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Show H WHIMIIIB I ''' H" Ill I II .111 I !! ! S? I Shell E2i I 1 Wilden. I H CHAPTER VI. M Shell Is In tho now almost disused H atlllroom of tho Wlldorncss. dusting M delicate china tea-cups with a clean B glass-cloth. She Is sinking at tho top BBJ ot ber fresh young voice, as she usual- BBfl ly does when working alone. H "Oh, here you are at lastl" cries BBJ Ruby, entering the room with a vlc- BBJ tlmlzed air. "I have been searching BBJ all over the house for you. Who ever BBfl would dream of finding you down hero BBfl at tho end ot this long passage?" BBfl "Anybody with nn atom ot sense," BBJ answers Shell bluntly. "It you insist BBJ upon asking about fifty people to a BB gardcn-part with only two servants, BB some one must glvo them a holplng BB BB "Absurd afternoon-tea Is no trou- BB ble; but It you choose to encourage BB their laziness ot courso thoy aro will- BB Ing enough to lot you!" BB Shell makes no reply, but placidly BBJ proceeds with her dusting. BBl "VI and I wont you up-stalrs," con- BBfj tlnues Ruby In a dlrfcrent tone. "We BBl have decided to wear those muslins we BBJ had for tho flower-show, only they BB want altering a little, and somo now BBJ laces tacking on." BBb "All right only I can't cpmo Just BB now," assents Shell readily "the flow- BBJ era have to bo gathered and arranged BBJ yet; and cook Is steeped to her cyo- BBJ brows In cakca I promised to help her BBJ as soon as I had finished these." BBl "Oh, but tho dresses must be dono BB first I I'll gather the flowers It neces- BBJ sary," says Ituby In tho volco of n BBJ martyr, "even though going out In the BBJ heat always does glvo mo a frightful BBJ headache." BBJ Shell reluctantly compiled, and Is BBJ occupied for nearly an hour, then hav BBJ lng still many household matters on BBJ her mind, sho rises to tako her do-f BBJ parturo. BBJ "Don't go yet; you know how I ab- BBb hor this sort of work," said Ruby BBb sharply her only work so far has con- BBj silted In watching Shell's daft ncedlo BBfl darting to and fro. "But, Ruby, I must tho tennis- BBJ courts want marking; and I must kcop BBJ my promise to cook." BBJ "Oh, we can manage now quite BBj wsltl" remarks Violet cheerily, "ny BBJ the way, Shell, what are you going to BBJ wear!" looking up with sudden In- BBJ BBJ "IT Oh, I don't know I havon't BBJ thought I" returns Shell carolessly. BBJ "My white serge will do as well as BBJ anything at any rate It Is ready." BBJ "Don't wear stuff, It looks so hot; BBA besides, that serge looks horrid since BBj It was washed," objects VI, who likes BBJ Shell sufllclsntly to wish that sho BBJ should appear at her bost. BBj "My dear VI, don't waste advice on BBJ Shell you know how Belf-oplnlonatod BBf she Is. Deildcs" with a Blight upraii- BBJ Ing ot her eyebrows "sho Is such a BBJ child, It really doesn't matter much BBJ what she wears." BBJ "Just so," assents Bholl, shutting Iho BBJ door bohlnd her; but, all the samo, she BBJ goes away feeling rathor sore at heart, BBJ for there la no small amount ot con- BBJ tempt in Ruby's tone. Though ber BBJ eldest sister has assigned hor nge as BBfl a reason tor hor dress not mattering, BBJ sho knows full well that the tone also BBI Insinuates a vast want ot personal at- BBfl tractions BBI Yet, If she only know It, sho has BBJ a charm all her own the charm ot a BBfl genial spirit and a warm Impulslvo BBfl heart, whloh peeps out ot her cloar BBJ gray-green eyes, and lingers amidst tho BBfl dimples ot her crimson lips. BBJ All that long summer afternoon BBfl there Is no thought ot self In the girl's H conduct. She flits about, finding foot- BBI stools and seats for old ladles, getting BBfl pins and fresh flowers for girls who BBI have como Imperfectly provided, and BBfl generally making herself useful, BBJ "When will you be ready for ton- BBfl nls!" asks Robert Champley, who has BBfl been watching her narrowly, though BBfl unseen, tor tho past ten minutes. BBfl "I nm not going to play," answers BBfl Bhell brightly, as she hurries across BBJ tho lawn with a sunshade tor an old BBJ lady who has left her own at home, BBfl and now finds herself Incommoded by BBJ the ardent gaze ot King Sol. BBfl "But everybody says you play so BBfl well; and yet I have never seen you BBfl touch a racket," ho urges, with a smile, BBfl on her BBfl "Perhaps that Is how I keep my BBV reputation," laughs Shell gaily. BBJ "No but, really, I like to