Then he
turned softly and, putting a finger to his lip, beckoned to the
others. They advanced on tip-toe and peeped through.
Beside a garden-bed, half a dozen yards away, and with their backs to
the door, knelt Sophia and Tristram. The youth's left arm was around
the girl's waist, and the youth's hair mingled with the girl's as
unconscious of observation they bent over the mould. It was the same
mould in which Sophia, years before, had buried her doll, and now
Tristram was helping Sophia to sprinkle it with pepper-cress seed;
holding her right hand as she traced this:
[Illustration: Two overlapping hearts, one containing the letter 'S'
and the other the letter 'T'.]
The watchers withdrew as softly as they had advanced. But on his way
back to the bonfire Captain Barker darted into the house and emerged
again with an armful of green volumes.
"What's the meaning of this?" asked Dr. Beckerleg.
The little man trotted round and shot his burden right on top of the
pile which Narcissus had by this time stirred into a blaze.
"There doesn't seem to be any further use for 'em," he explained,
panting and running back to the house.
He fetched another armful, and then another; and as he discharged the
last upon the bonfire, turned and laid a hand upon Captain Runacles'
arm.
Pages:
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291