FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   >>   >|  
. Jukes had prepared for his use. CHAPTER VII MENDING THINGS Weary though he was, Douglas found it difficult to get to sleep. He thought over the various events of the day, and was not altogether dissatisfied with the results. He had made a beginning, anyway, and he hoped that events would so shape themselves that he might soon be able to get to the heart of the Church trouble, whatever it might be. He had not yet spoken to Jake about the matter, thinking it best to wait for a day or two, or until a favourable opportunity should occur. Then the music he had heard down by the river kept running through his mind, and, try as he might, he could not silence the sound. He saw again that slight, graceful figure standing near the tree, drawing the bow skilfully across the strings of the violin. Where had she learned to play in such a manner? he asked himself. He was surprised that Rixton could produce such a musician. Was she engaged to that young man? he wondered, and, if so, what was the cause of her strange behaviour when they met? It was late when he at last fell asleep, and he dreamed of a herd of wild cattle chasing a beautiful woman through a big field, while he and Jake were unable to go to her assistance. When he awoke in the morning the rain was pelting down upon the roof overhead. The sound filled him with a sense of deep satisfaction and brought back childhood days when he had listened to the same music in the little room in his old home. He was glad that it was raining, as he was feeling sore after yesterday's work, and he longed for a little rest from the labour of the hay field. Early though it was, Jake was already astir. He heard him making the fire in the kitchen stove, then the rattle of milk pails, and the bang of the door as he left for the barn. Douglas tumbled out of bed, dressed, and in a few minutes was at the stable. "What! You here?" Jake asked in surprise, as he paused in the act of picking up a milking-stool. "Certainly, and why not?" Douglas replied. "Oh, I didn't expect ye to be up so early, that's all. All the hired men I've ever had waited to be called." "Why didn't you call me?" "Thought I'd let ye sleep, as ye had a hard day of it yesterday. And, besides, it's rainin', so we can't do much to-day." "Rain or no rain, tired or not tired, I am going to do my share while I'm here," Douglas quietly remarked, as he picked up a pail and a stool. "I don
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Douglas

 

yesterday

 

events

 
rattle
 

kitchen

 
making
 

feeling

 

childhood

 
listened
 
brought

filled

 

satisfaction

 
longed
 
labour
 
raining
 

rainin

 

Thought

 

remarked

 

quietly

 
picked

called

 
waited
 

surprise

 

paused

 

picking

 

stable

 
dressed
 
minutes
 

milking

 

Certainly


overhead

 

replied

 

expect

 

tumbled

 

favourable

 

thinking

 

matter

 
trouble
 

spoken

 

opportunity


silence
 

slight

 
running
 
Church
 
difficult
 

thought

 

THINGS

 
MENDING
 
prepared
 

CHAPTER