watch good BVJ play; you might bo obliging," pleads BBfl her companion. Truth to tell, be Is BBfl beginning to take a deop Interest In BBfl Bhell, probably owing to tho fact that BBI she seems to take no Interest whatever BBfl In him. BBJ "Well, I will bo," responds Shell, BBS with a ourlous little smile; and then, BVJ walking straight up to an exceedingly BBVJ pretty girl dressed In palo pink, she BpJ cayg gravely, "Nora dear, Mr. Champ- BVJ ley Is most anxious to meet with somo BBVJ one who plays tennis really well, so I BY thought I couldn't do better than BpJ bring him to you. Mr. Champloy BBVJ v Miss Nora Fretwell;" and with a little BBfl nod she proceeds placidly on ber way BBfl having so disposed ot ber oavallor. BBBj Five minutes later she la accosted by BBJ BBS "Isn't It a Jolly afternoon!" he be-BBB be-BBB BB "Yee, only rather warm," agrees BBS Shell, pushing her sailor hat a little BBs farther oft her brow. BBS "Oome Into tho shado and let mo BY fan you," suggests Ted coaxlngly. B "How very klndl" scoffs Shell. "But B I think I won't accept It sounds so B uuoh nicer than It really Is. Fanning B only makes one hotter; and tho midges B are swarming In the shade." B "It seems Impossible ever to say or H suggest tho right thing to you," says H Ted with boyish Impatience. B "If I have been rude I am very B sorry," Shell returns thoughtfully; BBBflk, "bnt all the samo It Is true, you know. BBBB Fanning only cools one for the mo- BBBBV kW - - .SM ment, and ono Is ten times hotter afterwards." af-terwards." As sho speaks Bho saunters on a fow steps by his side, that she may not appear too pointedly unsociable. unso-ciable. "Dy-lhe-way, I had almost forgotten," forgot-ten," remarks Ted, laughing "Hob and Mog charged mo with a commission. commis-sion. I am entrusted with a mysterious mysteri-ous packet, which I faithfully promised prom-ised to deliver Into your own hands;" and from his pocket ho produces a small and remarkably clumsy paper parcel tied up with a bit ot colored wool. "I think there must bo somo mistake," mis-take," says Shell, looking at tho proffered prof-fered offering superciliously; "they probably meant It for Ruby." "On tho contrary, I was particularly cautioned not to entrust It to your sister," laughs Ted. "I believe It Is of an cdlblo nature, and they feared tho temptation might be too great." Shell takes the packet reluctantly, and, standing still for a moment In tho pathway, cautiously opens It, displaying dis-playing to view somo half-dozen chocolate choco-late creams ot a decldodly crushed and not very tempting appearance. For a moment a beautiful and gentle emtio lights up her ovory feature; then sho remembers with a start the part sho Is acting, and asks scornfully "What on earth Induced them to send mo theso things?" "They probably thought you would apprcclato them poor children!" answers an-swers Ted, rather hotly. "Thoy got a box as a present this morning, and wouldn't give mo any peace until I consented to bring you over some. I wish" Indignantly "that I had thrown them away on tho road." "It certainly would bavo been wiser," retorts Shell, as sho ruthlessly tosses tho small bundle away amidst a clump of shrubs. "Children havo such odd fancies." "I don't call that on odd fancy I call It a generous Impulso," corrocts Ted, stolidly. "Uy tho way" looking at her keenly "shnll I tell them tho fate of their poor little present." "As you pleaso," answers Sholl carelessly; care-lessly; and then, knowing tho pain that would bo Inflicted by such a revelation, reve-lation, sho adds quickly "No, I think perhaps you had bettor not. Somo peo-plo peo-plo lmaglno that children are scnsl-tlvo, scnsl-tlvo, and I havo no wish to wound their feelings. In case thoy possoss any." "In caso thoy possess any?" repeats Ted, positively flushing with mingled anger nnd contempt. "You must be very denso It you have not yet discovered dis-covered that those chlldron aro of a keenly nervous temperament." "I know I nm donse," ndmits Shell, with not the faintest show of annoy-anco annoy-anco or resontmont. "As for children, I don't profess to understand them probably because I havo no sympathy with thorn." Ted walks on bealdo her In thoughtful thought-ful silence. It scorns to him a Bad pity that Shell, who used to be suoh a genial, sunny little creature, should have changod Into tho hard callous being be-ing now talking to him. He would llko to account for the phenomenon In