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Show 1 Shell (1521 I Wilden. f ClIAMKIl VIII (Continued ) BWl flushes crimson the one wish of htr girlhood has been to poies n volcut of Tennyson all her own Yet, now Hit iho stands with tho treasufo In kr hand, a strnnno perversity I makes her feel more than half Inclined to tlruat It back upon the donor. "It It very kind of you. Hob and Mefc" she saya, In a tono of angry lm-patltic; lm-patltic; "but I cannot think of accepting ac-cepting your rresent. Tako It home nd keep It until you are grown up thra jou will be ablo to understand III- "Don't you like It, then!" qucrlm fob, looking anxious and distressed. "Pt thought you would rather have a book; but I'll tell him to send you a watch Instead," This threatened alternative iwunda overy alarming that Shell hastens to "plain to tho children her detestation of watches In general and her unbounded un-bounded admiration nt poet. "What aro you making such r chatter chat-ter and fuaa about. Shell!" Interpose! Itaby, crossing to her sister's side and tiling up tho volume In dispute. "Oh, only copy of Tennyson!" with a. contemptuous con-temptuous curl of her lip nt the plain though handsome binding. "I wonder hit Induced Itobert Chatnplcy lo send yon that! You have not been devoting devot-ing yourself to bit children." "No, I ehould hope not," anewcri Bhdl, with emphasis. "Neither do I riot any present! shall return It" "Ileturn It! What conceited non-enel" non-enel" scoffs Ituby. "I suppose ho thought some slight acknowledgment u due to you for playing with the children occasionally. If you want to aste yourself absurd and conspicuous, of course you will return It." On the next morning the Champlcy household take their departure for the moor. Ituby chances to bo near the deserted lodge of tbe Wilderness when the wagonette containing the two brothers, the children and tho nurse-drives nurse-drives by. She makes a dainty picture, standing stand-ing In the shade, of the chfMnut tree In her pale-blue morning dress, and waving her handkerchief In token of adlau. The guntlatnim raise tbalr v'a na mtl. iticiiiV4r-n Mmi.W mnni -. -.i-iaiit-r--rt.iand) I, r it r uurnt they are out ot slgbj? Twu months of freedom I" thinks 11 brrt Ouampley to himself. "On my rctura borne I must mako other sr-rangementa." In n vulro ot such Infinite scorn thnt Ituby flushes unraally "What nunarnso you talk, Shell!" aho returns angrily "You teem to have tho Champleya on tho brain, We aro going to the moor because mamma Is In nerd ot bracing air Is there anything any-thing mi very extraordinary In that!" "Thoro Is something extraordinary In your having selected tho name village," vil-lage," answers Shell decidedly, "It mamma wants bracing ulr why not lake her to tho North of Dovon!" "Hecauso rooms there would ho frightfully expensive; whereaa the cottage cot-tage on the moor Is a mere trifle," responds re-sponds Ituby loftily. This argument Is unanswerable, for no one knows better than Shell that their Income U not equal to any great additional strain. Feeling that any resistance she can offer will be futile, Shell shrugs her shoulders and leaves the room. Nothing remains to her now but lo etrlke out a separate lino of action for herself. Bho la fully determined de-termined about ono thing wild horsea shall not drag her to Oaktord. When everything la fully arranged and lucking Is at Ita height, Bbcll startles the household, "It will be very awkard having only three bed-rooms," VI remarks In a grumbling lone, for the more she contemplates con-templates six weekt spent away from civilization tbt 1cm she likes the prospect. pros-pect. "Of rourso tho sorvanti must have one; nnd then wo must all cram Into tho two others." "Not nt alt, dear," Ituby hastens to explain. "Mamma and Shell can havo tho big room, and you nnd I a little one each; as for Mary.ahe can do quite well with a chair-bedstead In tho kitchen." "How delightful for Mary I" laughs Shell. "It Is to bo hoped she hat a strong liking for cockroaches and crlckelJi." "Now, pleaso. Shell, don't go setting Mary agnlnat the arrangement," says Ituby Imploringly. "Mamma, do oak her not!" "Don't 1m alarmed," answers Shell, with a curious llttlo