LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1690, 21 July 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THREE MEETINGS, The Castle Hi' 1 at Hightown was a place o' popular resort, for it commanded a pleasing prospect, and it had been laid out by the enterprising inhabitants into terrace walks, with here and there benches for the weary. Upon a certain bright August afternoon a young man was carelessly strolling along one of the paths, when his eye fell upon a book which some reader had left on a seat. He took possession of the volume first for examination, and secondly, for restoration to its lawful owner, if the same might be discovered. ' Spencer!' he exclaimed, after glancing at the title page. Next he sought for some record of the possessor of the work, but there was no name inscribed in it, nor did it furnish any else to its late proprietor. ' What am I to do with this,' he said, bothered as I am with an amonnt of honesty which will oblige me to take a world of trouble to find the rightful owner ? Stay though, did I not meet a lady descending as I came up the road ? I wonder if I could overtake her ? I will try. I should know her again, I think.' Thus resolved, he turned the way he had come, and so hastened his steps that he' quickly saw again, just In advance of him, the form he was In pursuit of. ' I beg your pardon, he said, lifting his hat ; ' is not this book yours ?' At his first words she had stopped and faced him. Gentleman, his drese, bearing, everything declared him to be. When sho had satisfied herself by her rapid but complete survey, she answered him. ' Yes, it is mine. I must have dropped it.' ' No; I imagine you forgot it ; 1 found it on one of the seats higher up the hill.' 'I was reading there,' she exclaimed; and transferring her parasol into the hand already responsible for her dress, she extended the right hand for the small volume. 'Thank you,' sho said, in her full, sweet tones, adding, in her gracious politeness, ' I especially valued the book.' ' I am happy to have discovered it,' he answered, and bowing, went on his way, thinking of her pleasant smile and frank manner. By evening John Trevor had well-nigh forgotten the trifling episode; but, having dined, he was hastening along the Btreets to pay a visit to some friends, when, turning a corner, a portion of a dialogue reached his ears and arrested his attention. The voices wera thoßO of women, but women in very different classes of society. 'I dunno ; theer's the church.' ' But it is a cab, not the church, I want, said the lady, somewhat impatiently, 'ls there a cabstand anywhere near ?' 'I dunno,'said the person again interrogated ; and John Trevor, over good-natured, advanced to see if he could throw more light up an the matter in hand than the young person in the dirty bonnet, with face to match, appeared able to afford. ' I do not think you will get a c»b about here. And you are going farther away from all chance of one,' he said as he came forward. And then he perceived that the lady to whom he spoke was the girl whose book he had restored on tho Castle hill, only her pretty light robes were now x>artially concealed beneath a long cloak. At the same moment she recognised Trevor, and, half bowing, explained—- ' They told me at the post office that I could get a o»b at the back of the church.' ' It is wrong,' he said, in his decisive way ; but the next moment an idea occurred to him. ' By-the-by, I recollect now, occasionally one or two cabs do stand by the church. It is only a chance, though, and not at all to be depended upon. I will run up and see if there be one now.' ' I do not like to trouble you,' she replied, the color faintly rising in her face. • It is merely a few yards—l know exactly where to look,' he returned, with his pleasant smile,, and was gone before she could offer any further remonstrance. ' No, there is no sign of one/ ho told her, when he catne back defeated. ' How long a walk is It station ?' she asked next. ' It would take 'you half an hour, probably.' • What shall I do ? What shall I do ?' she murmured i-i her perplexity, while she stared helpless at her watch. ' I was told that I could get a cab here, and that I could drive the distance in ten minutes, and, upon tho strength of this, I delayed to write a note.' ' They should not have said so,' he amwered, gravely, feeling sorry for her dism»y. ' What time does your train go V ' At twenty minutes to eight.' ' And it is now twenty-five minutes past seven—a cjuarter of an hour,' he muttered, in a reflective tone. ' Are you a good walker ?' ' Excellent!' she assured him, the cloud passing from her eyes, and her own sunny expression reluming with reviving hope. ' Then,' he answered, ' if you will let me show you a short cat I think you may save your train.' 