somo way, and Is contemplating the possibility of asking hor If alio has boon crossed In lovo, when their toto-a-toto Is cut short by Mrs. Wilden. "8hell dear," sayB that lady, In a troubled toiio, "I wish you would run In and see to tho making of the coffco It Is sure not to be properly cleared If you ore not thoro. Mr. Champley will excuse you, I am suro ho knows that we cannot afford efficient servants." ser-vants." "I am only too dcllghtod to And that England still possesses young ladles who are not nbovo making themsolves useful," answers Ted, In a bantering, teasing tono. "There Is nothing I admire ad-mire so much as domesticity In a woman. Most of our girls are getting bo blue that It will bo a blue look out for their husbands." "Yes, indeed," murmurs Mrs. Wilden, Wil-den, as Shell, with a little tosg of her head, walks away. Dear Shell Is moit useful not very ornamental, but very uieful thoroughly domesticated, and Buoh a gentle, kind creature. I often wonder how I should get on without her." In the mcantlmo Ruby, at the other Bldo ot Uie lawn, Is listening to a pleco ot Intelligence which causes her cheeks to turn pale, whilst she flutters her fan with Increased nervous energy, "You think tho dear children need change?" Bho Is saying in a tono of bewilderment, "I thought they wero, looking remarkably well; and the pets are always In such excollcnt spirits." "Meg Is not well," answers the father doclslvcly, "She seems languid and heavy. Tho air hero Is very relaxing during the hot months; I think I shall take her to Scotland." "Oh, not to Scotland poor child the Journey would bo bo dreadfully fatiguing!" pleads Ruby, as sho thinks with consternation of the Impossibility Impossibil-ity ot Inducing her mother to pormlt her to go so far from homo for already al-ready ber quick brain has formed a plan for following the children. "Yes, it might be trying for so young n child," agrees Mr. Champley thought, fully. "In that caso I must be content con-tent with tho moors or the North Devon coast." "I should Just keep her at home, and send her down by the sea every morning morn-ing Bea-alr Is always bracing," observes ob-serves Ruby, with a feeble hope that hor advice may bo taken. "Mudmouth is the reverse ot bracing," brac-ing," corrects her companion decidedly; decided-ly; "besides, it Is not only tho air the children want a completo change." "01 courso you know best," admits Ruby, with a reluctant and despondent sigh; "but I always think that chlldron chll-dron aro happier at homo than anywhere any-where else." "That depends," remarks Robert Champley vaguely, and .with a sharp sigh. "Oh, yes, of courwl" agrees Ruby eagerly; then after a moment she continues con-tinues slowly, "Howevor trustworthy servants may be, thoy can't understand under-stand overythlng." "Do you mean that the children ar In any way neglected?" ho asks quickly, "Oh dear, no!" laughs Ruby, with a playful head-shake. "I am sure their nurse Is most attentive from all accountsbut ac-countsbut you ought not, for Instance, In-stance, to allow her to choose their clothos. Of course sho has no idea how to dress them how Bhould shs, poor woman!" "They seem very sensibly clothed to me," answers Robert Champley, bat In rather a dubious tone In fact a tone open to conviction. "As long a they aro warm and comfortable, the cut Isn't of much Importance." "But, my dear Mr. Champley, how can poor Meg be comfortable In a dress that allows ot no free play of the limbs? Children ought never to bo hampered by their clothing." "Is Meg hnmpcrcd?" "Almost tortured, I should think, In her last dress. As for Bob, he ought to bo dressed sailor fashion now." "Doar me what nm I (o do?" asks Robert Champley, halt-mocking, half In earnest. "I toll you what," says Ruby sudden. ly "I will mnke clothes for each of them as n pattern. Now pleaso don't protest It will only bo llko the fua ot dressing dolls to me." Of courso Mr. Champley does protest, pro-test, but, as usual, lis protosts In vain; and when he takes his doparture from tho Wilderness that evening he finds himself weighed down by ono mora obligation to Ruby Wtldon. As for Ruby, she Is In great spirits the only thing which troubles her In the matter Is her total Incapacity either to cut out or to make tho clothes In question, seeing see-ing (hat In reality she knows tar leas how children should be dressed than the nurso whose tastes Bho has been criticising. (To be Continued.) |