Show u 1 M um aw R i I 1 S dig shell A ROMANCE I 1 J wilden T T 1 aden i ills w CI CHAPTER XI continued A man has baa no ca right to build such a house hoube as this and impoverish his family by so go doing unless he has meana to leave them comfortably fort ably provided for he muses impatiently tills this house must be a white elephant to mrs airs wilden and yet she fihe cannot beir bear the idea of 0 letting it and mon moving ing into a place more suited bulled to her means well I 1 can sympathize with her weakness tor for though the country round looks upon her late husband in the light of a selfish spendthrift I 1 dare say she still contemplates him as a departed saint then no answer having como come to hla hig summons he rings again wondering vaguely at the great stillness which pervades the house presently how hoi ever that stillness to Is broken by the houn hound d of heavy bolts boing being bong beng t ng withdrawn ending wl it a grating t turning urn ing ot of the iron key then the door Is opened and susan stands revealed 1 I it was you sir air through peeping bebide the window blind she explains with a slow broad smile I 1 or else I 1 I 1 ha opened quite right susan agrees mr Cb champley ampley stepping into the hall without waiting for an invitation quito quite right to be cautious I 1 want to speak to miss shell tor for a moment Is in she in ell eh 7 I 1 asks susan putting her hand band behind her ear and assuming a listening attitude for she Is a little hard of 0 hearing and the question ques llon is u uttered tiered rapidly robert champley again expresses his wish tor for an interview with shell and what Is more the old womans comans eyes being fixed steadily on him as aa he makes his demand ho be fools fecla himself growing red as he be makes it when susans susan a face finally into a broad smile he feels that it would afford him h im in finite relief to box her ears miss shell the old woman repeats still smiling at the joke I 1 iler her ton isn t hero here her went away aay two bouis ago went away yent went where demands her visitor looking bewildered her a gone to join her ma and miss ruby sure I 1 explains susan in a tone which denotes that such a question almost merits contempt hers main fanciful is elbs shell and tola this morning she took it into her head all of a hop dop as herd go to the moor and carry along with her the as was wanted so nothing would do but she had me up tip a helping pack tit at six 0 clock and running errands for books to the town till I 1 m fair oft off my legs oh indeed gone to the moor has ham she eho well I 1 am lery cry glad to hear it answers robert champley Champ lcy with a a and unaccountable feeling of keen disappointment I 1 mrs birs wildan I 1 know ft as feeling anxious about her this house Is so lonely no I 1 shant be lonely remarks susan who only catching catch ln the last lart word applies it to herself and her own affairs I 1 ve got permission from miss shell to have up tip my married and her baby to keep me company A very good arrangement remarks robert champley in a slow thoughtful votes voice then he be slips blips a halt half crown into susans hand and reluctantly retraces hla his steps down the weed grown drive I 1 what a will 0 the wisp that girl lal he be muses a little resentfully she might have told me she was going and so saved me the trouble of this most meet unnecessary a alk man ilan like he does not pause to con sider ider that shell unless gifted with second sight eight could have known nothing whatever ot of his intended visit seeing that he himself decided on it only in the early morning he finds his brother still on the grass still half hidden beneath the times I 1 so soon cries ted emerging with a tragic air I 1 opine that your reception was not all lour boar fancy painted it and yet let roe me investigate screwing up one eye in a scrutinizing way you look intact there doesn doean t seem to be a bite out of you probably because miss shell was not at home retorts robert ith a lazy yawn I 1 how flow providential provident lall I 1 if I 1 had bad known that I 1 might hae base gone flut but where has bas the bird ito n I 1 trust not in this direction no fear of that laughs robert v a little sorely she has flown to oak moor 11 what a blessing she didn dian t take wing benoie we nis lettl left muses ted wat hns hats the poor girl lone done to you that ion oil should hite hor bar so asks aska robert with EL a burst of wrath ted raises blai himself gelf on hla his elbow and stares at his bi other in solemn render I 1 I 1 say the morning air doe doean doesn in t seem to agree with ou old boyl boy I 1 he be remarks in a me illative tone 1 I dont ha hate to shell I 1 know she la Is a brick to the children they adore her but seeing that she does nothing but snub me when we meet vi ft ell I 1 dou don t L adore herl her it Is of no use to baste more words on the subject ats robert ampa we a are ara neither ot of use likely to see her again tor for a month or so tant remarks ted placid lv IV it if I 1 couldn coulden t pronounce french better than you do I 1 d stick to englight Engl lahl robrt robert in JL a tone toile of irritation never mind I 1 shall sot set that all right when 0 As o are on the other side bide of the channel returns