ried toward the
headland, and beat into foam at her feet. Her mind was soothed by
watching the torn waters, as each wave dashed out its life, in a
thousand swirls and white bubbles of foam.
Suddenly she was startled from her reverie by hearing Geoffrey call her
name, and she saw him on the rocks below her.
He looked more than pleased at getting so good a chance to see her
alone.
"Ah, Lord Brompton," she said, coldly, looking at him, but not inviting
him to come up by her. "What has brought you out here?"
"You. I was on my way to make a call upon you, and just as I reached the
top of the cliff I saw you on the beach, talking with a fisherman. May I
come up to you?"
Maggie glanced down at him, and saw that he was dressed with more than
ordinary care; in spite of her hard feelings toward him she could not
help smiling at the thought that he had been prinking all the morning to
look well when he came courting.
Geoffrey saw her smile, and started to climb up to her side.
"There is not room up here for two, I am afraid," she said in a
determined voice.
"I will sit on the sharpest edge of the rock," pleaded Geoffrey.
"It would make me uncomfortable to see you suffer, just as it would to
see anything in pain," she added hastily. "What did it matter to her,"
she thought, "whether Lord Brompton suffered or not?"
"I would not suffer when I am near you," said Geoffrey, a little
plaintively, wondering why he was treated so badly.
"If you came you would not be more entertaining than Heine, would you?"
asked Maggie, looking mockingly down into his gray eyes.
"Damn Heine," thought Geoffrey, as he lifted himself up over the rocks.
Miss Windsor huddled herself far into a corner of the niche. There was
plenty of room for two there after all; yet Geoffrey seated himself in a
most uncomfortable attitude, with his stick over his knees, and looked
earnestly at her.
"He has come after the stocks and bonds," said Maggie to herself, as she
steeled her heart against his winning face and his manly simplicity of
manner. She tried to say something about the sea and the view, but he
looked at her earnestly, and said, in a low, hurried voice:
"Miss Windsor, I have sought you out to-day with a definite purpose. I
sincerely hope that you were not displeased at seeing me. You know why I
wish to see you."
Maggie turned away her head; there was a sincere ring to his voice;
could it be possible that he really cared for her,
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