Merrill

“ And even Anthony, countryman though he was, and unobservant of most things, could see that she was the best-dressed young woman in the room. Her black gown sat on her as if it had been modelled to her figure, and though it was by no means such a magnificent affair as Mrs. Tewkesbury's moire antique, Mrs. Poskitt's plum-coloured satin, or Miss Merrill's black silk, glittering with beads and bangles, there was an air of distinction about it which was very apparent indeed to all the womenfolk and a little evident to Anthony. ”

“ Merrill. "I couldn't recall just how far down the creek it was! Suppose we make this our headquarters. Set your baskets on that biggest rock over there—that will keep your food high and dry. That flat rock will be our table and these two rocks here," pointing to two angle-shaped rocks that formed a big V, "will be just right for making a fire."
"A fire!" exclaimed Alice. "What do we want with a fire?"
"Oh, I thought it might be fun to make one," said Mrs. Merrill indifferently, "but of course if you don't care to—"
"But we do, Mrs. Merrill," interrupted Ruth, "I think it would be jolly." ”

“ He came closer. "Ten thousand lire," he added softly. "Not a centesimi less."
"Two thousand dollars," Merrill answered. You've got your nerve. Take me to jail." He put on his hat. "I suppose I can communicate with the embassy," he said.
"If you like," agreed the Italian. "Three other men of your nation, caught as you are caught, have communicated. It does little good. There are negotiations—what you call red tape—a long time is taken. Meanwhile you wait in prison."
Merrill paused. He cursed Henry Howard Fisher under his breath. ”

“ Merrill, checking his amusement, in view of the professor's evident earnestness, "you shall certainly come. But now breakfast, or supper, or whatever one may call the meal, seems to be ready. Let us sit [78] down and eat, for we have a long ride ahead of us."
During the meal Mr. Merrill was plied with questions by the eager boys. In fact, so numerous did the queries become, that he was relieved at last when a diversion offered in the shape of a clattering of hoofs outside the door.
"Rap!" came at the portal. ”

“ When the children went up to supper they told Mrs. Merrill about their visitor.
“He had a very pretty horse. It shone like a bottle,” said Dora.
“Do you think Alice will come to see us?” asked Lucy.
“I wouldn’t set my heart on it,” said Mrs. Merrill.
“Mrs. Harper is always very nice to everybody in the church,” said Olive, who was trying to make toast over the oil stove and was not succeeding very well.
“I know she is,” agreed Mrs. Merrill. “But church isn’t the beach, and people who live in big houses don’t always want to know people who live in small ones.” ”

“ Merrill was close by Mary Jane, for there was something so vast and powerful and terrifying about the mad rush of those roaring, tumbling waters that even the iron bars around the edge of the rock couldn't quite make a little girl feel safe—it needed the hold of a person's warm hand to make one feel comfortable enough to stand there and watch. ”

“ My name is Henry Howard Fisher."
Two days Merrill had spent in Manhattan, and his heart was hungry for companionship. Quickly he revealed his name. mentioned Texas, the Silver Star, and suggested a drink.
"Sorry," said Mr. Fisher. "I don't touch it."
"Come and have a cigar then," Merrill offered. It developed that neither did the abstemious Mr. Fisher smoke. Merrill looked him over again, a trifle suspiciously this time. Men were not made thus in the neighborhood of the Silver Star. But Fisher's face was frank and winning. ”

“ There was no doubt that the leaf and its contents must be buried in Auntie Merrill's garden. That was the scene of all mysteries, and the only place where our caché would be reasonably secure from Ed Mason's sister Louise and her friend Jessie Plummer. These were high matters, too great for the feminine intellect. Also, of course, [31] we had Auntie Merrill to consider. A place must be discovered where she would not come poking around. ”

“ Roller," she said, "but you must excuse me—I'm giving this dance to Mr. Merrill. See—there's Miss Jones over there—she's disengaged. Won't you ask her?"
Mr. Roller closed his very white teeth over his very black moustache and retired, not to dance with Miss Jones, but to get into a corner with his friend Mr. Webber, there to sulk and say nasty things.
"That's the way with women, Webber," he said bitterly. "Her and me's almost engaged, and she throws me over for a country bumpkin like that—a feller that comes to an evenin' party in shootin'-clothes and boots as big as canal boats." ”

