The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-07-09
ClIArrER XVII

CHATTER XVII.
To gain Lady Rodncy'S friendship is
a more difficult thing than Mona in her
Ignorance had imagined and she is de-
termined to lp ice itself to her poor lit
tie guest As for her love, whsn first
Mona eyes lit upon her she abandoned
all hope Of ever gaining that
with Captain Rodney and Sir Nicho
las she makes way at once, though she
is a little nervous and depressed, and
not altogether like her usual gay inyoW-
ciuat self. She is thrown back upon
herself. and. like a timid snail, recoils
sadly into her she'll
Yet Nature. sooner or later, must as
sert itself, and after a day or two a
ringing laugh breaks from her or a
merry lest. that does GeOifrey'S heart
good. and brings an answering laugh
and Jest to the lips of her new brothers.
OF Violet ManSergh who is still at
the Towers, her father being abroad
and Lady Rodney being very DESTROYS
of having her with her she knows lit
tie. Violet is cold. hut quite civil. as
EngliShwOmen viii be until they know
Won. She :. besides somewhat preju-
diced against Mona, because being
honest herself she has believed all the
false tales told her Of the Irish girl
OF Lady Rnduey's studied dislike
Mona sensitive nature could not long
remain m ignorance, yet. having a clear
conscience and not knowing IN what
she has offended save IN Clpaying to
the man she loved. even 10 the extent
Of marrying him, she keeps a calm
couutcnauce, and brayely waits what
time may bring.
One day. speaking Of Sir Nicholas to
Lady Rodney, she had as was most
uatural-called him Nicholas But
she had been cast back upon herself aud
Inundated 10 the earth 10y his mothers
look Of cold disapproyal and the empha-
sis She had laid upon the Sir NlChO-
las when next speaking Of him
This had widened the breach more
than all the rest, though Nicholas him
self being quite fascinated by her, tries
earnestly 10 make her happy and at
home with him
About a week after her arrival she
having expressed her admiration Of
ferns the night before he draws her
hand through his arm and takes her to
I
fcruery has been thrown, he being an
enthusiastic grower Of that lovely weed.
Mona is enchanted with the many va
rietieS she sees that are unknown to
her, and, being very much not OF the
world is not ashamed TO express her
delight. Looking carefully through all,
she yet notices that tiny one, dear to
her, because common to her sweet Kill
larney, is not among his collection.
She tells him of it, and he is deeply
Interested. and when she proposes to
write and get him one from her native
soil, he is as glad as a school-boy prom
iSed new bat, and her conquest OF Sir
Nicholas is complete,
And indeed the thought Of this dis
taut fern is as dear to Mona as to him.
For to her comes a rush Of tender joy,
as she tells herself she may soon be
growing in this alien earth green
plant torn from her fatherland
But / hope you will not be disap-
| pointed when you see it, she says,
| gently "You have the real Killarney
| fern, Sir Nicholas, can see; the other
! speak of, though to me almost as love
ly, 10 not a bit like it,"
She is very careful to give him his
title ever since that encounter with his
mother
II shall not he disappointed. / have
read all about 1t, returns he, enthusi.
astically. Then, as though the though,
has Just struck Inn, ne says
why don't You call me Nicholas, as
Geoifrey does?o
Mona hesitatcs, then says, shyly,
with downcast eyes,
Perhaps Lady Rodney would not
| like it,
Her face betrays more than she knows
at doesn't matter in the least what
| any one thinks ON this subject" says
Nicholas, with slight frown ~ shall
esteem IL very great honor if you will
call me 10y my Christian name And, be-
for me, to love me, as | am your
| brother
The ready tears spring into Mona's
eyes, She is more deeply, passionately
grateful TO him for this small speech
than he will ever know
Nov that is very kind of YOU" she
SAYS, lifting her eyes, humid with tears,
to his. And think it will take only
very little time to love you!"
After this, she and Sir Nicholas are
even better friends than they have been
before silent bond of sympathy
seeming TO exist between them.
OF course everybody that is anybody
has called on the new Mrs. Rodney
The Duchess of Lauderdale, who is
an old friend of Lady Rodney's, and