hard　to　see　how　red　they　were　with　the　blessed　exuberance　of
  youth　and　health。　Her　feet　apologized　gracefully　for　her　old　and
  ill　fitting　shoes；　and　her　shoulders　made　ample　amends　for　the
  misdemeanor　in　muslin　which　covered　them　in　the　shape　of　a　dress。
  Her　dark…gray　eyes　were　lovely　in　their　clear　softness　of　color；
  in　their　spirit；　tenderness；　and　sweet　good　humor　of　expression；
  and　her　hair　（where　a　shabby　old　garden　hat　allowed　it　to　be
  seen）　was　of　just　that　lighter　shade　of　brown　which　gave　value　by
  contrast　to　the　darker　beauty　of　her　eyes。　But　these　attractions
  passed；　the　little　attendant　blemishes　and　imperfections　of　this
  self…contradictory　girl　began　again。　Her　nose　was　too　short；　her
  mouth　was　too　large；　her　face　was　too　round　and　too　rosy。　The
  dreadful　justice　of　photography　would　have　had　no　mercy　on　her；
  and　the　sculptors　of　classical　Greece　would　have　bowed　her
  regretfully　out　of　their　studios。　Admitting　all　this；　and　more；
  the　girdle　round　Miss　Milroy's　waist　was　the　girdle　of　Venus
  nevertheless；　and　the　passkey　that　opens　the　general　heart　was
  the　key　she　carried；　if　ever　a　girl　possessed　it　yet。　Before
  Allan　had　picked　up　his　second　handful　of　flowers；　Allan　was　in
  love　with　her。
  〃Don't！　pray　don't；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　she　said；　receiving　the
  flowers　under　protest；　as　Allan　vigorously　showered　them　back
  into　the　lap　of　her　dress。　〃I　am　so　ashamed！　I　didn't　mean　to
  invite　myself　in　that　bold　way　into　your　garden；　my　tongue　ran
  away　with　meit　did；　indeed！　What　can　I　say　to　excuse　myself？
  Oh；　Mr。　Armadale；　what　must　you　think　of　me？〃
  Allan　suddenly　saw　his　way　to　a　compliment；　and　tossed　it　up　to
  her　forthwith；　with　the　third　handful　of　flowers。
  〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　think；　Miss　Milroy；〃　he　said；　in　his　blunt；
  boyish　way。　〃I　think　the　luckiest　walk　I　ever　took　in　my　life　was
  the　walk　this　morning　that　brought　me　here。〃
  He　looked　eager　and　handsome。　He　was　not　addressing　a　woman　worn
  out　with　admiration；　but　a　girl　just　beginning　a　woman's　life；
  and　it　did　him　no　harm；　at　any　rate；　to　speak　in　the　character　of
  master　of　Thorpe　Ambrose。　The　penitential　expression　on　Miss
  Milroy's　face　gently　melted　away；　she　looked　down；　demure　and
  smiling；　at　the　flowers　in　her　lap。
  〃I　deserve　a　good　scolding；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　deserve
  compliments；　Mr。　Armadaleleast　of　all　from　_you。_〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　you　do！〃　cried　the　headlong　Allan；　getting　briskly　on
  his　legs。　〃Besides；　it　isn't　a　compliment；　it's　true。　You　are　the
  prettiestI　beg　your　pardon；　Miss　Milroy！　_my_　tongue　ran　away
  with　me　that　time。〃
  Among　the　heavy　burdens　that　are　laid　on　female　human　nature；
  perhaps　the　heaviest；　at　the　age　of　sixteen；　is　the　burden　of
  gravity。　Miss　Milroy　struggled；　tittered；　struggled　again；　and
  composed　herself　for　the　time　being。
  The　gardener；　who　still　stood　where　he　had　stood　from　the　first；
  immovably　waiting　for　his　next　opportunity；　saw　it　now；　and
  gently　pushed　his　personal　interests　into　the　first　gap　of
