Page:George Weston--The apple-tree girl.djvu/136

 so blameworthy, and partly because it was the natural thing for her to do, she dipped her handkerchief in the brook and began to bathe the bump on the side of Perry's head.

"That's better," he said in a stronger voice, and looking at her more attentively he added: "You're Miss Marlin, aren't you?"

"Yes," said Charlotte, her voice growing weaker as his grew stronger.

"The girl who beat Lady Salisbury last week?"

"Y-yes."

"Great work!" he exclaimed. "By Jove, I'm proud you knocked me out."

He held out his hand, smiling already as he thought of himself telling the story to his friends, and little dreaming what coals of fire he was heaping on poor Charlotte's head. Indeed, if it hadn't been for the listening group around them she would have confessed to him then and there. They started back to