Kilmeny of the Orchard

Eric had first seen him in the brook hol- low.

Prompted by a sudden compassionate impulse Eric stopped and held out his hand.

“ Neil, can’t we be friends? ” he said. “ I am sorry if I have been the cause of inflicting pain on you.”

“ Friends! Never! ” said Neil passion- ately. “ You have taken Kilmeny from me. I shall hate you always. And I’ll be even with you yet.”

He strode fiercely up the lane, and Eric, with a shrug of his shoulders, went on his way, dismissing the meeting from his mind.

The day seemed interminably long to him. David had not returned when he went home to dinner; but when he went to his room in the evening he found his friend there, staring out of the window.

“ Well,” he said, impatiently, as David wheeled around but still kept silence, “ What have you to say to me? Don’t

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