Leslie's Loyalty. Garvice Charles

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      "It is of no use calling to him," she said. "He is stone deaf. It is old Will, and he is waiting for the turn of the tide."

      "Like a good many more of us," said Yorke, cheerfully, and he was about to shake the man, but Leslie put her hand on his arm and stayed him.

      "I – I think I had better wake him," she said. "He is old, and not very good-tempered, and – ."

      "I see. All right," said Yorke. "I'll keep here in the background. If he refuses to go tell him we'll take his boat and do without him."

      Leslie bent over the gunwale, and touched the old man gently. He stirred after a moment or two, and got up on his elbow, frowning at her.

      Leslie indicated by expressive pantomime that they wanted to go for a sail, and, after glancing at the sky and at Yorke, the old fellow nodded surlily, and got out of the boat.

      Yorke helped him to push the boat into the water.

      "And now how are you going to get in?" he said to Leslie, but before she could answer the question old Will took her in his arms and carried her bodily into the boat.

      Leslie smiled.

      "He is a very self-willed old man, and no one in Portmaris interferes with or contradicts him, perhaps because he is deaf."

      "I see," said Yorke. "I never realized until to-night the great advantages of that affliction."

      He went forward as he spoke to assist with the sail, but the old man surlily waved him back into the stern.

      "All right, William, I'll steer then," he said; but he had no sooner got hold of the tiller than Will angrily signed to him to release it, and pointed to Leslie.

      "I think he wants me to steer," she said, with a faint blush. "I am often out sailing with him."

      "He evidently regards me as a land lubber, whatever that is," said Yorke. "But, right! the password for to-night is, 'Don't cross old William!'"

      He dropped down at her feet and leaned his head upon his hand, and sighed with supreme, unbounded content, and there was silence for a few minutes as the boat glided out to sea; then he said:

      "Do you think old William would fly into a paroxysm of rage if I offered him a pipe of tobacco, Miss Lisle?"

      "You might try," said Leslie, and the tone of her voice was like an echo of his. The two truants were enjoying themselves, and had no thought of the schoolmaster – just then.

      Yorke took out his pouch, and flung it with dextrous aim into the old man's lap. He took it up, glowered at the donor for a moment, then nodded surlily, and, filling his pipe, pitched the pouch back.

      "We still live!" said Yorke, and he was about to fill his own pipe, but remembered himself and stopped.

      "Please smoke if you wish to," said Leslie, "I do not mind. We must not go far," she added.

      "Not farther than Quebec or, say, Boulogne," said Yorke. "All right, Miss Lisle, we'll turn directly you say so. How delightful this is! I may have been happier in the course of an ill-spent life, but I don't remember it. Are you sorry you came? Please answer truthfully, and don't mind my feelings."

      But Leslie did not answer. The strange feeling which had haunted her as she left the house was growing more distinct and defiant, stronger and more aggressive. Was it really she, Leslie Lisle, who was sailing over the moonlit sea with this careless and light-hearted young man, or should she wake presently in her tiny room in Sea View and find it all a dream?

      Happy? Was this novel sensation, as of some vague undefined joy, happiness or what?

      She was wise to leave the question unanswered!

      Yorke smoked in silence for a minute or two, then he turned on his elbow so that he could look up at her.

      "Miss Lisle," he said, "were you looking for something when you came down the beach just now? I ask because I thought you looked rather troubled – ."

      "But you were asleep!" said Leslie.

      He colored, and his eyes dropped.

      "I've given myself away," he said, penitently. "No, Miss Lisle, I wasn't asleep. But I thought it better to pretend, as the children say, lest you should take fright and run away."

      Leslie looked away from him.

      "You are angry? Well, it serves me right. But don't think of it. Try and forgive me if you can, for I was half asleep, and I was dreaming of you – there, I've offended you again! But don't you know how you can dream though you are wide awake? I was wondering whether I should see you again – there was no harm in that, was there? – wondering whether I should have seen you or spoken to you at all if it hadn't been for Dick – . By the way, how is Dick?"

      "He is all right," she said, the tension caused by his former words suddenly relieved, "but I do not think he will ever forgive you for saving his life."

      "I'm afraid not," he said. "But you have not answered my question yet."

      "Which one?" asked Leslie, with a smile.

      "Whether you had lost anything," he said.

      "Yes, I had," she replied, in a low voice.

      He put his hand in his waistcoat-pocket, and took out the ring and held it up.

      "Is this it?" he said, and his voice was suddenly grave and serious.

      Leslie took it from his fingers.

      "Thank you. Yes," she said. "Where did you find it?"

      He was silent a moment as if lost in thought, then he said, as if with an effort:

      "On the beach; just where you had been sitting this afternoon. You dropped it, I suppose?"

      "Yes," said Leslie.

      There was a pause.

      "You are glad to get it back?"

      "Yes," she said, looking straight in front of her.

      "An old favorite, Miss Lisle?" his eyes fixed on the beautiful face over which the moonbeams fell lovingly.

      "N-o," she said, the faint color creeping into her cheeks.

      "No! But you were glad to get it back. You didn't seem so very glad, you know."

      "No, I was not so very glad," she said, almost inaudibly.

      He seemed relieved, and yet rather doubtful still.

      "It's singular," he said. "But this is the second thing of yours I have found to-day."

      "Yes."

      "And they say that if you find two things in one day you are sure to lose something yourself," he murmured, a serious, intent look coming into his dark eyes.

      "But the day has gone, and you have not lost anything!" said Leslie, with a smile.

      His eyes dropped from his intense regard of her face.

      "I СКАЧАТЬ