'I can walk very fast,' she said eagerly, as she drew np her tall, slender form. * Just tell me tho way, please.' • It is too intricate for me to direct you. I will take you, if you do not mind,' he added, in soft, reluctant accents. ' I do not mind,' she said, gently ; but her fair cheeks flashed visibly, nevertheless; ' except—except for wasting your time.' 'I do not think the consequences woullbe very serious if a great deal more were spent than this quarter of an hour,' he returned, with a pleasant laugh.' There was a silence for a few moments, while they hurried, turning f rat to t'.e r'ght, then to the left, along a narrow, flagged footpath, which took its tortuous course between houses and gardens on a higher l.vol. ' Will you acknowledge now,' he presently

asked, ' that yon would hardly have got on without a guide ?' ' Yes, I am willing to own it. I should not have discovered the road ; at all event?, not withcut a great deal of inquiry.' After a few more minutes of swift and silent progress, he spoke again, his tone kindly considerate, nothing more. ' Are we not going too 'ait for you ?' 'No ; if necessary I can walk faster.' 'There is no necessity,and I am afraid the pace is too much for you. Oau I not carry something for yon. How stupid of me. Give mo your shawl,' he said, peremptorily, stretching out his hand for a load, which he now first perceived over her left arm. ' I have nothing but my parasol. That,' she said, laughing, 'is the train of my dress,' « Oh!' •Yes, we are burdened with a good deal of superfluous drapery, 'you should know.' 'I. do know it, to my deep regret,' ho answered, seriously. ' How can I preach exercise when I see how women are shackled by their dress ?' How advise activity and employment, when I am aware that they are already worn out by their silly apparel ?' His companion glanced np in surprise. He replied to her unnpoken thonght. 'lam a doctor, so I have a right to invelsjh against the babarity. There is not a worthier crusade that any liberator of humanity could start at present than a war against the fashion of women's gowns.' ' YouJ are not wrong, indeed,' Baid his companion, ' Such bondage ! and suoh a weight in a heap of foolish ornaments about our feet.' 'A dangerous net for your own steps and others,' he said, smiling ; then changing the topic, ' Has it not been a lovely day ?' ' Very, but it was nearly ending disastrously to me.' * Never mind ; all's well that ends well. Here is the station. It wants two whole minutes of the time, and your train is net in yet,' he raid as he conducted her to the waiting room. She sank on one of the cushioned seats that lined the walla, ' I do not think I shonld have accepted your offer if I had known how far I was taking you,' sho said, that delicate pink again painting her fair face. ' A few yards more or less will not tell in the day's work,' he said, lightly. * How can I express my thanks to yon for the service you have rendered me !' Saying which, the girl took courage to look, up into his handsome face. A very attractive countenance it was, with its sharp, clearly-cut features, a palebrown mustache just shading the mouth, that smiled so readily to reveal the white teeth. But the power of the face lay in the eyes, which were so dark that it was not perceptible at first that they were blue. 'Do not name it, he answered to her grateful acknowledgment, ' Good evening,' and bowing, he was about to withdraw. She hesitated in shyness for a moment, and then frankly extended her hand, with a softly-breathed ' Good by.' He took the small fingers and held them for a moment in his strong, capacious grasp. ' Good-by,' he said, gently; then he passed through the door, and out of her sight In another half-hour Marion Holmeshad reached her destination, but It was a significant fact that she never narrated the past incident to her friends. Bight merrily, and with many a jest, would she, under ordinary circumstances, have given the story of the chance meeting; but some feeling made her lay the experience up, a sacred treasure in her own heart. A year went by, and Miss Marrion Ho'mes was Miss Marion Holmes still. Offers in p'enty had she ; coronets were laid at her feet; men, good and brave, knelt for her favor. She did not spurn them, for her nature was gentle and kind, and she strove to bind up with her tender hands the wounds she had unwittingly inflicted; but she would have naught to do with anyone. {lo be continued.)