Hills of the Shatemuc Part 106

"No, not there," said the naturalist. "You want some one to take care of you -- de engineer, Miss Elisabet'," said he smiling.

Elizabeth made no answer; she had risen up to go; and he guided her through the halls and down the staircases, till she was in the open street again. Then, after a farewell squeeze of his hand and nod of her little head, she pulled her veil down and went homeward, more slowly than she had come.

"_Do_ I want somebody to take care of me?" she thought. "I believe I do! An engineer? -- I do not think the engine _is_ under very good guidance -- it _is_ too strong for me -- How could he know that? Oh what earthly thing would I give, for a hand wise and strong enough to lead me, and good enough that I could submit myself to!"

The wish was so deep drawn that her breast heaved with it, and starting tears made her draw her veil thicker before them. She bit her lip, and once more quickened her steps towards home.

CHAPTER III.

Then think I of deep shadows on the gra.s.s, -- Of meadows where in sun the cattle graze, Where, as the breezes pa.s.s, The gleaming rushes lean a thousand ways, -- Of leaves that slumber in a cloudy ma.s.s, Or whiten in the wind, -- of waters blue That from the distance sparkle through Some woodland gap, -- and of a sky above, Where one white cloud like a stray lamb doth move.

LOWELL.

Finding that the old farm must pa.s.s out of his hands, Mr.

Landholm made up his mind not to spend another summer of labour and of life upon it; but at once with his son Asahel to move off to the West. He stayed but to reap the standing crops of winter grain, dispose of stock, and gather up all the loose ends of business; and left the hills of the Shatemuc, to seek better fortunes on a Western level.

They pa.s.sed through Mannahatta on their way, that they might have a short sight of Winthrop and Winifred and say good-bye to them. It was not so joyful a visit that anybody wished it to be a long one.

"It's pretty hard," said the farmer, "to start life anew again at my time of day; -- but these arms are not worn out yet; I guess they'll do something -- more or less -- on a new field."

"Asahel's got strong arms, father," said Winifred, who was fain to put in a word of comfort when she could.

"Ay, and a strong heart too," said his father. "He's a fine fellow. He'll do, I guess, in the long run, -- at the West or somewhere; and at the West _if_ anywhere, they say. I'm not concerned much about him."

"There's no need, I think," said Winthrop.

"Where's Will? -- and what's he doing?"

"Will has just set off for Charleston -- on some agency business."

"Charleston in South Carolina?"

"Yes."

"Then he is not engineering now?"

"No."

"How long does he expect to be gone?"

"Some months -- more or less; -- I don't know."

"Is it a good business for him?"

"He has chosen it, -- not I."

"I would sooner trust your choice," said the father. "There's one thing Rufus wants; and that is, judgment."

"He'll do yet," said Winthrop. "And I shall not leave you long at the West, father. You will come when I send for you?"

"No, my boy," said the farmer looking gratified; -- "I'll live by my own hands as long as I have hands to live by; and as I said, mine haven't given out yet! No -- if the Lord prospers us, we'll have a visit from you and Winnie out there, I expect -- by and by, when we get things in order; -- you and Winnie, and anybody else you've a mind to bring along!"

It was spoken heartily, but with a tear in the eye; and n.o.body answered; unless it were answer, the long breath which Winnie drew at the very idea of such a visit.

Winthrop heard it; but through the long weeks of summer he could give her nothing more of country refreshment than the old walks on the Green and an occasional ride or walk on the opposite sh.o.r.e of one or the other of the rivers that bordered the city. Business held him fast, with a grip that he must not loosen; though he saw and knew that his little sister's face grew daily more thin and pale, and that her slight frame was slighter and slighter. His arm had less and less to do, even though her need called for more. He felt as if she was slipping away from him. August came.

"Winnie," said he one evening, when he came home and found her lying on her couch as usual, -- "how would you like to go up and pay Karen a visit?"

"Karen?" -- said Winnie, -- "where?"

"At home. -- At Wut-a-qut-o."

"Wut-a-qut-o!" said Winnie; -- "is Karen there? I thought Shahweetah was sold."

"It isn't sold yet -- it won't be till September -- and Karen is there yet, keeping house with her brother Anderese."

"Anderese! -- is old Anderese there?" said Winnie. "O I should like to go, Governor!" she said raising herself on her elbow.

"Can we?"

"Yes, if you like. Hildebrand Cowslip is down here with his father's sloop -- how would you like to go up in her?"

"In the sloop? -- O how good!" said Winnie bringing her thin hands together. "Can we? But dear Governor, you can't be away?"

"Yes -- just as well as not. There isn't much doing in August -- everybody takes a resting time; and so you and I will, Winnie," said he, bending down to kiss her.

Winnie looked up at him gratefully and lovingly with her wistful large eyes, the more expressive from the setting of illness and weakness in the face.

"I'd like you to have a rest, dear Governor."

He stood stroking back the ringlets from the thin blue-veined temple.

"Wouldn't it do you good to see Wut-a-qut-o again?"

"O I am sure it would! -- And you too, wouldn't it?"

"I am good enough already," said Winthrop looking down at her.

"Too good," said Winnie looking up at him. "I guess you want pulling down!"

She had learned to read his face so well, that it was with a pang she saw the look with which he turned off to his work. A stranger could not have seen in it possibly anything but his common grave look; to Winnie there was the slight shadow of something which seemed to say the "pulling down" had not to be waited for. So slight that she could hardly tell it was there, yet so shadowy she was sure it had come from something. It was not in the look merely -- it was in the air, -- it was, she did not know what, but she felt it and it made her miserable. She could not see it after the first minute; his face and shoulders, as he sat reading his papers, had their usual calm stability; Winnie lay looking at him, outwardly calm too, but mentally tossing and turning.

She could not bear it. She crawled off her couch and came and sat down at his feet, throwing her arms around his knee and looking up at him.

"Dear Governor! -- I wish you had whatever would do you good!"

"The skill of decyphering would do me a little good just now,"