Inugh, "I have not the slightest Intention of Intsrfer- ring with any of the arrangement! at the cottage. They don't concern me L lt.ah,lftaan, stneo I shin't be there." t ul bw luvit- wimt-uo-T-jw--,..,-, ' Of rourso you will be thersl" declares Ituby, looking very much aatonlahed. "Not unless mamma Insists upon It; and I am tura aho won't," laught Shell, "At you know, I havo been tot against tho Idea from tho commence first to delightful, now teems t flit H her usually cheerful spirit with a sease. of depression. Until robbed of all com- tM panlonehlp she never guessed what a latssssssvB! sociable creaturo she wat, Happy iflaBK would sho bo It even tho most Inane LtSssBw nnd common-pbeo caller would coma m93?t to break the monotony of ber endless tSSlo dayal Hut It Is understood In ths EjKfjfrM neighborhood that tho family at tho EjEtsATm' Wilderness are away; so from morn tmSSjUhr till night Shell wanders aimlessly fJBws&V- about, with only the gray cat lo bear Hs5Sif her company. RHur7 It Is evening. Shell Is even moro IsssUrliaJ' desolate than her wont. Susan hit BBvEfir asked permission to go Into Mudford to uHBWv make a few purchases, and already MHKvk she haa been nbsent over three hours. HtssKiBfl It It now teven o'clock, and tho empty IssssstiSl house seems to Shell's excited Imagl- ssssssflsQtl nation like a haunted place. Sho 9uk fancies sho hears hurrying through tho saaaaaaaKl passages, A door slams, and her heart 1 stands still with fear. Shell howevor H In not one to give way to morbid feel- Ings, and, routing herself from her 1 book, sho starts on a tour ot Inapec- H Hon through the house, shutting all H windows and securely barring all H doors on her way; then, with a ro H nowed sense ot security, sho returns H to tho drawing-room and determines H to whllo away the time with mualc. H Shell Is one ot thoae sensitive folk Pl who never play so well aa when alone jH she cannot pour her whole heart into H her music when sho has listeners. H Now, with the house to herself, sho H soon become! lost to her surroundings, H and tho room echoes to such heart- H stirring strains as It rarely falls to H to hear. H Suddenly however her muilo comes H to an end, and her heart throbs with B terror, for through tbe empty ball 1 echoes tho sonorous thunder of the H big Iron knocker. Shell's first Impulse Is to take no B notice lo hide herself or lo make her H escape by somo back window; then B ber natural good sense returns, and she laugh! In a nerroiM manner at her H rears and with fast-beating heart ad- HH vances Into tho hall. H "Is that you, Susan!" aho asks, but fH without unfastening the heavy chain. jH There cornea no answer save n vlg- HKVKVJ orous ring at tho bell. HH "Who la thero!" demand Shell, thla HH time In a firmer tone and one moro HH likely lo penctrato tho thick oak H "A raeMengcr from Mrs. Wilden," fll antwcri a voice which It somehow jH familiar to Shell's ears. BVH With trembling hands aho ihoot! H back the heavy bolts, and, taking down HBVH tho chain, opens tbe door, Thero sho H stands pale, big-eyed, and scared- H looking, before Itobert Champley. H "Oh, what a fright you gave met" li jH her first Involuntary exclamation. H "A frlghtl How so! What have I BH done!" queries htr vtatlor, looking H kUMM-nuroTlad, VB "Oh, nothing!" answers Shell, whilst H the ghost of a smile flickers round her still colorless lips. "It was my own BH foolishness; but I was not expecting BHH any one excepting Susan, and your flVssssssI knock frightened mn. I sunnose I BBBB must be getting nervous" with a self- H depreciating little laugh, H "Nervous! I should think sol" cries H Hobert wonderlngly. Us has taktn H her band In greeting, and feels It cold H and trembling In his warm grasp, "Hut H surely you are not alono In the bouse!" H "Only for a short time; I am expect- H Ing Susan back every minute," ex- H platna Shell, who feels heartily H ashamed of her Into weakness. Her vlaltor looks grave. H "You ought not to be left alono In KfftBI a houso like thlt," ho says very do- BBBW -I''""," "'"Mi fii'vl.J UlUiUluat B Hit words remind Shell that ho still H has possession ot her hand -with a H little Impatient movement tho with- draws BBI (To bo Continued.) H |