“ The girls were to wear the dainty little organdies they had worn on Class Day. Mrs. Merrill had had them pressed and when the girls stepped into the room there they were on the beds—as fresh and crisp as new. And now that the new shoes were fixed with a soft pad of leather at the heel to keep them from slipping up and down and making a blister, there was nothing likely to mar the day.
It didn't take long to dress as everything was laid out ready, and soon the three Merrills were in the subway, dashing out to meet Uncle Hal at Harvard Square. ”

“ Don't you go to any of them wicked theatres, now, Anthony!"
"All right, mother," replied Anthony; "I can take care of myself."
"I'd call on Miss Lister if I were you, Tony," said Matilda. "I'm sure she'd be pleased to see you."
"Nothing of the sort, Matilda!" said Mrs. Merrill, in her most reprimanding manner. "Anthony's much too sensible to run after young girls."
Anthony heard and made no reply. He not only meant to see Miss Lister, but to take her out for a walk—perhaps to the theatre. It was not often that he got the chance of spending the evening in Leeds ”

“ Holt, for many years a leading teacher in the Boston schools. Mrs. Merrill's elder sister, Martha S. Randall, married Eben Pillsbury, and died in Minnesota, leaving a daughter, now Mrs. Keach, of Hartford, Conn. The other sister, who lives with Mrs. Merrill and skilfully manages their household affairs, is Miss Harriet Howard Randall. Mrs. Merrill is much loved and respected by her large circle of acquaintances. She is a prominent worker in St. ”

“ He turned and looked the Italian in the eye.
"See here," he said, "you've saved your country's honor. That's enough, ain't it? What will you get by dragging me off to jail? Nothing. If you could see your way clear to letting this matter drop I might make you a very handsome present."
The man drew himself up to his full height, which was little.
"You insult," he said, "me, my position, my Government. It is unworthy of you. Come, signor."
"Five hundred dollars," said Merrill. "No; I'll put it in your money: it sounds more. Two thousand five hundred lire—a neat little sum. ”

“ The room in which Miss Lister and Anthony sat was hot—the winter landscape looked cool and inviting. Miss Lister, from her side of the big fire, looked at Anthony, sprawling in an easy-chair on his.
"How I should like to see it!—her, I mean," she said. "Couldn't we—would Mr. Poskitt mind if we went to look at her?"
"Not he!" said Anthony. "Here, come on, I'll take you over to the stable. I'll wager aught you like there isn't a man in Yorkshire can show you the points of a horse as well as I can. Horseflesh is my particular hobby." ”

“ I'm not afraid of cold," said Anthony, as he opened the hall-door and led the way to the stable. "When you come to rise at five o'clock of a morning, as I make a point of doing, you don't think much about cold. Now, then," he continued, as they entered the stable and saw Mr. Poskitt's mare throw a somewhat vicious eye over her shapely shoulders at them, "what do you think of that? Isn't she a beauty?—gad, I wish she was mine! She's a great deal too young and skittish for old Poskitt—she'll throw him some day. ”

“ Webber slowly. "He's rather a small foot, and by Jove, bumpkin or not, he can waltz! There's none of us can waltz like that, Roller, old man."
"Pshaw!" said Mr. Roller. "I'm sick of women—fickle things! Wish we could go somewhere and do a bitter or a drop of Scotch. No hope of that, worse luck!"
There was no hope of anything of that sort until an hour later, when Miss Lister invited her guests into an adjoining room to partake of a cold collation. By that time Anthony had waltzed with several young ladies, and had become well warmed by the exercise. ”

“ Merrylips said then, and as she thought of her last hours in the garrison, she spoke in a happy voice.
"You're rejoiced, eh?" Rupert answered harshly. "Truth, I'm not! The best friend I have I left yonder, old Claus! And I'll not be near him now, in the last fight."
"Last fight—" echoed Merrylips.
"Dost thou not understand, little fool?" whispered Rupert. "The rebels will attack to-morrow, and we're now so weak that it well may be—Dost thou not see? 'Tis to save thy life the captain sendeth thee away, and for that thou art glad to leave him, Tibbott Venner, thou little coward!" ”

