"Pretty Penelope,"

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 1 July 1913, Page 2

"Pretty Penelope,"

(OUR SERIAL

By Lffie Adelaide Rowlands, Author of "A Girl's Kingdom," "A Splendid Man," "The Interlopet," "A Kinsman's Sin," "Brave Barbara,'" etc.

CHAPTER VI .—Continued. Harold de Burgh was in truth troubled about Penelope. The change that she. thought was so carefully hidden, bo well covered, had to him from the first. He was troubled not only because he loved her, but because it hurt him to see this shadow on so fair and bright a- jewel of humanity. He was constantly at Laburnam Cottage. Penelope treated him behind his back with great irreverence. "Here comes the bogy again," she would say to Lucie as she saw the rector's black "coat coning up the pathway. Lucie wa s always a. little /vexed with her sister on the question of Harold de Burgh: She had a. vogue hint of the truth. She guessed that something moro than interest and admiration filled the rector's heart for Penelope, and she always had a little reproof ready for the girl'g great indifference to the handsome young clergyman. "Dear Pen," she said, on one occasion, "I wish you would not call Mr de Burgh by sucli a stupid name; it—" "I deny it is.a stupid name!" cried [ Penelope lightiy. She waa sitting at. the window,, embroidering initials on sb*rie lace handkerchiefs-.She was a very fine: needle-woman, and" hor work' was exquisite.' : "I' think it is ever so much-prettier »thari do Burgh, and then it suit s him; he is so solemn, and-?-" pausing f»r a word, "so stalky! Do you know Wihai Ijnean, Lucie ? He does not wal, he stalks like a ghost two and fro. I shall always call him a bogy a® long as I live." • Lucie was nonplussed for a moment. "I don't think another likes it, Pen," she said; and this was artfiu of her, for her mother's name was a word to conjure with. "I would not do anything to vex my angel mother for anything in the wide, wide world," Penelope cried, with almost strange passion, and then she pulled herself up; "but," she deliberately, "I don't think she minds. In any case, I will go and ask her this very minute." "Pen! Pen!" Lucie ran*hurriedly after her. "Pen, darling, "be careful. He—Mr do Burgh—is there now —oh! do." ■ "No time could be better," Penelope gravely answered. "I stall put the question to h.rn at the same time!" and she actually carried her j threat into practice, while Lucie retired into her corner .again,, covered with hot blushes and mortification. I Certainly Pen was what might be I termed a "bother" occasionally. The rector's pale face flushed a. little 'as Penelope came into the room. Often as he went to the pottage he did not get many opportunities of a chat with the girl. She ' was like a .will-o'-the-wisp—here, . there, and everywhere. "I have something to ask , you, mumsey. _Lucip lias been scolding me. She says I have no right to call Mr dp Burgh a 'bogy,' that yo:i would not like it,—ar.d" • "Oh! Pen, dear," she beg::i. bat the rector was laughing heartily. "Do you want to call mo a bogy?" he asked Pen, half lightly, half tenderly. ' ■ • 1 ! "Not if yen give me permission, !> was her d<rnurc wsily. • She wo's perched on the arm of h?r mother's olir.ir. • . j "1 don't care for any authorised things," sho, cried; "not for any." ! . Mrs Desborotigh. pat her' delicate hands on the .girl's pretty ones. "Pen, my darling!" she said, with gentle reproof. * w*. Hut there was no horror or reproof .in Herold de Burgh's handsome, ..brown eyes. The feeling with which this girl h:d inspired him was fast becoming an infatuation. "I want you to do something, Miss Penelope. 1 have wrae up on pur- : pose to seo you," he stud, changing j the subject with ready tact, to please Mrs Desborough. - , "Is it nice or nasty?*' He laughed slightly. "It is something that I think will give you pleasure; nay, I do not think—l am \ su-re," he ..'■aid g ively, and then he went on to tell her that he had received a deputation of village girls, who wished to give Lucio a wedding present, but did not know what • to choose, and tint they had oome to him enlightenment. j "And I come to you," the rector said. "You will know best what Miss Desborough would like. She will treasure the gift, I know, whatever it should be, bat it would'give the girls greater pleasure if you >yould identify yourself with —" Penelope sprang fj-om the chair hurriedly. * "I will go to thorn at once," she cried. "Where re they to be found —at the schoolhouse P Will you wait one minute, Mr de Burgh—only one minute —while I put on my hat and coat?" She was gone like a flafli of lightning as she spoke, and in less" than three minutes she and -Harold de Burgh were walking briskly, down tlje garden to the village. It wan tod only a week before the wedding, so there was & general wish that the girl's gift should be purchased and placed among the other presents. jfPenelope flung herself into the matter with all her heart and soul, receiving suggestions and listening to wishes, .and to the inevitable little disagreements, with the greatest patience and interest conceivable. The rector, standing by, felt a thrill of new hope come into Ms heart as he saw Penelope in this mood. Despite his love, a doubt as to the wisdom of taking such a girl as his

wife had now and tlipn crossed his mind; but now he had a glimpse of the gentle, earnest, deep nature that ran beneath the sparkle of Penelope's outward maimer, and his doubts vanished. "I think Jain something of a diplomatist, don't you, Mr de Burgh?" Penelope said, with a laugh, as they left the schoolhouse together, having settled the question satisfactorily. ' 'Really, I thought at one time I was in danger of being impaled on the 'fish-knife-and-fork' faction when I appeared to favour the side of the 'book-of-family-prayers' party. You see, by judiciously arranging that both presents can be purchased for the money collected, I have restored harmony and escaped with my life." "You certainly showed enterprise and tact worthy of a better cause," the rector answered. They paced on for a little Avhile in silence, and then Harold de Burgh said hurriedly: "Miss Penelope, you have never taken that ride with me you promised long ago." "Did I promise? I don't renember. It sounds an awfill rash thing to have done; for —do you know, Mr de Burgh?—l can't ride. I stick on somehow; but the result is not graceful nor comforting. I don't think you would like me for a companion, really." They had- left, the village street, and "were in a lane th&t was bbrdered by thick hedges and trees. Harold de Burgh was beginning some hasty word of eager denial to this statement- when Penelope said: ' "Oh, I am sure you wouldn't—" as they walked on, and then she eaine to a standstill suddenly. "Oh!" she said, in a whisper, '"lqok at that squirrel—just look! isn't he lovely ? How I wish I had him. Whit a tail! and what eyes! Now he is gone. Oh, dear! where did he go? Did you see, Mr de Burgh? Was it up" or down? Down the tree, I think." With an agility that almost equalled that of the squirrel in question, Pen jumped up on the bank and tried to peer through the thick bushes, clinging on to fra/1 twigs in support as she did so. "There he is! I can gee him!" she was crying triunw phantly, when the'rector called out hurriedly: "Take care!", and in the very instant of his doing so, Penelope's foot slipped, and but for Mr de Burg's swiftness and. strong arms she would have rolled ignoTiiniously in the muddy ditch by the roadside. As it was, for one exquisite moment the young man held her in his arms. Penelope, stunned and a little frightened, rested where she, was for an instant; but as the rector s voice, v spe.vking eagerly, came to her ear, she regained full consciousness; and at the very gam o moment a s she drew, away from him heiv eygs encountered a pair of steelgrey ones, which seemed to cut her through and -through with their j scorn —eyes which- belonged to - a j handsome, clean-shaven young man j who - -was in the lane, on horseback, ; ming toward them. j l'fo be C&r.tlaaed.) j