Bad Hugh

the moldy shingles, or formed a groundwork for the nests the swallows built year after year beneath the decaying eaves. Long, winding piazzas, turning sharp, sudden angles, and low, square porches,

awn, with the carriage road winding through it, over the running brook, and onward 'neath graceful forest trees, until it reached the main highway, a distance of nearly half a mile. A spacious garden in the rear, with bordered walks and fanciful mounds, with climbing roses and creeping vines showing that somewhere there was a taste, a

ifted against the doors, and beat against the windows, whence a cheerful light was gleaming, telling of life and possible happiness within. There were no flowing curtains before the windows, no drapery

ant days when there was a possibility of visitors, and her cheeks were not quite so red, but she was looking well enough, and she'd undone all those little tags or braids which disfigured her so shockingly in the morning, but which, when brushed and carefully arranged, did give her hair that waving appearance she so much desired. As for himself, he never meant to do anything of which he was ashamed, so he did not care how many were watchi

dog, which, with a human look in its round, pink eyes, obeyed the voice it knew and loved, and crouched do

w her brother walk toward the dining-room, and guessed his errand. "Nobody wants a pac

aid Hugh, at the same time opening a door leading out upon a back piazza, and, uttering a pec

ere you!" was the sister's angry r

should, for all of Ad, but when the pale, gentle-looking woman, knitt

ble there," he yielded at once, for that pale, gentle woman, w

ideas which made him the strange, odd creature he was, a puzzle and a mystery to his own sex, and a kind of terror to the female portion of the neighborhood, who looked upon him as a woman-hater, and avoided or coveted his not altogether disagreeable society, just as their fancy dictated. For years the old man and the boy had lived together alone in that great, lonely house, enjoying vastly the freedom from all restraint, the liberty of turning the parlors into kennels if they chose, and converting the upper rooms into a hay-loft, if they would. No white woman was ever seen upon the premises, unless she came as a beggar, when some new gown, or surplice, or organ

ent, a yearning for the refinements of his early home among the Northern hills, and a wish to infuse into Chloe, the colored housekeeper, some

scrubbin', and sweepin', and moppin' with a broom, I shouldn't be an atomer white-folksey than I is now. Besides Mas'r John, wo

ead stood out round and full, while the hands clasped above the head worked nervously together, and it was not strange that he did not heed his mother when she spoke, for Hugh was far away from Spring Bank, and the wild storm beating against its walls was to him like the sound of the waves dashing against the vessel's side, just as they did years ago on that night he remembered so well, shuddering as he heard again the murderous hiss of the devouring flames, covering the fatal boat with one sheet of fire, and driving into the water as a safer friend the shrieking, frightened wretches who but an hour before had been so full of lif

th many others," was w

o tearfully, that he had said to her at last he did but jest to hear what she would say, and, though she seemed satisfied, he felt there was a shadow between them-a shadow which was not swept away, even after he promised to read the little Bible she gave him and see for himself whether he or she were right. He had that Bible now hidden away where no curious eye could find it, and carefully folded between its leaves was a curl of golden hair. It was faded now, and its luster was almost gone, but as often as he looked upon it, it brought to mind the bright head it once adorned, and the fearful hour when he became its owner. That tress and the Bible which inclosed it had made Hugh Worthington a better man. He did not often read the Bible, it is true, and his acquaintances were frequently startled with opinions which had so pained the little girl on board theSt. Helena, but this was merely on the surface, for far below the rough exterior there was a world of goodness, a mine of gems, k

hope, that he, too, would some day find her, how or by what means he never seriously inquired; only this he knew, it would be through her influence, which even now followed him everywhere, producing its good effects. It had checked him many and many a time when his fierce temper was in the

memory this night, he thought of two years ago, and the scene which transpired in the suburbs of New York, whither immediately after his uncle's death he had gone upon a matter of important business. In the gleaming fire before him there was now another face than hers, an older, a different, though not less beautiful face, and Hugh shuddered as he thought how it must have changed ere t

thus faithfully at work, and so absorbed was Hugh in his reverie th

? It sounds like so

er reading. A moaning cry, as if for help, mingled with an infant's wail, now here, now there it seemed to be, just as the fierce north

why any one should be abroad to-night," Hugh said,

tell Aunt Chloe at supper time that Tommie had the colic," 'Lina remarked opening

" asked Mrs. Worthington, as

the storm, she may need some help," was Hugh's reply, and a moment after he was plou

said, softly, more to herself than to her

r any other white woman come before him as an object of pity, and the

unfortunate in his marriage, and had a way of judging all our sex by his wife. Liv

oked the day we came, or how satisfied Hugh seemed when he met us at the gate, and said, 'everything was in spendid order,'" and closing her book, the young lady laughed merrily as she recalled the time when she first crossed her brother's thres

mother. "Don't you remember what the servants said about hi

been mighty careful since how he gratified my wishes. Sometimes I believe he perfectly hates me, and wishes I'd never

orthington, "much less his sister, though

ow?" 'Lina asked, an

d you know he abhors deceit above all else. Why, h

came to be so different. He must be like his father, and I like mine-that is, supposing I know

t?" Mrs. Worthington asked,

ir was naturally curly, he said he'd give all he owned if it were so, but I reckon he'll never have his wish. There's too much of old Sam a

e of other and wretched days. Adaline observed the shudder and hastened to change the conversation from herself to Hugh, saying by way of making some amends for her unkind remarks: "It really is kind in him to give me a home when I have no particular claim upon him, and I ought to respect him for that. I am glad, too, that Mr. Stanley mad

ing, a feminine employment for which she had a weakness. "I am not so sure of that. Suppose Hugh should fancy a person whose fortu

"but there's no possible dange

has the kindest heart in the world, and is certai

ed. "It wasn't Tommie, for I found him asleep, and I've been all around the house, but could discover nothing. The storm is beginning to abate, I think, and the moon is trying to break through the clouds," and, going again to the window, Hugh looked out into the

ked in the direction indicated, where a garment o

I thought all the time Hannah had better not hang ou

, and the signal above it seemed to him like a signal of distress. Why should the snow drift there more than

ar room, where, among his older pets, was a huge Newfo

d toward the gate, and bade him see what was there. Snuffing slightly at the storm, which was not over yet, Rover started down the walk, while Hugh stood waiting in the door. At first Rover's steps were slow and uncertain, but as

growl which the wind had brought to his ear was changed into a piteous cry, as if t

something in t