Chapter 3 - Page 2

leaped into the saddle as only a Yorkshireman or a gypsy can leap, and
Bendigo, thrilling with delight, carried his master swiftly away from
the gig and its driver, neighing with triumph as he passed them.

When about halfway to the mill he met Miss Harlow returning home from
her early morning walk. She was dressed with extreme simplicity in a
short frock of pink corduroy, and a sailor hat of coarse Dunstable
straw, with a pink ribbon round it. Long, soft, white leather gauntlets
covered her hands, and she carried in them a little basket of straw,
full of bluebells and ferns. John saw her approaching and he noticed the
lift of her head and the lift of her foot and said to himself, "Proud!
Proud!" but in his heart he thought no harm of her stately, graceful
carriage. To him she was a most beautiful girl, fresh and fair and,

--graceful as the mountain doe,
That sniffs the forest air,
Bringing the smell of the heather bell,
In the tresses of her hair.

They met, they clasped hands, they looked into each other's eyes, and
something sweet and subtle passed between them. "I am so glad, so glad
to see you," said John, and Miss Harlow said the same words, and then
added, "Where have you been? I have missed you so much."

"And, Oh, how happy I am to hear that you have missed me! I have been
away to the North--on the road to Iceland. May I call on you this
evening, and tell you about my journey?"

"Yes, indeed! If you will pleasure me so far, I will send an excuse to
Lady Thirsk, and stay at home to listen to you."

"That would be a miraculous favor. May I come early?"

"We dine early. Come and take your dinner with us. Mother will be glad
to see you and to hear your adventures, and mother's pleasure is my
greatest happiness."

"Then I will come."

As he spoke, he took out his watch and looked at it. "I have an
engagement in ten minutes," he said. "Will you excuse me now?"

"I will. I wish I had an engagement. Poor women! They have bare lives. I
would like to go to business. I would like to make money. There are days
in which I feel that I could run a thousand spindles or manage a
department store very well and very happily."

"Why do you talk of things impossible? Good-bye!"

"Until seven o'clock?"

"Until seven."

He had dismounted to speak to her and, holding Bendigo's bridle, had
walked with her to the Harlow residence. He now said, "Good-bye," and
the light of a true, passionate lover was on his face, as he leaped into
the saddle. She watched him out of sight and then went into her home,
and