“‘Take them to the young lady,’ says he, ‘and say it wasn’t just old Storms that sent ’em, but some one else that——’”
“Oh, James! did he say that?”
“Of course he did, and more yet; but I’ll tell you that when we are all alone. It’s sort of private.”
Here the boy made signs, and whispered mysteriously, glancing at his mother, who was retreating to the kitchen with a cloud of unusual darkness on her face. She saw in all these excitements only signs of disaster and separation.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
ABOUT THE ROSES AND VIOLETS.
“Now we are by ourselves, girls,” said James, “I’ll tell you all about it. There was some one else in the garden.”
“Some one else!” exclaimed Ruth.
Eva, blushing vividly over face and bosom, began to arrange the folds of her dress with great earnestness, but said nothing.
“You know who it was, Eva,” said James, with a sly glance. “I’ve seen you walking with him.”
“No, no, James! only as he was coming the same way. Don’t believe it, Ruth. I never did more than that,” cried Eva, eager to defend herself, yet trembling with a sense of shame.