The summer vacation had been spent by the Remington's and Maddy at the

seaside, the latter coming to the cottage for a week before returning

to her school in New York, and as the doctor was then absent from

home, she did not meet him at all. Consequently he had not seen her

since she left Aikenside for New York. But she was at home now for the

Christmas holidays--was down at the cottage, too; and unusually

nervous for him, the doctor stood before the little square glass in

his back office, trying to make himself look as well as possible, for

he was going that very afternoon to call upon Miss Clyde. He was glad

she was not at Aikenside; he would rather meet her where Guy was not,

Advertisement..

and he hoped he might be fortunate enough to find her alone.

The doctor was seriously in love. He acknowledged that now to himself,

confessing, too, that with his love was mingled a spice of jealousy,

lest Guy Remington should be expending more thought on Maddy Clyde

than was consistent with the promised husband of Lucy Atherstone. He

wished so much to talk with Guy about her, and yet he dreaded it; for

if the talk should confirm his suspicious there would be no hope for

him. No girl in her right mind would prefer him to Guy Remington, and

with a little sigh the doctor was turning away from the glass, when,

as if to verify a familiar proverb, Guy himself drove up in a most

dashing equipage, the silver-tipped harness of his high-mettled steed

flashing in the wintry sunlight, and the bright-hued lining of his

fanciful robes presenting a very gay appearance.

Guy was in the best of spirits. For an entire half day he had tried to

devise some means to getting Maddy up to Aikenside. It was quite too

bad for her to spend the whole vacation at the cottage, as she seemed

likely to do. He knew she was lonely there; that the bare floor and

low, dark walls affected her unpleasantly. He had seen that in her

face when he bade her good-by, for he had carried her down to the

cottage himself, and now he was going after her. There was to be a

party at Aikenside; the very first since Guy was its master. The

neighbors had said he was too proud to invite them, but they should

say so no more. The house was to be thrown open in honor of Guy's

twenty-sixth birthday, and all who were at all desirable as guests

were to be bidden to the festival. First on the list was the doctor,

who, remembering how averse Guy was to large parties, wondered at the

proceedings. But Guy was all engaged in the matter, and after telling

who were to be invited, added rather indifferently: "I'm going now

down to Honedale after Maddy. It's better for her to be with us a day

or two beforehand. You've seen her, of course."




Most Popular