He blushed, faltered, and finally broke down.
"But it was beautiful," said she, "so far as it went: and it's just
what I wanted. I shall remember that boy Ion now, whenever I think
of you helping your father in the church at home. If the rest of the
story is not nice, I don't want to hear it." How had she guessed?
It was delicious, at any rate, to know that she thought of him; and
Taffy felt how delicious it was, while he fitted and hammered the
shoe on Aide-de-camp's hoof, she standing by with a candle in either
hand, the flame scarcely quivering in the windless night.
When all was done, she raised a foot for him to give her a mount.
"Good-night!" she called, shaking the reins. Half a minute later
Taffy stood by the door of the forge, listening to the echoes of
Aide-de-camp's canter, and the palm of his hand tingled where her
foot had rested.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE SQUIRE'S WEIRD.
He took leave of Mendarva and the Jolls just before Christmas.
The smith was unaffectedly sorry to lose him. "But," said he, "the
Dane will be entered for the championship next summer, so I s'pose I
must look forward to that."
Every one in the Joll household gave him a small present on his
leaving. Lizzie's was a New Testament, with her name on the flyleaf,
and under it, "Converted April 19, 187-." Taffy did not want the
gift, but took it rather than hurt her feelings.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153