The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

520 1 he HigJiland Monthly
" That might not be fair," she replied with a smile
" some thoughts are worth more than others."
" Yes, some poet or other has called them silvern and
golden, you know. Miss Somerton," he added earnestly,
" will you allow me to tell my thoughts, unconditionally
that is, I will not demand one even in response unless you
so will it. Is it agreed ?"
.
—
;
" I cannot prevent you giving expression to your
thoughts," she replied, with the suspicion of a tremor in
her voice.
" Then I will venture to inflict them upon you, and you
can stop me when they cease to be agreeable. That is
fair, is'nt it ? Will you not be seated to hear my story," he
said, suddenly taking her hand. It was at once snatched
away, as she stepped on to the grass and turned her back
upon him.
" I prefer walking," was all she said.
He followed her down to the side of the burn, where a
broom-lined walk hugged the water-thread in its twistings
in and out, now pausing in gloomy pool, then rippling
merrily over the shingle. They walked along in silence
he somewhat crestfallen at this inauspicious beginning to
his wooirT ; for as the outcome of his meditations he had
resolved to confess his love and be done with it. Come
what would, he was determined to place his happiness at
the feet of this woman, and know the best or the worst of
it, aS the case might be. And yet his heart began to fail
him. How queenly she looked—how distinguished her
bearing. Was it not presumption on his part after all to
ask this fair creature, who was, moreover, extremely rich,
to throw herself away upon the son of a small and
impecunious Scotch laird ? Miss Somerton had some
notion of what was passing through her lover's mind, and
half regretted her unsympathetic conduct. Would it not,
she was asking herself, be best to get the dreaded ordeal
over, instead of evading the situation till— yes, till it might
prove a far harder duty.