“I hope my brother is not committing an indiscretion,” said Miss Elizabeth gravely.
“Oh, I guess she likes it. And he is one of the managers; he may do as he likes.”
“I am not so sure of that,” said Miss Elizabeth.
“But who is she?” asked Katie; “I think she is the prettiest girl I ever saw—and such a pretty dress!”
“Yes, she is very pretty. She is Miss Langden. She and her father came last night. They are staying at my brother’s. They are friends of Mr Maxwell’s, I hope Clifton has not done a foolish thing in taking her away.”
The little carriage was making slow progress round the grounds, with many eyes fixed upon it, and certainly the handsome young couple sitting in it were a pleasant sight to see. Many a remark was passed upon them by friends and strangers alike; admiring remarks generally they were, and though they did not reach the ears of the young people, Clifton could very easily imagine them. He enjoyed the situation, and if his companion did not, as one observing lady remarked, “her looks belied her.” By and by they came round to the stand again and stopped to speak with Elizabeth.
“I am glad you brought the carriage, Lizzie,” said her brother. “It is a sight well worth seeing, and one gets the best view in going all the way round.”
It was a sight worth seeing. There were already many hundreds of people on the ground. It was a large grassy field, sloping down gradually nearly to the river. The Grove, where the speakers’ stand had been placed, and where many long tables were spread, was toward the upper part of it, but there were trees scattered through all the field, and groups of people were sitting and walking about here and there through the whole of it, and more were arriving every moment.
There was a good deal of bright colour about the “meeting-clothes” of some of them, and the effect at a distance was pleasing. In the lower part of the field toward the right, where there were trees enough for shade, but an open space also, many children were running about, and their voices, possibly too noisy for the pleasure of those close beside them, came up the hill with only a cheerful murmur that heightened the effect of the scene.
“I consider myself fortunate in being permitted to witness such a gathering,” said the young lady in the carriage. “You must feel it to be very encouraging to see so many people showing themselves to be on the right side.”