A monster of a bee had been wandering overhead -- buzz , buzz , buzz -- now among the leaves , now flashing through the strips of sunshine , and now lost in the dark shade , till finally he appeared to be settling on the eyelid of David Swan . The sting of a bee is sometimes deadly . As free-hearted as she was innocent , the girl attacked the intruder with her handkerchief , brushed him soundly and drove him from beneath the maple shade . How sweet a picture ! This good deed accomplished , with quickened breath and a deeper blush she stole a glance at the youthful stranger for whom she had been battling with a dragon in the air . `` He is handsome ! '' thought she , and blushed redder yet . How could it be that no dream of bliss grew so strong within him that , shattered by its very strength , it should part asunder and allow him to perceive the girl among its phantoms ? Why , at least , did no smile of welcome brighten upon his face ? She was come , the maid whose soul , according to the old and beautiful idea , had been severed from his own , and whom in all his vague but passionate desires he yearned to meet . Her only could he love with a perfect love , him only could she receive into the depths of her heart , and now her image was faintly blushing in the fountain by his side ; should it pass away , its happy lustre would never gleam upon his life again . `` How sound he sleeps ! '' murmured the girl . She departed , but did not trip along the road so lightly as when she came . Now , this girl 's father was a thriving country merchant in the neighborhood , and happened at that identical time to be looking out for just such a young man as David Swan . Had David formed a wayside acquaintance with the daughter , he would have become the father 's clerk , and all else in natural succession . So here , again , had good fortune -- the best of fortunes -- stolen so near that her garments brushed against him , and he knew nothing of the matter . The girl was hardly out of sight when two men turned aside beneath the maple shade . Both had dark faces set off by cloth caps , which were drawn down aslant over their brows . Their dresses were shabby , yet had a certain smartness .
These were a couple of rascals who got their living by whatever the devil sent them , and now , in the interim of other business , had staked the joint profits XXXXX their next piece of villainy on a game of cards which was to have been decided here under the trees .
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