Four Canadian Highwaymen | Page 5

is to become a farmer's wife should make the
management of stock and the tillage of the soil serious subjects of
study.'
'Most certainly,' replied Roland; 'if a girl is to become the wife of a
husbandman the farm should be her great concern. But I was not aware
that Aster had seriously contemplated taking such a step.'
'I presume, sir,' replied the father, his voice quivering with displeasure,'
that there are many of my daughter's affairs which she does not feel
bound to disclose to strangers.'
'I had thought that I might congratulate myself as one upon the list of
your daughter's friends. Was I not right, Aster?
'I always felt great pleasure, Mr. Gray, in regarding you as my friend,
as one of my most sincere friends. Her colour had risen as she ended
this sentence; and there was a slight tone of defiance in her voice.
'A fact of which I was not aware,' her father replied, with still rising
choler.
'But you should not be too hard upon Aster,' put in Mr. Ham. 'Girls
thoughtlessly form friendships. You'll forgive her, I know, for this
indiscretion.' Aster turned upon him a look of infinite scorn.
'There is one indiscretion at least, Mr. Ham, for which my father will
never have to pardon me.'
'And what is that, pray, Aster?'
'For counting you upon my list of friends, sir.'
'Leave the room instantly, Aster,' her father almost shouted, while his
face was purple with rage.
When the girl withdrew Roland turned, and bowing to the host, said:
'Your conduct and your tone, sir, towards myself are so extraordinary,

so inexplicable, and so unmerited, that there is nothing for me but to
withdraw. As for this person, Mr. Ham, whom you admit to terms of
such intimacy, nothing, I assure you, but the sacred shield of your
household could have saved him from the punishment which his
insolence deserves. However, he will not always be able to shelter
himself by these walls, and by the presence of the inmates. I bid you
good morning.' So saying he walked out of the room and into the
garden where sat Aster, flushed, nervous and miserable.
'I came to say good-bye, Aster; after all that has happened it is
impossible for me to remain.'
'I am sure,' the girl said, 'that Mr. Ham must have prejudiced my father
against you or he never would have adopted such language and such a
manner towards his guest. I feel quite certain that it was not the swamp
they were discussing while alone together this afternoon, but your
character. From what I surmise of Mr. Ham I believe him capable of
traducing you; of actually inventing charges against your reputation.'
'Could he be so infamous? This is surely not possible.'
'But it is possible; and this is the man with whom my poor father, who
really has my interests at heart, would have me link my life. For the
past four years his wishes in this respect have been horribly plain to me.
Oh, it is very dreadful, Mr. Gray; and it will be still worse for me now
that you, my friend, must henceforth be estranged from our house.'
'But you will not marry that man, Aster, dear?' He was looking
wistfully into her beautiful eyes.
'Oh, no; I shall never do it of my own free will.'
'Farewell, Aster. Though estranged from your father and your house,
fate may some time be kind enough to let me see you. Farewell.' And
taking her hand into his he raised it reverently, tenderly, to his lips, and
imprinted upon it a warm kiss. Then he arose, bowed and went away.
For many a bitter day afterwards he remembered the mute misery in her
look as he left the garden.

That evening Roland sought out an old Eton schoolfellow, whom he
found smoking on the lawn of his uncle's house.'
'Why, you seem rather excited, old fellow; what is wrong? I thought
that the fair Aster had a monopoly of your company for this evening.'
'Yes; it had been so arranged. But I found that cad, Ham, there, and he
saw fit to insult me. You can now guess, I suppose, the nature of my
mission.'
'Hem; things are really serious then. Do you want me to help you
through with the affair?'
'If you will, old fellow. My wish is that you wait upon this person in the
morning, that he may name a friend with whom you can arrange the
meeting. Let it not be later than the following morning. He has, of
course, his choice of sword or pistol.'
'I doubt if the man will fight.'
'Then nothing will remain for me but the loathsome job of giving him a
horse-whipping. And I presume that