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JI r r Yf S ft JE 1 IT j CHAPTER III Continued V I Has their education been comS com com- commenced S L N asks Ruby with keen an x- x 1 lety Jety V t. t 0 My sister Imagined that that she had 4 succeeded In teaching them their al alU al- al alt t v abet Champley U ph laughs Robert fa but Bob Dob still confounds b and d t. t r t whilst Megs Meg's learning is limited to a afi an n f fi f. f acquaintance with the letter o 0 I f q Dreadful ejaculates Ruby lookIng look- look t t Ing shocked No time must be lost t t I think so much depends upon a childs child's if 4 Early arly training and I know that was tier r t lear dear Claras Clara's idea too f Was It questions Mr Champley 1 eagerly and with his keen eyes fixed Ji w steadily on Ruby as though she had hadJ suddenly turned into an oracle In In J ti r that case I must see about it at once vt c but I 1 must manage to get someone who r will ill make their lessons more than hall half t 1 r.- r. play for they are neither r of them particularly par- par t. strong poor children and I 0 would not have them worried on any j account I dare say eay If It I 1 offer a handsome handt handt hand hand- t some salary I shall be able ablo to get r t w them a governess who ho will listen to tomy tomy my wishes on that point I had better better bet bet- f ter I think advertise for some one about twenty then she will not be beit it above playing with the children and andr r she will not have got soured by buffeting b but but- feting with the world d Oh Mr Champley what an utterly utter utter- utterly f. ly mistaken Idea cries Ruby In real t. t consternation at this most dangerous i 4 suggestion What you want is a of at thorough H woman sixty sixty sixty-a a t kY s Oh no I 1 dont don't dont responds Mr lIr t Champley I am not going to hand handover over ver my children to a martinet He speaks with such unusual decision that that most to wish she ehe 1 Ruby begins heartily 3 had not broached the subject of at edu- edu i cation atlon r o f But girls are so so- inexperienced and v J often so Impatient with children she 4 falters salters It If you are determined to toi i t i. i have a young person would It not be F better to engage some one In the neighborhood who could come to them themy y for a few hours a day That Is a very good Idea as far tar as It It goes answers Mr Champley re- re ret rec c t a Only where am I to find findt find W her t- t t Suddenly a bright thought thought nay nay al almost almost al- al most moot an inspiration strikes Inspiration strikes Ruby Looking Looking- up at him with clasped hands and beseeching eyes she says says says- Oh Mr Champley If It I might only be allowed nil owed to teach them I 1 would with pleasure t h You HYou Miss Wilden says her companion com com- 1 panion anlon in surprise you surprise you Yes Why not not questions Ruby quickly I was their mothers mother's best friend and I dote on children You do not know how much brightness would be added to my lot If It yo you would only entrust me with their education I had no Idea that you had any gift that way I think I have At any rate I know that It It would would ake me me very If send send me Bob and Meg for a few hours three mornings a week week Mr Champley frowns and looks uncomfortable un- un un un- comfortable j I 1 I I really reany could not dream of so far troubling you Miss Wilden he says t with a decided head held Teaching Is 16 very Irksome work unless to the initiated In Initiated In- In I and I do not wish my children to become a burden on my friends Oh nonsense cries Ruby with a I playful smile Dont I tell you that I should enjoy having them Raising Rais Rals- Raising ing her voice a little she calls her t mother to her aid ald Mamma l I am trying to Induce Mr Champley to let 1 r me teach Bob Dob and Meg Dont Don't you II t think It would really do me good to have some regular occupation occupations oi f Of course it would my dear acquiesces acv ac ac- ac- ac v Mrs Wilden cheerfully only cheerfully only I am not quite sure you know much to l' l S teat them 4 II ou see mamma thinks me In Incompetent Incompetent ins In- In s competent says Ruby smiling per smiling per perhaps haps you object to my plan for the same reason Oh dear no laughs Robert ham Kamp jet I have no doubt whatever of f your J shant shan't In that case 1 shant shan't listen to your yourA bats says Ruby archly as she rises A from froza her seat and crosses over to too the piano and I 1 shall consider the matter matter matter mat mat- ter settled Next Monday I 1 shall expect expect ex ex- ex- ex pact the dear children at ten o'clock precisely Then without allowing time for any objection she Ahe he takes the seat which Shell has just vacated and breaks into a brilliant arrangement of lively Scotch airs Robert Robert Champley makes one more effort eUort to free himself from an obligation obliga obliga- I Lion tion which is so e exceedingly distaste distaste- I I k- k v i ful but hla hia not very clear reasons are I quickly overruled by Ruby and her mother so that he leaves