  silence　that　had　opened　within　his　reach　since　Allan's　appearance
  on　the　scene。
  〃I　humbly　bid　you　welcome　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　sir；〃　said　Abraham
  Sage；　beginning　obstinately　with　his　little　introductory　speech
  for　the　second　time。　〃My　name〃
  Before　he　could　deliver　himself　of　his　name；　Miss　Milroy　looked
  accidentally　in　the　horticulturist's　pertinacious　face；　and
  instantly　lost　her　hold　on　her　gravity　beyond　recall。　Allan；
  never　backward　in　following　a　boisterous　example　of　any　sort；
  joined　in　her　laughter　with　right　goodwill。　The　wise　man　of　the
  gardens　showed　no　surprise；　and　took　no　offense。　He　waited　for
  another　gap　of　silence；　and　walked　in　again　gently　with　his
  personal　interests　the　moment　the　two　young　people　stopped　to
  take　breath。
  〃I　have　been　employed　in　the　grounds；〃　proceeded　Abraham　Sage；
  irrepressibly；　〃for　more　than　forty　years〃
  〃You　shall　be　employed　in　the　grounds　for　forty　more；　if　you'll
  only　hold　your　tongue　and　take　yourself　off！〃　cried　Allan；　as
  soon　as　he　could　speak。
  〃Thank　you　kindly；　sir；〃　said　the　gardener；　with　the　utmost
  politeness；　but　with　no　present　signs　either　of　holding　his
  tongue　or　of　taking　himself　off。
  〃Well？〃　said　Allan。
  Abraham　Sage　carefully　cleared　his　throat；　and　shifted　his　rake
  from　one　hand　to　the　other。　He　looked　down　the　length　of　his　own
  invaluable　implement；　with　a　grave　interest　and　attention；
  seeing；　apparently；　not　the　long　handle　of　a　rake；　but　the　long
  perspective　of　a　vista；　with　a　supplementary　personal　interest
  established　at　the　end　of　it。　〃When　more　convenient；　sir；〃
  resumed　this　immovable　man；　〃I　should　wish　respectfully　to　speak
  to　you　about　my　son。　Perhaps　it　may　be　more　convenient　in　the
  course　of　the　day？　My　humble　duty；　sir；　and　my　best　thanks。　My
  son　is　strictly　sober。　He　is　accustomed　to　the　stables；　and　he
  belongs　to　the　Church　of　Englandwithout　incumbrances。〃　Having
  thus　planted　his　offspring　provisionally　in　his　master's
  estimation；　Abraham　Sage　shouldered　his　invaluable　rake；　and
  hobbled　slowly　out　of　view。
  〃If　that's　a　specimen　of　a　trustworthy　old　servant；〃　said　Allan；
  〃I　think　I'd　rather　take　my　chance　of　being　cheated　by　a　new　one。
  _You_　shall　not　be　troubled　with　him　again；　Miss　Milroy；　at　any
  rate。　All　the　flower…beds　in　the　garden　are　at　your　disposal；　and
  all　the　fruit　in　the　fruit　season；　if　you'll　only　come　here　and
  eat　it。〃
  〃Oh；　Mr。　Armadale；　how　very；　very　kind　you　are。　How　can　I　thank
  you？〃
  Allan　saw　his　way　to　another　complimentan　elaborate　compliment；
  in　the　shape　of　a　trap；　this　time。
  〃You　can　do　me　the　greatest　possible　favor；〃　he　said。　〃You　can
  assist　me　in　forming　an　agreeable　impression　of　my　own　grounds。〃
  〃Dear　me！　how？〃　asked　Miss　Milroy；　innocently。
  Allan　judiciously　closed　the　trap　on　the　spot　in　these　words：　〃By
  taking　me　with　you；　Miss　Milroy；　on　your　morning　walk。〃　He　spoke；
  smiled；　and　offered　his　arm。
  She　saw　the　way；　on　her　side；　to　a　little　flirtation。　She　rested
  her　hand　on　his　arm；　blushed；　hesitated；　and　suddenly　took　it
  away　again。
  〃I　don't　think　it's　quite　right；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　she　said；
