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Show a mmmmmmmmmmmi 1 5 hell E 1 1 Wilden. m ft CIIAl'TlIIt XI. (Continued.) "A man has no right to hulld such a house as this, nntl Impoverish his family by so doing, unless ho has means sufficient to leavo them comfortably com-fortably provided for," ho muses Impatiently. Impa-tiently. "This hoiiBO must bo a white elephant to Mrs. Wlldcn, nnd yet eho cannot bear tho Idea of lotting It, and moving Into a placo more iiultca to her means! Well, I can sympathlzo with her weakness, for, though tho country Vound looks upon her late husband In tlio light of a selfish spendthrift, I daft) say eho still contemplates him ns ft doTtw,tcd saint," Then, no onBwcr hnvlng come to hla summons, ho rings ngnln, wondering vaguely nt tho great stillness which pervades tho house Presently, however, that Btlllnes Is broken by tho sound of heavy bolt: being be-ing withdrawn, ending with a grating turning of tho Iron koy; then tho door Is opened, nnd Susan stands rovcalcd. "I knowed It was you, sir, through peeping bcalde tho window-blind," she explains with a Blow broitd smile, "or elso I shouldn't ha' opened." "Quito right, Susan," ngTccs Mr. Charaplcy, stepping Into tho hall without with-out waiting for an Invitation "quite right to bo cautious. I want to speak to Miss Sholl for a moment. Is sho In?" "Eh?" asks Susan, putting her hand bohlnd her car, and assuming ft listening list-ening attitude for sho Is a llttlo hard of hearing, and tho question Is uttered rapidly, Robert Clmmpley again expresses his wish for an Interview with Shell, and, what Is moro, the old woman's eyes being fixed steadily on him as ho makes his demand, ho feels himself growing red as ho makes It. When Susan's faco finally relaxes Into n broad smllo he feels that It would afford him Infinite In-finite relief to box her cars. "Miss Sholl 7" tho old woman repents, still smiling at tho Joko. "Her Isn't hero her went nway two hours ago." "Went away went whcroT" do-rnands do-rnands her visitor, looking bewildered, "Her's gono to Join her ma nnd Miss nuby, BUro," explains Susan, In a tone which denotes that such a question almost al-most merits contempt. "Her's main fanciful, Is Miss Shell; and this morning morn-ing she took It Into her head all of a hop as her'tl go to tho moor, and carry car-ry along with her tho wraps as was wanted. So nothing would do but she bnd mo up a-helplng pack nt six o'clock, and running errands for books to tho town till I'm fair off my legs." "Oh, Indeed gono to the moor, has she? Well, I am very glad to hear It," answers Robert Champlcy, with a strange and unaccountable feeling of keon disappointment. "Mrs. Wilden, I know, was feeling anxious about her thlB houfii Is so lonely." "No, I shan't bo lonely," remarks Susnn, who, only catching tho last word, applies It to herself and her own affairs. "I've got permission from Miss Sholl to hnvo up my married nloco and her baby to keep mo company." "A very good arrangement." remarks Robert Champley In n slow thoughtful voice; then ho slips a half-crown Into Susan's band, and reluctantly retraces his steps down the weed-grown drive. "What a wlll-o'-the-wUp that girl Isl" ho muses, a little resentfully. "Sho might have told me she was going, and bo saved mo tho troublo of this most unnecessary walk." Man-like, he does not pauso to consider con-sider that Shell unless gifted with second sight could have known nothing noth-ing whatovcr of bis Intended visit, seeing see-ing that he himself decided on it only In the early morning. He finds his brother still sprawling on the grass, still halt hidden beneath tho Times. "So soonl" cries Ted, emerging with jl tragic air. "I opine that your reception recep-tion wns not all your fancy painted It; and yet let mo Investigate" screwing screw-ing up one eye In a scrutinizing way "you look Intact; there doesn't seem to bo a bite out of you." "Probably because Mies Shell was not t home," retorts Robert, with a lazy yawn. "How providential I If I had known that I might have gone. Rut whero has the bird flown? I trust not In this direction." "No fear of that!" laughs Robert, ft llttlo sorely. "Sho has flown to Oak-moor." Oak-moor." "What a blessing she didn't take wing before vro left!" muses Ted. "What has tho poor girl dono to you that you should hate her so!" asks Robert, with a sudden burst of wrath, Ted raises himself on his elbow and stares at his brother In solomn wonder. won-der. "I say, tho morning air doesn't seem to agreo with you, old boy!" he remarks re-marks In a mcdltatlvo tone. "I don't hato Shell; I know sho Is a brick to tho children they adore her; but, seeing see-ing that sho does nothing but snub me when we meet well, I don't adoro horl" "It Is of no uso to waste moro words on the subject," says Robert, Impatiently Impa-tiently "we aro nelthor of use likely to see her again for a month or so." "Tant mleuxl" remarks Ted, placidly. "If I couldn't pronounce French bet ter than you do I'd stick to English I" said Robert In a tone of Irritation. "Novcr mind I shall set that all right when wo aro on the other side of tho Channel," returns