Yes, I know about that; though I think your father rarely
came over into Albemarle."
Under the circumstances I did not care to intrude my personal matters,
so I did not mention the cause or explain the nature of my mission in
the West. "I suppose that you rarely came into our county either, but
went down the Shenandoah when you journeyed to Washington?" I said
simply, "I myself have never met Colonel Meriwether."
All this sudden acquaintance and somewhat intimate relation between us
two seemed to afford no real pleasure either to Belknap or Orme. For my
part, with no clear reason in the world, it seemed to me that both
Belknap and Orme were very detestable persons. Had the framing of this
scene been left utterly to me, I should have had none present at the
fireside save myself and Ellen Meriwether. All these wide gray plains,
faintly tinged in the hollows with green, and all this sweeping sky of
blue, and all this sparkling river, should have been just for ourselves
and no one else.
But my opportunity came in due course, after all. As we rose from the
ground at the conclusion of our meal, the girl dropped one of her
gloves. I hastened to pick it up, walking with her a few paces
afterward.
Pages:
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166