Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-03-15

I
| day. %
81 suppo=e Mr.. Montford will be
willing to give you half his kingdom, he
will feel SO grateful toward you,' she
| said moment after, faint smile strug-
Cling through the tender sorrow of her
face.
| - do not wish for any part of Mr..
Montford's kingdom he replied,
quickly.
''Since you are a king YOUR elf, and
your kingdom is the sea?' she asked.
with bright glance. II am so glad
you are sailor, Ralphr'
| "And 80 am L. wish I was thou
sand league, from land now" he said,
impetuou,ly, striking Bess sharp cut
across the ears with his whip. a if she
were in some way to blame for his not
being there.
! A sudden pale flame shone for an in
slant in Blanche Arnolds downca>t
eyes; or was it pc ssibly the reflection of
the amber glow where the sun had just
| gone DOWN.
There had been something of scene
at Montford HouSe the evening of the
storm, when Mr.. Montford returned and
found Althea had sent Stella up to Ar
nold's in the storm: and only Fannie's
assurance that she had in all probability
stopped with Mrs. Bugbee, as it must
have showed hard when she got there,
and the night had shut down so early,
kept him from starting off up there in
the storm.
1t was not cheerful evening at Mont
ford House. Althea sat at the table and
pretended to read book of poems, but
there was an angry glitter in her eyes
which the spirit of harmony failed to eN
Orcise, and one got the impression that
the melOdious world did not get past
them into her heart.
DeVries was violently laboring very
hard to be perfectly Indifferent. He
had his face we'll under control at every
point, and Victor, who had unconscious
ly fallen to observing him good deal
| of late, could see not so much as the
simplest expression of qualification on
the impassive face. And yet he felt in
stinctively that he was secretly rejoiced
at Miss Blake's absence. and though he
tried to fight back the thought, he was
equally sure that he was hoping she was
out in the storm, and that she might
/ never return. 1t made. him nervous,
this horrible suspicion, as we'll as the
possibility that she might be at that mo-
ment lying white and stiff under the
! snow. He could not sit still, and like
/ his father, more than once resolved to
set out in search of her.
| Fannie, who never saw any dark side
! to anything, was the only hopeful and
contented one among them-I mean
happily hopeful. not hopeful of evil, as
possibly some of them were.
! But the morning brought Stella back
safe.
DeVries was standing by the window
when Mr.. Montford drove up with her.
| He set his teeth hard together when he
! saw them, but he die not move nor
speak as Mr.. Montford lifted her out
and brought her up the steps; only once
he lifted his eyes expressively to Althea's
face, and dropped them again, instant
ly. Perhaps he was afraid that even
she should see all there was in them at
that moment. But a moment afterward
he was congratulating Stella upon her
escape, and looking the impersonation
/ of tender interest.
That evening DeVries and Althea
held council of war in the back parlor.
The rest of the family were in the sit
ting-room, and Miss Blake, instead of
being with the other servants, was with
them, breach OF etiquette of which
Fannie seemed quite ,oblivious. 1t was
nothing unusual for Althea and DeVries
to spend an evening alone, and so no
one suspected the nice little arrange
ment in progress of concOction.
If Mr.. Montford shOuiH marry this
low girl, it would make it very unpleas-
ant for you, dear Althea," DeVres
said. .sIou see these sort of people
are sure to put on airs if they succeed
in getting above their station by any
means, and they will stoop to most any
means"
81 would not stay in the house an
hour after she became its mistress?''
Althea exclaimed, passionately.
"a would not allow you to. You do
not think | would. / hope?" he said, in
his softest tone. But do not like to
think of ner driving you from your own
rightful inheritance"
Inheritance! l will not give up
that TO her. Papa shall give me my
portion"
but, my dear. Allie. suppose she
should object? You see what an inir-
euce she exerts over him now. You
saw as well as the lover like tender
ness with which he brought her into the
house this morning. Do you doubt that
he would do her bidding, what
cNCI IL htIpCuCu W NC, IL SAO
should marry him? The proper
ty is all in his hands, might perhaps
have managed it little different if
had foreseen this thing. 1 think there
was time when he would have settled
certain portion on each OF his children;
at least think had influence enough
to have persuaded him. he glanced
covertly at her when he said this. He
had never yet known just how much OF
the past Althea Montford knew.
A slow. cold pallor settled down on
her face, and her eyes grew hard and
steely in their expression.
You can do it now" she said, in 8:
low, hoarse voice. :" He will not dare
refuse"
"He has refused this very afternoon,
Althea," he answered, slowly. Il
think he is perfectly reckless and indif-
ferent. 1t has been SO long, you know,
since 7
ava, 7 Ennvv che inf