All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

126 ALL LX A GARDEX FAIR.
arm, saying iiotliing. It was a fair moonlight
niglit ; the air was heavy with tlie fragrance of
jessamine and lioneysuckle ; a still and solemn
air of full but late summer, after a still, hot day.
Claire's hand startled her father. He stopped,
looked round hmi, sighed, and held up his fore-
finger, Avhicli meant ' Attention !
The girl sat down on the seat within the
porch, and listened. She was now nearly
sixteen years of age, taller already than her
father, a girl remarkable as yet for nothing but
those deep bhie eyes and that black hair. But
one expects nothing remarkable from a girl at
fifteen, unless she happens to be a maiden of
Verona, where adventures have been known to
arrive at a still earlier age.
She stood outside in the moonlight. He
spoke gravely, even solemidy ; and he spoke
slowly—in his native tongue, of course.
' My cliikl,' lie said, * listen attentively to
mo. You are now nearly sixteen ; you have
the manner and air of a greater age ;
grown up ;
you are a woman.'
you are