  devoting　herself　with　the　deepest　attention　to　her　collection　of
  flowers。　〃Oughtn't　we　to　have　some　old　lady　here？　Isn't　it
  improper　to　take　your　arm　until　I　know　you　a　little　better　than　I
  do　now？　I　am　obliged　to　ask；　I　have　had　so　little　instruction；　I
  have　seen　so　little　of　society；　and　one　of　papa's　friends　once
  said　my　manners　were　too　bold　for　my　age。　What　do　_you_　think？〃
  〃I　think　it's　a　very　good　thing　your　papa's　friend　is　not　here
  now；〃　answered　the　outspoken　Allan；　〃I　should　quarrel　with　him　to
  a　dead　certainty。　As　for　society；　Miss　Milroy；　nobody　knows　less
  about　it　than　I　do；　but　if　we　_had_　an　old　lady　here；　I　must　say
  myself　I　think　she　would　be　uncommonly　in　the　way。　Won't　you？〃
  concluded　Allan；　imploringly　offering　his　arm　for　the　second
  time。　〃Do！〃
  Miss　Milroy　looked　up　at　him　sidelong　from　her　flowers　〃You　are
  as　bad　as　the　gardener；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　She　looked　down　again　in　a
  flutter　of　indecision。　〃I'm　sure　it's　wrong；〃　she　said；　and　took
  his　arm　the　instant　afterward　without　the　slightest　hesitation。
  They　moved　away　together　over　the　daisied　turf　of　the　paddock；
  young　and　bright　and　happy；　with　the　sunlight　of　the　summer
  morning　shining　cloudless　over　their　flowery　path。
  〃And　where　are　we　going　to；　now？〃　asked　Allan。　〃Into　another
  garden？〃
  She　laughed　gayly。　〃How　very　odd　of　you；　Mr。　Armadale；　not　to
  know；　when　it　all　belongs　to　you！　Are　you　really　seeing　Thorpe
  Ambrose　this　morning　for　the　first　time？　How　indescribably
  strange　it　must　feel！　No；　no；　don't　say　any　more　complimentary
  things　to　me　just　yet。　You　may　turn　my　head　if　you　do。　We　haven't
  got　the　old　lady　with　us；　and　I　really　must　take　care　of　myself。
  Let　me　be　useful；　let　me　tell　you　all　about　your　own　grounds。　We
  are　going　out　at　that　little　gate；　across　one　of　the　drives　in
  the　park；　and　then　over　the　rustic　bridge；　and　then　round　the
  corner　of　the　plantationwhere　do　you　think？　To　where　I　live；
  Mr。　Armadale；　to　the　lovely　little　cottage　that　you　have　let　to
  papa。　Oh；　if　you　only　knew　how　lucky　we　thought　ourselves　to　get
  it！'
  She　paused；　looked　up　at　her　companion；　and　stopped　another
  compliment　on　the　incorrigible　Allan's　lips。
  〃I'll　drop　your　arm；〃　she　said　coquettishly；　〃if　you　do！　We
  _were_　lucky　to　get　the　cottage；　Mr。　Armadale。　Papa　said　he　felt
  under　an　obligation　to　you　for　letting　it；　the　day　we　got　in。　And
  _I_　said　I　felt　under　an　obligation；　no　longer　ago　than　last
  week。〃
  〃You；　Miss　Milroy！〃　exclaimed　Allan。
  〃Yes。　It　may　surprise　you　to　hear　it；　but　if　you　hadn't　let　the
  cottage　to　papa；　I　believe　I　should　have　suffered　the　indignity
  and　misery　of　being　sent　to　school。〃
  Allan's　memory　reverted　to　the　half…crown　that　he　had　spun　on　the
  cabin…table　of　the　yacht；　at　Castletown。　〃If　she　only　knew　that　I
  had　tossed　up　for　it！〃　he　thought；　guiltily。
  〃I　dare　say　you　don't　understand　why　I　should　feel　such　a　horror
  of　going　to　school；〃　pursued　Miss　Milroy；　misinterpreting　the
  momentary　silence　on　her　companion's　side。　〃If　I　had　gone　to
  school　in　early　lifeI　mean　at　the　age　when　other　girls　goI
  shouldn't　have　minded　it　now。　But　I　had　no　such　chance　at　the