loaves the WIlderness Wilderness Wilderness Wilder WIlder- ness that evening with a cloud on his usually placid brow I r wish that woman had more tact he confides gloomily to Ted as haying hav hay having having ing ing donned light overcoats and lighted their cigars they wend the their r way TV ay down the short drive Which woman woman queries Ted In a voice of ot Indifferent wonder I Why Miss Wilden of course Her common sense might tell her that I I would rather have a regular governess for the children It if they n need ed teaching There is nothing in the world I hate more than officious meddling with my affairs and yet there is nothing that one is more utterly Incapable of suppressing suppressing suppressing sup sup- pressing without positive rudeness I say dont don't get waxy over It old boy suggests Ted regarding his brother with some amazement for Robert has as M a rule such an equable temper that it seems strange to find it even In the least ruffled For myown my myown myown own part I 1 thought It awfully kind of Miss Wilden Walden to propose having the kids over she over she seems very unselfish and kind I dont don't doubt for a moment that she Is a most estimable woman responds Robert impatiently but she has no tact no common sense she must have seen plainly that I hated being put under under under un un- der such an obligation If It she insists upon teaching the children I 1 dont don't see how I can prevent her only I shall certainly send her a check at the end of the quarter for her trouble and so make a business matter of It It You cant can't possibly do that that cries Ted In a voice of consternation I am sure sure she would take it as an Insult I If It you want to satisfy your conscience the children could make her some present present present pres pres- ent of f Jewelry or something of that sort I 1 dont don't care so long as she gets paid somehow remarks the elder I brother carelessly and yet with a good deal of annoyance In his tone Ted walks on for some moments in meditative silence then he he says Suddenly Sud suddenly sud suddenly denly denly- I Iwonder wonder what has come over Shell since I met met her last She used to be one of at the jolliest little girls in existence existence existence exist exist- ence and now she seems to be full of selfishness and spite Surely she cant can't have been crossed In love yet nothing else that I can think of would account for the utter indifference which she seems for the world In general Poor little Shell Shell Shell-I I noticed a gr great i change In her too assents Robert dreamily As you say she used to be besuch besuch besuch such a chatty child and this evening her behavior was WM almost rude perhaps she has had something as RS you suggest suggest sug sug- gest est to sour hex her her r I thought she looked quite pretty In that simple white dressI dress I might have thought her pretty If she had condescended to make herself herselt agreeable laughs Ted butt buti since she shedid shedid shedid did nothing but snub me at every turn her hair struck me as being remarkably remarkably remarkably remark remark- ably red and her temper uncommonly bad Wasn't that piece of music an awful infliction awful infliction Excruciating agrees Robert heart heart- ily Hy Her family ought to give her a hint not to inflict herself on visitors or if she insists on playing she should limit her performance to five minutes Oh well I must own It was rather my fault confesses honest Ted She j warned me beforehand that I shouldn't want her to play again if it I heard her once Well she gave us a quantity If It not quality laughs Robert rt Indeed she did acquiesces Ted with almost a groan CHAPTER IV Ruby has now been the self instructress of Bob Dob and Meg fornear for near nearly a month The novelty of her voluntary task ask has worn oft off the children children children chil chil- dren too have taken off orr that feeling of restraint and shyness which caused them in the beginning to sit like little models of patience during the two hours' hours devoted to lessons They ha have ve now begun begun begun be be- gun to realize the fact that their liberty liberty lib lib- erty Is restricted during the morning visits to the Wilderness and both are beginning to regard their disinterested benefactress simply In the light of a Jailer Ruby possesses none nono of those qualities so essentially necessary to win childish hearts she hearts she has no pa patience patience pa- pa tience no tact and not an atom of real sympathy for her young charges One bright June morning Bob Dob Is laboriously laboriously laboriously la la- la- la forming some strange hieroglyphicS hieroglyphics hieroglyphics hiero hiero- supposed to represent pothooks pothooks pot pot- hooks in a very blotted and ard limpy copybook copybook copy copy- book whilst poor 1 r te Mag with an Ji o t r sIl J l i ominous quiver of at her lips Ups It ta fa stand Ing with willi her hands behind her In front of Ruby vainly seeking In her passive little brain for the answer to the oft oft- repeated question question- Now Me Meg Meg