“ They were very poor, but would have been contented and happy if only they could have had a little child. One day, having heard of the great fame of the magician Merlin, who was living at the Court of King Arthur, the wife persuaded her husband to go and tell him of their trouble. Having arrived at the Court, the man besought Merlin with tears in his eyes to give them a child, saying that they would be quite content even though it should be no bigger than his thumb. ”

“ Merrylips made herself laugh in his face.
"'Tis only silly boys that weep," said she. "When their fathers beat them, they snivel, and run with tales to their mothers."
The quarrel had begun in earnest. For the next half mile the tired children tramped in angry silence. Then Herbert snatched the creel from Merrylips.
"'Tis mine!" he said.
He sat down on a grassy bank and opened the creel. Within it were spice cakes and cheese and a little chicken pasty, and every crumb that greedy boy munched down himself, and never offered so much as one spice cake to Merrylips. ”

“ It was almost as sad when Merrylips left the old woman and sought out Roger, the butler. She found him loading an old snaphance, over which he cocked his head wisely. These were troublous times, he hinted, and there were those not a thousand miles away who might be fain to see the inside of Larkland. Let them but try, and they should see more than they bargained on, he ended, with a grim chuckle, as he fondled his snaphance.
"But they are friends unto us, Rupert and Claus," cried Merrylips. "They are soldiers to the king whom we serve." ”

“ Sometimes they slept, and sometimes they ate and drank, and sometimes from their hilltop they scanned the country round them. Near at hand, in the open fields, they saw hinds that went about their work, and in the distance twice, to their alarm, they saw squads of mounted men that sped along an unseen road.
"Will those be Roundheads?" Merrylips asked.
"What an if they be?" jeered Rupert. "Thou hast a kindness unto all rebels, young Venner. Mayhap 'tis thy dear comrade, Dick Fowell, and be hanged unto him!" ”

“ More than once they had to pause and sit by the path, while the lad rested.
After that she talked with Claus. Had they come from far, she asked him?
"From beyond seas," he answered with a clumsy gesture to the south. "Yonder—they call it Brighthelmstone—we came a-land. We are bound to the king's army."
"Ay, the king," said Rupert, suddenly, and opened his eyes. "I am going to fight for the king of England, even as my father fought. For," said he, and his eyes sought Merrylips' face, yet seemed not to see her, "I am English born." ”

“ With the van went the creaking wains and the herd of cattle. Over all hung a cloud of dust that shone in the light of the setting sun.
Soon the sun had sunk in a red smear of cloud behind the hills to westward. Over the brown fields that lay on either hand the twilight fell. In the hollows and where the road wound beneath trees it was quite dark. Merrylips could see the men and horses round her only as dim shapes in the blackness. But all the time she could hear the padding of hoofs on the road, the jingle of bits, the squeak of stirrup leathers, and the heavy breathing of horses and of men. ”

“ But will the grown folk believe me—thy godmother, and thy father, and thy brothers? Oh, Merrylips, dost think in truth that they will believe that I am son to Captain Lucas?"
For one instant Merrylips hesitated. They were strange folk indeed, the grown folk. Even dear Lady Sybil had thought Claus and Rupert spies when they came, sick and weary, to Larkland. Even her brother Munn had looked on and smiled at the distress of the poor people at Storringham. They did not always believe and pity so quickly as did she, who was young and foolish. ”

“ He’s so clever and advanced, and everything that’s dreadful—just like yourself, Herminia. But then he’s also very well connected. That’s always something, especially when one’s an oddity. You wouldn’t go down one bit yourself, dear, if you weren’t a dean’s daughter. The shadow of a cathedral steeple covers a multitude of sins. Mr Merrick’s the son of the famous London gout doctor—you must know his name—all the royal dukes flock to him. He’s a barrister himself, and in excellent practice. You might do worse, do you know, than to go in for Alan Merrick. ”

“ But all these things Merrylips knew only when she was older. At the time, in the dreary autumn of 1642, she could not understand why the Lowrys kept her at Larkland, nor why her own kindred let her stay there. But at least she knew that she did not at all like it at Larkland, so, as soon as she felt strong and well again, she started off, one damp November day, to make her way alone to Walsover.
She had her crossbow to keep off padders and Roundheads, and a big piece of gingerbread to eat on the way. ”