United States or Equatorial Guinea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
By G.A. HENTY. With illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, 12mo, cloth, olivine edges, price $1.00. "Ronald, the hero, is very like the hero of 'Quentin Durward, The lad's journey across France, and his hairbreadth escapes, makes up as good a narrative of the kind as we have ever read. For freshness of treatment and variety of incident Mr. Henty has surpassed himself." Spectator.
There was something grand about the lad's eager tone of voice as he made his wild proposal, and something grand also about his heart. He meant what he said, foolish as he was either to mean or to say it. Clara burst into tears, and threw herself into his arms. "You don't understand," she said, through her sobs, "my own, own brother, you do not understand." "But, by Jove! I think I do understand.
There was a meeting in the town-hall and many were assembled anxious to hear, not the lad's opinions, for which probably nobody cared much, but the tone of his voice and to see his manner. Of what sort was the eldest son of the man of whom the neighbourhood had been so proud? For the county was in truth proud of their Duke.
The lad's former companions shouted all manner of things to him. "Good-bye, Phil!" "Don't stick your head in the lion's mouth." "Be careful when you twist the tiger's tail. Better put some salt on it before you do." "We'll look out for Uncle Abner." Phil was grinning broadly as he rode back into the menagerie tent.
Collie rubbed his eyes, blinking in the sun as he stood gazing after her. Walter Stone, standing near the doorway, noted the lad's clear, healthy skin, his well-shaped head with its tumble of wavy black hair, and the luminous dark eyes. He felt an instant sympathy for the boy, a sympathy that he masked with a business-like brusqueness. "Well, young man?" "Yes, sir." "Come outside.
He trembled to think how nearly he had betrayed his secret; and took the more shame to himself, inasmuch as in cooler blood he saw the lad's error to be far from irremediable. As Petitot said, that which could be done so easily and quickly could be done a second time. If only he had not struck the lad! If only he had commanded himself, and spoken him fairly and sent him back!
"Poor old regiment!" writes the Colonel to the lad's father "we were badly knocked about, and I brought out only 3 officers and 375 men, but they did magnificently, and it was thanks to officers like your son, who put the honour of the regiment before all thought of fatigue or personal danger. Such a gallant lad! We all loved him."
In these last few days, however, I have seen the lad's nose flat and eager on the window, and I know that he is convalescent. At another set of windows now that the days are growing short and there is need of lights I see in shadowgraph against the curtains an occasional domestic drama.
In the lad's arms she was once more a girl of fifteen, and under the caressing influence of this renewed childhood love's white flower once more blossomed forth in a nature which had grown hackneyed and disgusted in the service of the other sex. She would experience sudden fits of shame, sudden vivid emotions, which left her trembling.
She had no argument available except that of expense, and, to her astonishment and dismay, this failed to affect her prudent spouse. "Just let things be a while," was Solomon's reply, "and mind your own business. It is quite true the lad's throwing my money in the gutter at a fine rate; but in the end I shall get it all back again, and more with it.
Word Of The Day