Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-02-22

were at tea, in the dull, wavering light
of grey November twilight, Stella
Blake crept carefully up stairs to the
library, through the long. dark PASSAGE,
to the = ofiice-room'' door, and, taking
a key from, her dress, fitted it into the
lock, and turned it with quick. reso-
lutte hand. Opposite the door were two
windows set but little more than a foot
apart. and at the right of them q door
that opened into a narrow hall which
ran the length of the east wing, from
which opened two or three small bed
rooms, and two store-rooms for beddiD g
and unreasonable clothing. She stepped
softly across the floor and tried this
door: it was locked. which seemed to
satisfy her. The curtains were buff
linen; she drew them up to the ceiling,
and then kneeling before the cabinet,
which stood at the left OF the windows,
and opposite the wing door. she drew
out one after another of the yellow,
$me-stained papers, and holding them
to the light, devoured them eagerl y with
her ewes.
What. marvellous eyes they were as
they cleaned through the fading light
Miss Montford was certainly not far out
of the way when she called them Gun
canny.n indeed, there was rather a
supernatural look about the entire face
as itz.turned itself to the light, leaning
over sometimes in a sort of feverish
eagernesS till the warm breath on the
glass dimmed the already dim light, but
never once looking up, or down, or
in short, but straight
at the old. old papers. A fierce. fiery
red burned in the cheeks, and the lips
were firm and compressed, and the
scarlet shawl folded over the bosom rose
and fell in Short, sharp unduations.
Suddenly a door opened and shut, and
then slow, careless step came up the
stairs. With the speed of lightning she
thrust the papers back into the cabinet,
sprang across the floor, and out into the
library passage just as the east door
opened, and Alfred DeVries came into
the dusky little otiice-room.' Mr..
DeVries looked suspiciously at the
drawn-up curtains; then he went across
the floor and tried the other door very
much as she had done that, and looking
equally satisfied at finding 1t fast
There is no knowing what she
might take fancy to do, and it's well
enough to be on the safe side," he said.
under his breath, as he took little
bunch of keys from drawer in the
desk, and quietly proceeded to lock the
writing desk, the cabinet and the two
small drawers in the table.
This DONE, he drew down the cur
tains, locked the door on the inside, and
taking the key, inserted it in the lock of
the other door, turned it, went out,
locked it after him. and went down the
passage to the library.
In the meantime Stella Blake had pre-
ceded him.. and when he opened the
library door she looked up at him with
an indifferent glance. from her seat by
the window. "a
Are you book-worm, Miss Stella"
he said, lightly, "that you haunt the
library so? 1t would be rather pleasant
to be book in that case, to be devoured
By such pretty ps."
He said this coming towards her all
the time, and just as he stopped speak
ing, stopped also directly in front of her.
looking down ut the slight, graceful fig
ure, the pure oval of the outlined face,
and the heavy coils of ietty hair encir-
cling her head like crown.
Il never read some books; / do not
think Mr.. DeVries would be in the
slightest danger" she said, coolly, ris-
ing to go out.
"But suppose he courted the danger
what then?"
She was going past him; he put out
his arm and caught her round the waist.
There was ringing box on his ears,
which half stunned him.
How dare you. sirr she cried. stamp
ing her foot; chow dare you insult me
in this WAY Mr. DeVrieS?'' -f 81 ...+.. .
Even through the dusk and gloom he
saw the stormy glitter OF her eyes, and
the angry red surging in her face. How
royal she was in her wrath! How diff
ferent from Althea Montford. For an
instant the thought of wooiDg this little
tempest-of bringing all the fascina-
lions of which he could boast to bear
upon the fiery, passionate young heart,
flashed through his brain alluringly.
But another instant of reflection
showed its folly and impossibility. 1t
would not be very pleasant living in
the house with Althea should he at
tempt such a thing, even if he was sure
that he could keep his present position
with Mr.. Mont.ord. But latterly Vic
tor had shown symptoms of restless
ness. Once he had said that when he
attained his majority, in December, he
wished to be made acquainted with all
the details of his fathers affairs, so as
to prepare himself to take charge of
them at no distant day. He was lit
tie afraid of the straightforward, open
hearted, fearless young fellow. He
could not hold him as he held his father,
by fear and superior will. There
would be but one course left for him if
the boy insisted on taking his work out
of his hands. and that was to marry
Althea. All these considerations ran
his mind with lightning-like
rapidity. No; as much as his inclina-
tions leaned towards it, he knew it
would not be safe to indulge in the lux
ury of winning this fiery little sphinx.
So he bowed very humbly, and said, in
a regretful tone, that he could never
forgive himself for his impertinenee,
and he would try to control himself in !
the future, even if the temptation was
so much greater than his strength"
Stella escaped to her room white and
and falling on her knees,
lifted pale. emotional face to Heaven
in low, solemn-faced VOW; but there