ted with comic confidence how flow to la a fellow to speak french it he has nover never been abroad lie ile needa t attempt it says robert severely 11 hm m I 1 I 1 think I 1 will retire behind the newspaper till the wind has haa chang ed quarter remarks ted tit in loud confidence to the world in general well I 1 do feel ceel out of temper admits robert in a self deprecating votes voice as aa he bo turns and enters the house CHAPTER XII it to 1 three 0 clock tho the early dinner to Is over at gorse cottage as violet puts puta it the one excitement of the day has baa come to an end before a freshly lighted fire mrs mra wilden sits enveloped in a white knitted shawl she has established herself for an afternoon doze and looks upon the whole tolerably comfortable the same cannot be said of her niece violet who Is established beside the low casement window in a folding american chair with carpet seat A look of utter boredom mart mars her pretty tace face whilst her pale pink costume Is inar eally finished oft off by a woolen antimacassar striped scarlet and black she alia holds a book in her hands but seems to be thinking rather than reading and evidently her thoughts are not like her dress rose colored I 1 good gracious met me cries a laughing voice suddenly breaking in upon the tha silence which has reigned in the room tor for the last halt half hour what Is the matter has everybody got colds or what that you are ara all wrapped up like egyptian mummies shell cries mrs wilden starting out of tier her hall half doze with a frightened look what has happened why have you come only a freak of mine mother dearl dear I 1 just thought I 1 should like a mouthful of bracing airl laughs shell as she kisses her mother half a dozen times and then turns a scrutinizing gaze all round the room mra aire wilden returns the kisses with interest it if one corner ot her heart Is warmer than another shell possesses that corner 1 I was afraid something had bad happened she says ays with her eyes still fixed lovingly on her daughters face but I 1 am very glad that you decided to join us only you might have written dear you are welcome elcome as aa the flowers in may erica cries violet who has left her chair and at this juncture gives shell a cousinly hug only you v were ere an awful goose to cornel comet it if I 1 ever get back to mudford wild horses shall never drag me to a moor again but what la is the matter with the moor asks shell 1 I thought it perfectly lovely as we came along so ao fresh and free and wild and breezy then the village tillage itsell itself la Is so go quaint I 1 could spend six alx lx weeks in sketching it dut but I 1 cn can t sketch you soo see yaino violet and as am to its being fresh and wild and breezy why it is like midwinter I 1 doubt it I 1 shall ever got get thoroughly waxin warm again by the way did you see mi bit Cb champley ampley and did you bring the wraps I 1 asked for 1 I did and what la Is more I 1 brought your vels eteen dress I 1 you thoughtful dar darlinge lingl I 1 believe I 1 shall hall find courage to go out of doors again now you have come we certainly do find it very cold here interposes mrs wilden 8 gentle voice and tho the house bouse Is so scantily furnished that one seems devoid of comfort Com comfort fortl cries VI with a laugh of scorn do those american chairs represent comfort there la Is no couch and no coal box the windows and doors ate aie simply draught traps and the carpets are so full ot of holes one Is in constant danger of tripping walt till you have seen the window curtains ou on a windy night it to la a case of perpetual motion and na as a climax I 1 have only two blankets on my bedl bed I 1 poor persecuted vil laughs shell much amused annibel at her cousins cousin s tragic face fac ahw does ruby stand it and where la Is she I 1 heie hale she comeal comes ree responds ponds VI wb who 0 is standing with her elbows on the broad window sill she has been over at oft seeing to the children As she sp speaks ealis bliss wildau enters the room she slightly on seeing shell but there Is no look of welcome on her face what brought you here I 1 she asks imprinting a ceremony cot emony kiss on shells upturned face the carriers wagon answers shell naively there issues a simultaneous ex clama tion of surprise and horror borror from the ladles present I 1 what in the world induced you to come coma by the carriers carrier a agona agon 7 demands ruby kuby falth ith a face the color of beeL beetroot root the spirit of economy answers shell coolly 1 I found a fly would be twelve and sixpence I 1 dida t feel jus rifled in spending all that on myself so I 1 came with the carrier I 1 and the parcels together wo w only onland one and six you ere er certainly not ju justified tilled in becoming a to us in all md and MW t ing the finger td scorn to be pointer at our poverty tyl I 1 exclaim ruby there was wa only one old woman be aides masolf explains shell mall cal calmly iu I 1 in and I 1 dont think shell point t th finger of scorn because she called callea rot mt dearle dearie all the way and denied seemed a pleasant old body dont dent scold her aubr the chill meant well interposes Inter poso mm with a smile at shell and how dif d you leave things at home dear to be continued |