wake up and tell mo me like Uke a good little child what Is three times four tour Tree times four tree four tree times four repeats Meg drearily drearily so so often otten has the same question been heen put in the same words that it conveys no moaning meaning to her childish reason Ruby has a way of scanning the morning news whilst she carries on her monotonous string of questions so that her face is completely completely completely com com- hidden from her poor little vic via tim Yes Yes three three times timet four You will stand there until you tell me you know very Well persists Ruby in tones of stern reproach This seems such an exceedingly dreary prospect to poor Meg that her two little fat fists are thrust suddenly into her eyes and she breaks Into a dismal howl I I I r say you say you Miss Wilden you WIlden-you you Just stop bullying our Meg cries Bob sudI suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly turning round on his high perch from which he cannot descend unaided and regarding Ruby with angry eyes eres and a very red face You rude little boy says Ruby throwing down her paper in surprise and regarding the yo young young ng rebel with a a haughty stare go to your copy at once or I 1 will put you In the corner Meg is a naughty naughty girl and if It she does not tell me at once what three times four is I 1 will make her a dunces dunce's cap Meg throws herself upon the carpet in a paroxysm of fright the disgrace to her mind sounds so terrible that her howl changes into convulsive sobs only only only on on- ly stopped when Bob shouts at the top of his voice voice voice- Three times four are twelve Meg Tree times four are twelve sobs Meg from her crouching position and then she goes on with her crying more tranquilly This open rebellion on Bobs Bob's part causes Ruby to rise from her chair and advance ominously towards the culprit I I dont don't care care l I dont don't cries Bob 1 In Ina n a frightened voice You can put m mon me meon meon e I on three dunces' dunces caps If It you like Ruby makes no answer but having r reached ached his side administers a sharp box on each ear I dont don't care repeats Bob whose poor lI little tle face Is crimson at the indig indig- Then you are a wicked little boy says Ruby angrily and as a punishment punishment punish punish- m ment nt you shall do another whole copy of pot I don dont don't t care r reiterates iterates Bob doggedly doggedly doggedly dog dog- gedly as Ruby roughly drags him from his perch Now watch me whilst I 1 set your copy capy and if It you make a blot on this page I shall punish you remember I wouldn't be as cross as you for de whole world remarks Megs Meg's chirping voice at this moment with great ion She has risen front from the carpet and Is regarding Ruby with a mixture of dislike and fear Then there was silence in the apartment apartment apartment apart apart- ment whilst Ruby labors through a whole line of stately pot books she pot she is always very careful about setting the copy well because the copy is occasionally occasionally occasion occasion- occasionally ally shown to Mr Champley She makes a graceful pl picture ture seated on a low chair and with her well poised head bent eagerly over her task unfortunately Bob and Meg are aro not of an age to appreciate beauty as amere amere a amere mere mere study Y Yet t notwithstanding this tact fact Bobs Bob's keen ke-en- eyes are fixed upon I her closely though with no friendly look Presently his keen gaze lights upon a pin hair standing loosely out from Rubys Ruby's heavy plaits Cautiously very very c cautiously he first touches It then draws draw It out and holds it up for Megs Meg's approval That little damsel smiles and dimples with delight Much pleased with Lie ils success he quietly withdraws another pin and then another but suddenly his exultation exultation tation changes Into fright for for forwith with a slow movement the big shining plait comes comes gliding down and fells falls at his feet Oh I didn't mean It he says In a atone atone atone tone of apology but your hair has come off orr Even now he does not understand the enormity of his offense nor can he comprehend why Ruby becomes so alarmingly red as she stoops to pick pickup pickup pickup up her lost property Did you cut ut It off Bob Dob asks Meg Innocently No I 1 only took out the pins and It fell off orr explains Bob who is full of at consternation at the mischief he has wrought You had no right to touch It it says Ruby severely If It your papa only knew how rude you have been he would have you punished This she says by way of at warning the children against repeating this contretemps at home little home little does she understand their perfect love and confidence In th their ir father Her Iter announcement only has the ef effect effect et- et of ot sending tender-hearted tender Meg off oIl into a II spasmodic fit of weeping so distressed distressed distressed dis dis- Is she at the Idea of causing grief to her dear papa To be Continued r j tl J d. i- i I f f l. 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