At Love's Cost

"Poor girl," said Stafford, involuntarily.

"Well, yes, you may say that, sir," said the landlord, but doubtfully,

"though it don't seem as if Miss Ida was in need of much pity; she is

so bright and--and high-spirited, as you may say; though it's a wonder

she can be so, seeing the life she leads, alone in that great place

with her father, who never goes beyond the garden, and who shuts

himself up with his books all day. Yes, it's a wonder, when you come to

think of it, that she can smile and laugh and be as cheerful as she is.

I often hear her singing when she's riding through the dale or along

the road here. Miss Ida's wonderfully liked by all the people, sir; in

fact, you might say that they worship her."

"I can understand it," said Stafford, almost to himself.

"It must have been great change to her," continued the landlord,

"coming down here from London to such a wild, out-of-the-way place;

many young ladies would have lost heart and pined and fretted; but

she's a true Heron, is Miss Ida, and she faced the thing fairly and

buckled to, as you may say. She took the whole thing on her shoulders,

and though she couldn't coax the squire out of his shell, she takes

care of him and runs the whole place as if she were a man. Yes, sir,

though she's only a girl, as you saw yourself, she manages the house

and the farm as if she were a woman of forty. It's wonderful how she's

picked it up. I honestly believe there isn't a man in the place as

knows more about horses, as I said, than she does; but that's in the

blood, sir, and she can ride--well, you saw for yourself."

"And has she no society, no amusements; doesn't she go out, have

friends, I mean?"

The landlord shook his head.

"No, sir; she just lives there with the squire, and they see no one,

receive no visits and pay none. You see, sir, the Herons are proud;

they're got cause to be, and I've heard it told that the squire is too

proud to let the old family friends see the poverty of the house, and

that he hates the new people who bought land and built houses in the

place--I'm sure I beg your pardon, sir--I was forgetting for the moment

that your father, Sir Stephen, had just built that beautiful place the

other side of the lake."

Stafford smiled.