swam into the scene at the psychological moment. "I'd give worlds to be able to go inside and explore," said Diana. "I wish I could make myself invisible. D'you think we dare just toddle across the bridge, and perhaps peep in through a window? There's nobody watching. O-o-o-oh!" She might well exclaim, for, in direct contradiction to her words, the door at that moment opened, and an elderly lady made her appearance. She walked slowly with the aid of a cane, but it was evident that she had seen the intruders on her property, and was coming to tackle them. Swift and hasty flight seemed the only way out of the difficulty. "Quick, Lenox! Run!" gasped Diana. She turned, as she spoke, to make a dash for the cover of the shrubs, but in her hurry and agitation she tripped on her dangling shoe lace, missed her footing, slipped, tumbled down the bank, and fell backwards with a splash into the moat. It was not very deep, and Lenox hauled her out in a minute. There she stood upon the bank a dripping object, her nice dress all coated with duckweed and green slime. Her hat was floating away in the direction of the swans. The lady had crossed the bridge, and with the help of her cane walked painfully down the bank. Lenox and Diana felt like a pair of naughty school children caught stealing apples. The situation was most ignominious. Their faces would have made a study for a comic artist, especially Diana's, with smears of duckweed on her cheeks, and her moist hair hanging over her shoulders. They wondered what Mrs. Elliot was going to say to them. She came slowly up, blinking her eyes rather nervously, looked Diana over from dripping head to muddy shoes, then made the obvious comment: "You're very wet!" "Ye-e-es!" shivered Diana, with chattering teeth. "You'd better come indoors and have your clothes dried." The relief of receiving such a charitable reception, instead of the stern rebuke the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>  



Top keywords:
bridge
 

slowly

 

dripping

 

duckweed

 

moment

 
walked
 
painfully
 

missed

 
crossed
 

direction


children

 

caught

 
stealing
 

apples

 
school
 

naughty

 
dangling
 
floating
 

tripped

 

situation


splash

 

hauled

 

minute

 

object

 

backwards

 

slipped

 

tumbled

 

coated

 

footing

 

cheeks


shivered

 
chattering
 

obvious

 

comment

 

reception

 
charitable
 

rebuke

 
receiving
 

indoors

 
clothes

relief
 

smears

 
agitation
 
hanging
 

artist

 

ignominious

 
shoulders
 

blinking

 
nervously
 

looked