United States or Ethiopia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"It was very good, and brave of you, dear," said she in her soft, thrilling voice, "to go out all alone into this big world to try and find a fortune for me!" and here she would have kissed him again but that he reminded her that they were not alone. "But, Georgy dear, fortunes are very hard to find, especially round Dapplemere, I'm afraid!" said she, with a rueful little laugh.
"She's made a brave fight for it, sir, but it weren't no use, ye see, it'll be 'Good-bye' for her to Dapplemere, arter all, that there mortgage can't never be paid now, nohow." "When is it due?"
There is an air redolent of ripening fruit, and hops, for Dapplemere is a place of orchards, and hop-gardens, and rick-yards, while, here and there, the sharp-pointed, red-tiled roof of some oast-house pierces the green.
"Found the fortun' as he were always a-lookin' for, a sack o' golden soverings, sir, an' bank-notes, Mr. Belloo, sir, bushels on 'em; enough ah! more 'n enough to pay off that mortgage, and to send that theer old Grimes about his business, an' away from Dapplemere for good an' all, sir." "So Grimes is really paid off, then, is he, Adam?"
So don't cry, though I'm awful' sorry he's gone, too just when we needed him the most, you know!" "Oh Georgy!" she whispered, "my dear, brave little Georgy! We shall only have each other soon, they're going to take Dapplemere away from us, and everything we have in the world, Oh Georgy!"
And Bellew stood staring down at the rug again, till aroused by Baxter's cough: "Pray sir, what are your orders, the car is waiting downstairs?" "Orders? why er pack your grip, Baxter, I shall take you with me, this time, into Arcadia, Baxter." "For how long, sir?" "Probably a week." "Very good, sir." "It is now half-past three, I must be back in Dapplemere at eight.
"Very well," he nodded, his fingers questing anxiously after the rose again, "I'll get Adam to help me to shift it all into the barn, to-morrow morning." "Will you please be serious, Mr. Bellew!" "As an owl!" he nodded. "Why then of course you will be leaving Dapplemere soon, and I should like to know exactly when, so that I can make the necessary arrangements."
But, surely it was not to discuss nephews, mine or anyone else's, that you are hither come, and our ears do wait upon you, pray be seated, sir." "Thank you, I prefer to stand." "Strange!" murmured Bellew, shaking his head, "I never stand if I can sit, or sit if I can lie down." "I should like you to define, exactly, your position here at Dapplemere, Mr. Bellew."
A week had elapsed since Bellew had found his way to Dapplemere, a week which had only served to strengthen the bonds of affection between him and his "nephew," and to win over sharp-eyed, shrewd little Miss Priscilla to the extent of declaring him to be: "First a gentleman, Anthea, my dear, and Secondly, what is much rarer, now-a-days, a true man!"
Lord love ye! the 'ops can never bring in by theirselves all the three thousand pounds as is owing, it ain't to be expected, but if that three thousand pound ain't paid over to that dirty Grimes by next Saturday week as ever was, that dirty Grimes turns Miss Anthea out o' Dapplemere, wi' Master Georgy, an' poor little Miss Priscilla, An' what'll become o' them then, I don't know.
Word Of The Day