r her saddlebow.
"Keep that which is committed to thy charge," he said gently.
"Farewell--and the Lord bless you!"
Eleanor had bared her gauntleted hand; he gave it the old earnest
grasp, lifted his hat, and went on his way. Eleanor turned her horse's
head again and found herself alongside of Mr. Carlisle. She rode on
briskly, pointing out to him how far ahead were the rest of the party.
"Was not your friend somebody that I know?" he enquired as soon as
there was a convenient pause.
"I am sure I do not know," said Eleanor. "I do not know how good your
memory may be. He is the gentleman that was my brother's tutor at
home--some time ago."
"I thought I remembered. Is he tutoring some one else now?"
"I should think not. He just tells me he is about to sail for the South
Seas. Mr. Carlisle, Maggie has a very nice mouth."
"Her mistress has a very nice hand," he answered, bending forward to
Maggie's bridle so that he could look up in Eleanor's face. "Only you
let her rein be too slack, as of old. You like her better than Tippoo?"
"Tippoo is beyond my management."
"I am not going to let you say that. You shall mount Tippoo next time,
and become acquainted with your own powers. You are not afraid of
anything?"
"Yes, I am."
"You did not use it."
"Well I have not grown cowardly," said Eleanor; "but I am afraid of
mounting Tippoo; and what I am afraid of, Mr. Carlisle, I will not do."
"Just the reverse maxim from that which I should have expected from
you. Do you say your friend there is going to the South Seas?"
"Mr. Rhys?" said Eleanor, turning her face full upon him.
"If that is his name--yes. Why does he not stick to tutoring?"
"Does anybody stick to tutoring that can help it?"
"I should think not; but then as a tutor he would be in the way of
better things; he could mount to something higher."
"I believe he has some expectation of that sort in going to the
Pacific," said Eleanor. She spoke it with a most commonplace coolness.
"Seems a very roundabout road to promotion," said Mr. Carlisle,
watching Eleanor's hand and stealthily her face; "but I suppose he
knows best. Your friend is not a Churchman, is he?"
"No."
"I remember him as a popular orator of great powers. What is he leaving
England for?"
"You assume somewhat too much knowledge on my part of people's
designs," said Eleanor carelessly. "I must suppose that he likes work
on the other side of the world better than to work
|