Ted, with comlo confidence. "How Is a fellow to speak French It bo has never been abroad?" "Ho needn't attempt It," says Robert, soveroly, "H'ml I think I will retire behind the newspaper till the wind has changed chang-ed quarter," remarks Ted, In loud confidence con-fidence to the world in general. "Well, I do feel out of temper," admits ad-mits Robert, In u selt-doprccatlng voice, as bo turns and enters the house. CHAPTER XII. It Is three o'clock. Tho early dinner din-ner Is over at dorso Cottage; as Violet puts It, tho one excitement of the day has come to nn end. Beforo a freshly-lighted fire Mrs. Wilden sits enveloped In n white knitted knit-ted shawl; she hits established herself for an afternoon doze, and looks upon the wholo tolerably comfortable. Tho Bnme cannot bo snld of her niece Violet, Vio-let, who Is established beside the low casement window In n folding American Amer-ican chair with carpet scat. A look of titter boredom mars her pretty face, whllat her pnlo pink costume Is Inar-tlstlcally Inar-tlstlcally finished off by a woolen antimacassar anti-macassar striped scarlet and black; sho holds a book In her hands, but seems to bo thinking rather than reading, read-ing, and ovldcntly hor thoughts aro not llko her dress, roso colored. "Good gracious met" cries a laughing laugh-ing voice, suddenly breaking In upon tho silence which hag reigned In the room for tho last half-hour. "What Is tho matter? Has everybody got colds or what, that you are all wrapped up llko Egyptian mummies?" "Shell," cries Mrs. Wilden, starting out of her half doze with a frightened look, "what has happened? Why have you come?" "Only a freak of mine, mother dear'I I Just thought I should like n mouthful of bracing air I" laughs Shell, as she kisses her mother half a dozen times, and then turns a scrutinizing gaze all round tho room. Mrs, Wlldcn returns the kisses with Interest If one corner o her heart Is warmer than another, Shell possesses that corner. "I was afraid something had happened," hap-pened," sho says, with her eyes Btlll fixed lovingly on her daughter's face; "but I am very glad that you decided to Join us only you might have writ ten, aenr, "You nro welcome as the flowers In May," cries Violet, who has left her chair, and at this Juncture gives Shell a cousinly hug, "only you were an awful aw-ful goose to comol If I ever get back to Mudford, wild horses shall never drag mo to a moor again." "Rut what Is tho matter with tho moor?" asks Shell. "I thought It perfectly per-fectly lovely as we came alonp o fresh and free and wild and breazy; then the vlllago Itself Is so quaint I could spend six weeks In sketching It" "Uut I can't sketch, you see," yawns Violet; "and as to Its being fresh and wild and breezy, why, It Is like midwinter. mid-winter. 1 doubt if I shall over get thoroughly warm again. Dy the way, did you bco Mr. Ohampley, and did you bring tho wraps I asked for?" "I did; and, what Is moro, I brought your velveteen dress." "You thoughtful darling I I believe I shall find courage to go out of doors again, now you have come," "Wo certainly do find It very cold here," Interposes Mrs. Wllden's gentle voice; and the house Is bo scantily furnUhed that one seems devoid of comfort." "Comfort 1" cries VI, with a laugh of scorn. "Do thoso American chairs roprcBent comfort? Thero is no couch and no coal-box, the windows and doors aro simply draught-traps, and tho carpets aro bo full of holes ono U In constant danger of tripping. Walt till you have seen tho window curtains on a windy night It Is a caso of perpetual motion and, as a climax, I have only two blankets on my bed I" "Poor, persecuted VII" laughs Bhfll, much amused at her cousin's tragic faco. "ollw does Ruby stand it, and where Is she?" "Hero sho comes!" responds VI, Wiho is standing with hor elbows on the broad window-Bill. "She has been ovor at Mcndowcroft seeing to the chlldron." As sho speaks. Miss Wilden enters the room she starts slightly on seeing Shell, but thero Is no look of welcome on her face. "What brought you here?" she asks, Imprinting a ccremony-klss on Shell's upturned faco, I "The carrier's wagon," nnswers Shell naively. Thoro issues a simultaneous exclamation exclama-tion of surprlso and horror from the ladles proscnt. "What In tho world Induced you to como by the carrier's wagon?" demands de-mands Ruby, with a face tho color of beetroot. "Tho spirit of economy," answers Shell coolly. "I found a fly would be twelve and sixpence; I didn't feel Jus tilled In spending all that on mysolf, so I camo with the carrier I and tho parcels together were only one-and six." "You wcro certainly not Justified In becoming a disgrace to us all and causing caus-ing the finger of scorn to be pointed at our povertyl" exclaims Ruby hotly. "There was only one old woman besides be-sides myself," explains Shell calmly; "and I don't think sho'll point tho finger of scorn because sho called me dearie' all tho way, and seemed quite a pleasant old body," "Don't scold her, Huby the child meant well," Interposes Mrs. Wilden, with a smile at Shell. "And how did you leave things at home, dear?" (To be Continued.) |
