FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   >>  
she answered with earnest fervor. "Mother says you move like a mouse," she resumed, and I could see the faint glint of her teeth as she smiled. "My room is upstairs, and I am not so likely to disturb them. Have you enjoyed your day?" "It has been _very_ pleasant," I answered warmly. "I feel more grateful to you than I can say for being so nice to a stranger who happens to be a guest in your home. But I love the woods, and the fields, and the pure, fresh air which blows straight down from heaven. This much we have in common. Will you let me go with you again--sometimes? I would not bore you, nor presume too much." In my great earnestness I had come closer to her. "I am out of doors a great deal, and you may go with me often, if you wish. I enjoyed having you to-day." This was said just as seriously as my question had been put. Then, in one of those rare changes of which her nature was capable, she added: "You know I need a protector in my various rambles, and you shall be my esquire when I go forth in state to see my flower subjects scattered all over the farm. My knight-errant, too, to espouse my cause should snake, or dog, or an enraged animal of the pastures seek to do me harm." "Gladly, your majesty," I answered gallantly, falling into the spirit which her words betokened, and bowing low. "Behold your vassal; command me when you will." A whispered "good-night," a faint echo of that enchanting laugh, and she had slipped through the door and was gone. I did not tarry long, for the beauty of the night had suddenly paled. Everything had grown darker, and, by habit, I thought of my easy-chair and pipe, and went in also. Salome was standing at the farther end of the long, broad hall, with a lighted candle in her hand. Her hat had been removed, and her tangled hair was half down. The riding habit had also disappeared, and she was robed in some sort of a loose house gown which fell away into a train. Her back was towards me, and she had one foot on the first step of the curved stairway which went up from that point. She heard me turn the key in the lock, and looked back. I went towards her; why, I do not know. She waited until I had come quite close. "I haven't anything very particular to say," I began, I fear very confusedly. But my foolish feet had led me to her, obedient to the dictates of a foolish mind, and I had to speak first. "I have been in mother's room," she answered, opening her eyes very w
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   >>  



Top keywords:
answered
 

foolish

 

enjoyed

 
dictates
 
beauty
 
suddenly
 

darker

 

Everything

 

thought

 

Salome


standing
 
obedient
 

vassal

 

Behold

 

command

 

opening

 

bowing

 

spirit

 

betokened

 

whispered


slipped
 

farther

 

enchanting

 
mother
 

lighted

 
falling
 
looked
 

curved

 

waited

 

stairway


removed

 

tangled

 
confusedly
 
candle
 

riding

 
disappeared
 

fields

 

stranger

 

straight

 

heaven


common

 

resumed

 
smiled
 

fervor

 
earnest
 
Mother
 

upstairs

 

warmly

 
pleasant
 

grateful