A PRESENT FROM THE FAIR.
Storms was waiting for her near the door, where he stood in shadow.
"Well, now, have you come round to take a fling at me?" said the girl,
with more of terror than anger in her voice. "If you have, I won't
bear it, for you're the one most to blame, coming here again and
again, without so much as speaking a word, though ye know well enough
how hungry I am for the least bit of notice."
"This way. We are too near the house," said Storms, seizing the girl's
arm, and drawing her toward the kitchen-garden, that lay in the rear
of the building. "Let us get under the cherry-trees; they cannot see
us there."
"I musn't be away long," answered the girl, subdued, in spite of
herself. "The mistress will be looking for me."
"I know that; so we must look sharp. Come."
Judith hurried forward, and directly the two stood under the shadow of
the cherry-trees sheltered by the closely-growing branches.
"What an impatient scold you are, Judith!" said the young man. "There
is no being near you without a fear of trouble. What tempted you, now,
to get into a storm with the mistress?"
"You did, and you know it. Coming in, without a look for one, and
saying, as if we were a thousand miles apart, 'I say, lass, a pint,
half-and-half mild, now.'"
Judith mimicked the young man's manner so viciously that he broke into
a laugh, which relieved the apprehensions which had troubled her so
much.
"And if I did, what then? Haven't I told you, more than once, that you
and I must act as strangers toward each other?"
"But it's hard. What is the good of a sweetheart above the common, if
one's friends are never to know it?"
"They are to know when the time comes; I have told you so, often and
often. But what is a man to do when his father is hot for him marrying
another, and she so jealous that she would bring both the two old men
and Sir Noel down on me at the least hint that I was fond in another
quarter?"
"But when is it to end? When will they know?"
"Soon, very soon, now. Have patience; a few weeks longer, say, perhaps
months, and some day you and I will slip off and be wed safe enough.
Only nothing must be said beforehand. A single word would upset
everything. They are all so eager about Jessup's lass."
"I can keep a close lip; you know that. No matter if I do get into a
tantrum now and again; no one ever heard me whisper a word about
that. You understand?"
"Yes, yes, of course. No girl was ever safer, but we must be cautious,
very cautious. I mustn't come here often. It is too trying for your
temper."
"It is. I agree to that. The sight of you sitting in the public, so
calm and cold, drives me mad."
"Then I must not come."
"Oh, Richard! I can't live without seeing you."
"You shall see me, of course. I couldn't endure my life without seeing
you. But it must be over yonder. You understand? You might be seen
coming or going. Some one did see you in the wilderness the other
night, and thought it was Jessup's daughter."
"Did he? Yes, every one says I look like her. Now, I like that."
"So do I. It just takes suspicion off you, and puts it on her. Won't
the whole neighborhood be astonished when she is left in the lurch,
knowing how she follows me up?"
"Oh, Richard, what a wonderful man you are!" said Judith, wild with
delight. "Yes, I will be so sly that they never can find me out."
"They never shall. I mean to make that sure. See what I have brought
you from the fair."
Here Storms unrolled a parcel that he had left under the cherry-trees
before entering the house that evening, and cautiously stepping into
the light of a window, unfolded a scarlet sacque and some dark cloth,
such as composed the usually picturesque dress of Ruth Jessup.
"Oh, are these for me?" cried the girl, in an ecstasy of delight. "How
soft and silk-like it is! Oh, Richard!"
"For you! Of course; but only to be worn when you come up yonder!"
"Oh!"
"That is, till after we are wed. Then you shall wear such things every
day of the week, with silk dresses for Sunday. But, till then, don't
let a living soul see one of these things. Keep 'em locked up like
gold, and only put them on when you come to the lake at night,
remember. I wouldn't for the world that any man or woman should see
how like a queen they will make you look till they will have to say,
at the same time, she is Richard Storms' wife."
"Oh, how sorry I am for having that bout with the mistress!" said
Judith, hugging the bundle which he surrendered to her as if it had
been a child she loved.
"But you must promise me, on your life, on your soul, to keep my
fairing a close secret."
"I will! I will!"
"Without that to lay the whole thing on Jessup's daughter with, it
wouldn't be safe for you to come to the park. The mistress would turn
you away, if she heard of it. Then where should we land?"
"I will be careful. Believe me, I will."
"Especially about the dress."
"I know. I will be careful."
"Judith! Judith Hart!"
"Hush! The mistress is calling!" whispered Judith. "It is time to shut
up the house. I will run up to my room and hide these; then help her
side up, and come out again."
"No, no! That would be dangerous; but I would like to see how the
dress looks. What if you put it on after the house is still, and come
to the window with a light. I will walk about till then, and shall go
home thinking that my sweetheart is the daintiest lass in this village
or the next."
"Would you be pleased? I shall be sure to put the dress on. Oh, how I
have longed for one like it! Yes, yes! I will come to the window."
Judith uttered this assurance, and darted into the house, in time to
escape the landlady, who came to the back door just as she passed up
the stairs.
Storms did linger about the house until the company had withdrawn from
it, and the lights were put out, all but one, which burned in the
chamber of Judith Hart. A curtain hung before this window, behind
which he could see shadows moving for some minutes. Then the curtain
was suddenly withdrawn, and the girl stood fully revealed. The light
behind her fell with brilliant distinctness on the scarlet jacket, and
was lost in the darker shadows of her skirt. She had twisted back the
curls from her face with graceful carelessness; but, either by art or
accident, had given them the rippling waves that made Ruth Jessup's
head so classical.
"By Jove, but she's the very image of her!" exclaimed Storms, striking
his leg with one hand. "No two sparrows were ever more alike."
This flash of excitement died out while Judith changed her position,
and flung a kiss to him through the window.
For minutes after he stood staring that way, while a dull shudder
passed through him.
"She's too pretty, oh, too pretty for that!" he muttered. "I wish it
hadn't come into my mind!"