CHAPTER XXXII. THE SCHOOLBOY AND THE WOOD-NYMPH.

il,reposesherglanceonhisface,whileshesoftlyasks,"AreyouoneofMr.Yorke'ssons?" NohumanevidencewouldeverhavebeenabletopersuadeMartinYorkethatheblushedwhenthusaddressedyetblushhedid,totheears. "Iam,"hesaidbluntly,andencouragedhimselftowonder,superciliously,whatwouldcomenext. "YouareMartin,Ithink?"wastheobservationthatfollowed. Itcouldnothavebeenmorefelicitous.Itwasasimplesentence—veryartlessly,alittletimidly,pronouncedbutitchimedinharmonytotheyouth'snature.Itstilledhimlikeanoteofmusic. Martinhadakeensenseofhispersonalityhefeltitrightandsensiblethatthegirlshoulddiscriminatehimfromhisbrothers.Likehisfather,hehatedceremony.Itwasacceptabletohearaladyaddresshimas"Martin,"andnotMr.MartinorMasterMartin,whichformwouldhavelostherhisgoodgracesforever.Worse,ifpossible,thanceremonywastheotherextremeofslipshodfamiliarity.Theslighttoneofbashfulness,thescarcelyperceptiblehesitation,wasconsideredperfectlyinplace. "IamMartin,"hesaid. "Areyourfatherandmotherwell?"(itwasluckyshedidnotsaypapaandmammathatwouldhaveundoneall)"andRoseandJessie?" "Isupposeso." "MycousinHortenseisstillatBriarmains?" "Ohyes." Martingaveacomichalf-smileanddemi-groan.Thehalf-smilewasrespondedtobythelady,whocouldguessinwhatsortofodourHortensewaslikelytobeheldbytheyoungYorkes. "Doesyourmotherlikeher?" "Theysuitsowellabouttheservantstheycan'thelplikingeachother." "Itiscoldto-night." "Whyareyououtsolate?" "Ilostmywayinthiswood." Now,indeed,Martinallowedhimselfarefreshinglaughofscorn. "LostyourwayinthemightyforestofBriarmains!Youdeservenevermoretofindit." "Ineverwasherebefore,andIbelieveIamtrespassingnow.Youmightinformagainstmeifyouchose,Martin,andhavemefined.Itisyourfather'swood." "IshouldthinkIknewthat.Butsinceyouaresosimpleastoloseyourway,Iwillguideyouout." "Youneednot.Ihavegotintothetracknow.Ishallberight.Martin"(alittlequickly),"howisMr.Moore?" Martinhadheardcertainrumoursitstruckhimthatitmightbeamusingtomakeanexperiment. "Goingtodie.Nothingcansavehim.Allhopeflungoverboard!" Sheputherveilaside.Shelookedintohiseyes,andsaid,"Todie!" "Todie.Allalongofthewomen,mymotherandtherest.Theydidsomethingabouthisbandagesthatfinishedeverything.Hewouldhavegotbetterbutforthem.Iamsuretheyshouldbearrested,cribbed,tried,andbroughtinforBotanyBay,attheveryleast." Thequestioner,perhaps,didnorhearthisjudgment.Shestoodmotionless.Intwominutes,withoutanotherword,shemovedforwardsnogood-night,nofurtherinquiry.Thiswasnotamusing,norwhatMartinhadcalculatedon.Heexpectedsomethingdramaticanddemonstrative.Itwashardlyworthwhiletofrightenthegirlifshewouldnotentertainhiminreturn.Hecalled,"MissHelstone!" Shedidnothearorturn.Hehastenedafterandovertookher. "ComeareyouuneasyaboutwhatIsaid?" "Youknownothingaboutdeath,Martinyouaretooyoungformetotalktoconcerningsuchathing." "Didyoubelieveme?It'sallflummery!Mooreeatslikethreemen.Theyarealwaysmakingsagoortapiocaorsomethinggoodforhim.Inevergointothekitchenbutthereisasaucepanonthefire,cookinghimsomedainty.IthinkIwillplaytheoldsoldier,andbefedonthefatofthelandlikehim." "Martin!Martin!"Herehervoicetrembled,andshestopped. "Itisexceedinglywrongofyou,Martin.Youhavealmostkilledme." Againshestopped.Sheleanedagainstatree,trembling,shuddering,andaspaleasdeath. Martincontemplatedherwithinexpressiblecuriosity.Inonesenseitwas,ashewouldhaveexpressedit,"nuts"tohimtoseethis.Ittoldhimsomuch,andhewasbeginningtohaveagreatrelishfordiscoveringsecrets.Inanothersenseitremindedhimofwhathehadoncefeltwhenhehadheardablackbirdlamentingforhernestlings,whichMatthewhadcrushedwithastone,andthatwasnotapleasantfeeling.Unabletofindanythingveryappropriatetosayinordertocomforther,hebegantocastaboutinhismindwhathecoulddo.Hesmiled.Thelad'ssmilegavewondroustransparencytohisphysiognomy. "Eureka!"hecried."I'llsetallstraightby-and-by.Youarebetternow,MissCaroline.Walkforward,"heurged. NotreflectingthatitwouldbemoredifficultforMissHelstonethanforhimselftoclimbawallorpene