The Last of the Foresters Part 57

Winchester itself had slowly sunk into gloom, for the evening was coming on, and a storm also. The red light streamed from a ma.s.s of clouds in the west, which resembled some old feudal castle in flames; and the fiery furzes of the sunset only made the blackness of the ma.s.s more palpable.

Then this light gradually disappeared: a murky gloom settled down upon the conflagration, as of dying fires at midnight, and a cool wind from the mountains rose and died away, and rose again, and swept along in gusts, and shook the trees, making them grate and moan.

Verty rose to his feet.

"In five minutes we shall have a storm," he said. "Come, Redbud--and Miss f.a.n.n.y."

Even as he spoke, the far distance pushed a blinding ma.s.s toward them, and a dozen heavy drops began to fall.

"We cannot get back!" cried Ralph.

"But we can reach the house at the foot of the hill!" said f.a.n.n.y.

"No time to lose!"

And so saying, Verty took Redbud's hand, and leaving f.a.n.n.y to Ralph, hastened down the hill.

Before they had gone twenty steps, the thunder gust burst on them furiously.

The rain was blinding--terrible. It scudded along the hill-side, driven by the wind, with a fury which broke the boughs, snapped the strong rushes, and flooded everything.

Redbud, who was as brave a girl as ever lived, drew her chip hat closer on her brow, and laughed. f.a.n.n.y laughed for company, but it was rather affected, and the gentlemen did not consider themselves called upon to do likewise.

"Oh, me!" cried Verty, "you'll be drenched, Redbud! I must do something for your shoulders. They are almost bare!"

And before Redbud could prevent him, the young man drew off his fur fringed coat and wrapped it round the girl's shoulders, with a tenderness which brought the color to her cheek.

Redbud in vain remonstrated--Verty was immovable; and to divert her, called her attention to the goings on of Ralph.

This young gentleman had no sooner seen Verty strip off his coat for Redbud, than with devoted gallantry he jerked off his own, and threw it over Miss f.a.n.n.y; not over her shoulders only, but her head, completely blinding her: the two arms hanging down, indeed, like enormous ears from the young girl's cheeks.

Having achieved this feat, Mr. Ralph hurried on--followed Verty and Redbud over the log, treating Miss f.a.n.n.y much after the fashion of the morning; and so in ten minutes they reached the house at the foot of the hill, and were sheltered.

f.a.n.n.y overflowed with panting laughter as she turned and threw the coat back to Ralph.

"There, sir!" she cried, "there is your coat! How very gallant in you!

I shall never--no, sir, never forget your devotedness!"

And the young girl wrung the water from her curls, and laughed.

"Nothing more natural, my dear," said Ralph.

"Than what?"

"My devotedness."

"How?"

"Can you ask?"

"Yes, sir, I can."

"Would you have me a heathen?"

"A heathen!"

"Yes, Miss f.a.n.n.y; the least which would be expected of a gentleman would be more than I have done, under the circ.u.mstances, and with the peculiar relationship between us.

"Oh, yes, cousinship!"

"No, madam, intended wedlock."

"Sir!"

"Come, don't blush so, my heart's delight," said Ralph, "and if the subject is disagreeable, that is, a reference to it in this public manner, I will say no more."

"Hum!"--

"There, now--"

"I think that your impudence--"

"Is very reasonable," said Ralph, filling up the sentence; "but suppose you dry your feet, and yourself generally, as Miss Redbud is doing. That is more profitable than a discussion with me."

This advice seemed excellent, and f.a.n.n.y determined to follow it, though she did not yield in the tongue contest without a number of "hums!" which finally, however, died away like the mutterings of the storm without.

The good-humored old woman to whom the humble mansion belonged, had kindled a bundle of twigs in the large fire-place; and before the cheerful blaze the young girls and their cavaliers were soon seated, their wet garments smoking, and the owners of the garments laughing.

The good-humored old dame would have furnished them with a change, but this was declared unnecessary, as the storm seemed already exhausted, and they would, ere long, be able to continue their way.

Indeed, the storm had been one of those quick and violent outbursts of the sky, which seem to empty the clouds instantly almost, as though the pent up waters were shut in by a floodgate, shattered by the thunder and the lightning. Soon, only a few heavy drops continued to fall, and the setting sun, bursting in splendor from the western clouds, poised its red ball of fire upon the horizon, and poured a flood of crimson on the dancing streamlets, the glittering gra.s.s, and drenched foliage of the hill-side.

Redbud rose, smiling.

"I think we can go now," she said, "I am afraid to stay any longer--my clothes are very wet, and I have not health enough to risk losing any."

With which the girl, with another smile, tied the ribbon of her chip hat under her chin, and looked at Verty.

That gentleman rose.

"I wish my coat had been thicker," he said, "but I can't help it. Yes, yes, Redbud, indeed we must get back. It would'nt do for you to get sick."

"And me, sir!" said f.a.n.n.y.

"You?" said Verty, smiling.

"Yes, sir; I suppose it would do for me?"

"I don't know."