Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-08-25
Her ENEMY.

cu ulu lie appear 10 his lux uIIOuS sur
roundings, you would not believe he
had been Sir Godfrey Staines, Barth.,
only week-had spent but one night
beneath the roof of Redwood. He
had long faced poverty with the bravest
light and now bore his
unexpected honors as one to the
manor born--unexpected, because the
distant cousin whom he had succeeded
was looked upon by all his friends as a
man sure to marry. Handsome and
fond of ladies society, it was still a
mystery to the world why Sir Henry
Staines had never brought mistress to
Redwood.
The pew baronet lay with his shape
ly head well back among the silken
cushions, idly Watching the smoke
wreaths of his cigar, and planning, like
the keen sportsman he was, the total
discontinue of certain rascality poach-
ers whom his agent complained Of
when there came light tap at the
door.
"Come in"
There entered very striking Choking
girl. Tall, very plainly dressed, but
with figure that Cleopatra in her
youth might have enved; with a class
ic head around which the dark hair
was arranged as simply as possible;
with lheavv-lashed gray eyes that held
peculiar look Of smoldering fire.
''You sent for me?'' she said, briefly.
Godfrey had instlnctively risen and
tossed away his cigar.
'I-I beg your pardon. Whom have
/ the honor To-
"My name is Elinor Scott" slowly,
and breathing freer when she saw the
name was strange to him. Then she
added 81 am your housemaid."
Had she said she was one of the
royal princesses it could not have sur
prised him more.
"Good heavens A servant-you? ?"
"Your most humble servant" She
courtesied low--not in playfulness and
surely not in humility, more likely in
bitter mockery.
Geoflrey took couple of turns in
the room. His housekeeper had begg ed
him to rebuke servant and this was
she! No wonder the good woman had
found her "'orty as duchess"
'If adversely has driven you to this, y
he began, abruptly, "will you not al
low me to help you--nay, hsten-only
to help you to a position more suitable
for lady?'
"Permit me to be the judge of what
is suitable. | have chosen to enter
your service, and so long as ], do my
duty in it suppose you viii not dis
charge meg
"Assuredly not; but"
"Then we will consider that settled.
Now, Mrs. Griffiths told me you wished
to see me in the library; may ask for
what?"
cts of no consequence. Oh, well, II
YOU will have it. 1t seems my good
housekeeper had arranged some kind
of welcome for the new baronet-tri-
umphal arches, tenants cheering, ser
wants drawn up in the hall, and all
that, and that you refused to take any
part IN IT.
81 did"
"Quite right, too" hastily; lawful
bore, that kind of thing Glad | ar
rived sooner than they expected ard
escaped it all. But Mrs. Gritliths has
taken it into her head that you enter
tam some pcCulaI ulSliht III i'o'
No reply.
"All nonsense, of course; but the
good woman is persuaded that you are
my secret enemy"
mo, not secret y Elnor Scott broke
out. eyes, do dislike you. | am
your enemy, and am glad you know
it."
"Why, never saw you in my life
before. You must be taxing me for
some one else"
The girl shook her head.
II cannot have given you any cause
for this resentment" said Geotfrey, ut
terly bewildered. ''But if you fancy
YOU have any grievance against me,
tell me, and | will right it"
II will tell you nothing but that |
am your enemy. / am here to do you
an injury. Now, if you like, you can
turn me away" =.
She looked at him as if she half
hoped to be taken at her word, but
Godfrey Staines squared his broad
shoulders and fairly smiled as he an
swered
''Do you think am afraid of you'
| don't believe you are the kind to put
arsenic in my coffee, and really, do
not see what harm you can do TO me,