The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-06-09
MRS. LANCASTER'S RIVAL.
II THE AUTHOR OF "A FRENCH HEIREsS
INNER OWN CHATEAU"
CHAPTER vi.
4 VISIT TO FLORA.

SAlA1
4 VISIT TO FLORA.
Dick went to church with his aunt on
Sunday morning. There he saw Mrs.
Lancaster again, sitting in the front row
of the choir, and was obliged to confess
that she had gone off very little in those
ten years. Her complexion was not
quite 50 blooming. but Dick thought the
extra refinement made up for that, and
she certainly dressed much better. In
fact, she looked very pretty aud elegant,
and no one would have imagined that
lhe belonged to her rough old sailor faith
er, who sat halfway down the church.
bristling with red and gray whiskers,
and growing the responses quite out OF
time and tune with everybody else.
Miss Northcote and Dick were over
y aiken by these two, as they climbed the
hill on their way home from church.
Flora was passing on with bow, and
smile for Dick at the end of it, but ola
Cardew stopped to shake hands with
him.
"Well, Mr.. Northcote! You've come
back more of a man than you went
away, if one may judge by appearances"
II hope So" said Dick.
eyes, he does credit to New Zealand,
Cardew, does he not?' said Miss North
cote.
"Good-morniug 'am," said the Cap
tain. II hope you're we'll. The best
thing YOU can do for a young fellow is to
send him to the other side OF the world:
Nothing like it for breaking off old ties"
'eIf that's the only use of it" be-
gan Dick, but the Captain did not stay
70 listen to him.
Mrs Lancaster, who had not stopped
with her father, had reached the corner
lust above, where the turned down to
their own house, and was looking back
for him.
"Good-day to you," he said, flourish
Ing his stick as he hurried on after his
daughter. $3.50, >, =,
al dontt dislike that odd fellow" said
Dick to his aunt. "He used to be very
good to me. What thorough old salt
be is! He must find it hard to under
stand that he is Mrs. Lancaster's father"
"He admires her very much, think,"
said Miss Northcote. II am gladi they
are 50 fond of each other-she and her
parents II she did not take care Of
them they would be very lonely"
"Aunt Kate, that is the first good word
lever heard you say for her"
as it, Dick? Well, l may have
reasons for not liking her, but l never
said or thought that she was without
natural affection"
"No; that would have been rather too
hard on her. She will marryeagain some
day; don't you think soF'
"Verv likely she may"
II still think there are two remarkable
things about her." Dick went on asthey
walked up the lane. "She is so lady
like, considering what her parents are
and she never seems the least ashamed of
'e them.''
"Ladylike, yes," said Miss Northcote
"Taking the word with the meaning that
YOUR grandmother used to give it. Not
a lady, but an imitation OF one"
"Well, of course" said Dick, rather
impatiently. "Not an aristocrat, like
YOU, We doE't think 50 much Of those
things in the colonies"
"Ah, forgot that. Who was your
friend Mrs. HerbertW
eOh. she--an old Norfolk family. No
doubt about her. But there's man al
the next station-nobody knows who hi
wife was yet we are aIlyery friendly to
getheE"
"And there is no difference between
her and Mrs Herbert?'
"Of course, thousand differences
mid Dick.
''And must venture to think, that i
you were to renew your acquaintance
with Mrs. Lancaster now-see much O
her, I mean-you would soon find out
thousand differences between her ant
any lady you know" ,r
"At any rate, she is prettier than mos
Of them"
."Very pretty, indeed; there quite
agree with you. She has that immens
advantage. And as you say, she is no
ashamed of her parents-which one likes
Of course" '~
Dick had not much mere to say in ia
vor of his old friend; it was, indeed,
subject on which neither of them coul'
talk very openly, and they were bot
willing to drop it.
Kate Northcote was vexed with hel
self, and yet could not help feelin
anxious and unhappy. She would lrav
given worlds to turn Dicks thought
from this woman, who might have he
good points, but was, she felt sure, an
bilious, designing, unscrupulous. Wha
could be more natural than that sh
should try to renew the old Irritation
And Kate could never feel sure abou
Dick. As lad he had been very sens
tive to any fattery and attention, an
she could not think his character was er
tlrely changed, strengthened as he migf
be. In fact, she thought him very lnue
the same; his old acquaintance, his oil
amusements. all had their charm for hil
still.
That afternoon Mrs. Lancaster W,