Nell of Shorne Mills

Dick stole half an hour to go with Nell to meet him at the station, and

Dick's hearty greeting and Nell's smile brought the blood to his face

and made the thin hand he gave them tremble.

"The fact is, we couldn't get on without the violin--brought it? That's

all right. Because if you hadn't, you'd be sent back for it, young man.

Pretty country, isn't it? All belongs to our young swell. I say 'our,'

because we feel as if we'd got a kind of share in him, as if he belonged

to us. You'll hear nothing but 'Lord Angleford,' 'the earl,' all day

long here; and you'll speedily come to our conviction, that the earth,

or this particular corner of it, with all that it contains, man, woman,

and child, birds, beasts, and fishes, was made for his lordship's

special behoof. Nice little place--kind of fishing box, isn't it?" he

said, nodding to the vast pile as it came in sight. "That's where I

spend my laborious days, putting on water for his lordship to drink and

wash with, and setting up electric light for his lordship to shave

himself by, though I suppose his lordship's valet does that. And what

price the lodge? For this is our residence pro tem."

Falconer was almost speechless with delight and happiness; his dark eyes

glowed with a steady light, which grew brighter and deeper whenever they

rested on Nell's beautiful face.

His obvious happiness reflected itself on her mood, and it was a merry

trio which sat down to the simple dinner, that, simple as it was, seemed

luxurious to the fare which he had left behind at Beaumont Buildings.

After dinner he got out his violin and played for them.

Dick sprawled on the sofa, and Nell leaned back in her cozy chair with

some useful and necessary darning, and--with unconscious

cruelty--thought of Drake and Shorne Mills, as the exquisite strains

filled the tiny room.

Some of the workmen, as they tramped by from their overtime, paused to

listen, and nodded to each other approvingly, and carried the news to

the village that "a swell musician fellow" was on a visit at the lodge;

and the next day, when Nell walked through the village, with Falconer by

her side, carrying her basket, the good folk eyed his pale face and long

hair with awed curiosity and interest, and then, when the couple had

passed, exchanged winks and significant smiles, none of which Nell saw,

or, if she had seen, would, in her unconsciousness, have understood. For

it never occurs to the woman whose whole being is absorbed in love for

one man, that any other man may be in love with her. So Nell was

placidly happy in the musician's happiness, and never guessed that the

music he played for her delight was but the expression of the longing of

his heart, and that when she was not looking, his dark eyes dwelt upon

her with a sad and wistful tenderness, which was all the more tender

because of its hopelessness.