The Argosy — page 325: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

306 Sabrina. them for a couple of sous the small bunch, but we wanted to find! them in their native home, and they grew here scattered under the trees, acres on acres of them. We left ourcab and gathered and ad- mired, while our coachman on the box read his “ Petit Journal.” I am not so young as I was, and the enthusiasm of youth departs. with its vitality. So I soon grew tired, while Sabrina was still eager in her search for the white bells, coyly hidden beneath their green leaves. I sat down cn a mossy stump at the foot of a great beech tree, the home of many a squirrel. My feet rested on sheaves of lilies, with the mould of last year’s foliage lying about them. How frail ana gentle she looked, in her pale lavender dress, with. ribbons of a shade that harmonised with the tones of her hair! And how she harmonised with the afternoon, over which cool shadows were- already creeping ! She had been talking and laughing merrily, but when her basket was full to the brim she threw herself at my feet, holding her face down to drink in the scent of her treasures. “My dear,” I remarked, apropos of nothing, only I wanted to read: a little more of her romance if I could: ‘‘ My dear, which do you: prefer? these lilies or the tall ones with which Miles painted you?” There was no answer to my remark, surely as innocent as the little birds overhead, or the flowers beneath our feet, but she turned upon me with scarlet cheeks. “Oh! how could you tell him I cared for him! Oh! how could you! Oh! my heart is broken, and you have done it.” _ All this in certainly heartbroken accents. “Tt will mend, child ; it will mend. Wait till you see him again.” ‘“T wish never to see him again. I do so wish I had never seen: him at all.” ‘He came to ask you to marry him that night when you behaved: like a little savage.” “Well, I shall never be his squaw. Aunt Margery told me that I should be a clog on him, and that he would marry me out of pity. I said only yesterday that I would never be his wife.” We rose when the girl’s sobs were quieted, picked up our baskets, and made for a charcoal-burner’s hut to get some milk. Now in the old fairy tales, the prince always arrives in time to save the princess from some evil enchantment; so now our prince appeared through the trees, but let us hope that he generally met with a better reception than Sabrina gave Miles. I was notsurprised to see him— he fitted in so well with the whole thing. He shook hands with me, then turned to her. She was busy with her mantle, and feigned not to» see his hand. “ How did you find us out?” I asked. “Easily ; you told your concierge where you were going. My cab: is at the cross, over yonder.” ‘Tam very glad to see you,” I said. “ Will you come with us and get some milk ?” ECORNICLOOKS nO