The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1883-05-12
CHAPTER VII.

IlOllYfOTu nal hecOinT Onrr more n
living place in the county. Colonel
Culhbert and his daughter had settled
down So rapidly In their home, that il
seemed n Il they had been there all
their lives. lie delighted in the Gus
tomary occupations OF an active coun-
try gentleman, and Miss Cuthbcrt. in
spite OF the frivolous disposition which
she attempted to make Maurice believe
10 be her real one. showed neyory way
that she was capable of discharging the
duties incumbent upon her.
She certainly did appear "a be fond
Of gayety, and Holly ord was earning
the reputation Of being one OF the most
hospitable of houses, one where the
most pleasant people were 10 be- met
with, and therefore one Of those 10
which II was most desirable 10 be IN.
yited. There was not n man, old or
young. who did not speak Of Miss Cuih.
tert rs the most charm ny ot girls: aud
there was not n lady who did not think
the Colonel ''quite n dear" and very
far from being beyond the pa'e Of mat
rimonial speculation. All tho gossip
about his past life. which had been
awakened by his temperance two
years ago. had already sunk far below
the surface Of current topics. Tho few
who remembered anyth ny about the
past only referred to i ut rare intervals.
when their memories were stirred by
some passing word or incident. After
all. our good and evil deeds are o much
less permanent interest 10 other people
than we in u vanity are apt TO mag.
Inc. OF course there had l'een n little
shSne-s ut first on the part Of some PEG.
pie, but curiosity Is an excellent mag.
net and the line nature OF the Colonel
speedily overcame all dou Is whi,h
might have been entertained n 10 The
pruprietE OF replacing hisname on their
visiting st.
Throughout this early period the Cal.
thorpcs we're his most frequent guest.
and he ga, more At Calthoue than At
any other hous- lie ked bis old
fr end. notwithstanding hs failings
better known. perhaps. 20 him than ~
any one else. and the 1 ndly fee ngs
which his friends sDn had awakened
when he first saw him increased A. their
intimacy npensd. Laitsrly, indeed.
when together. the Colonel and Maurice
might have been taken for comrades Of
equal age.
Mr.. Calthorpe vas delighted closet
his ewes and sm led compla emily; bis
plans were pro.penng beyond his fon =
est expectations. aud he had no hing To
do nov but TO leave matters to take their
owu course.
lie was rudely startled from this state
OF bcatitude about q week alter that
conversation between his sou and Ark.
wood.
Invitations hal been issued for a larry.
er gathering than usual ut Hollyfori.
the occas m being althoug the TACT was
not generally known NJ s. Cuthbert's
birthday. But Maur CO knew H. and
was 10 have been present. At the last
moment however. a Telegram brought
the intelligence that h. was ~uncxpe1t.
edly detained In London The Colonel
was much disappointed; Mr.. Calthorpe
was In dismay. which he e~ndcavorcd to
conceal by looking very wise AMI nod.
ding his head nly,ly. rs II TO suggest
that he was no: safpriscd. although hs
vas not at liteSy TO enter into an 81.
PLANTATION.
"Hc has 4 very serious affair in hand,
and no doub, that Is the cause OF h $ do.
tention. You know how very anxious
he Is to make way In his profession"
lie looked as " he believed It. but he
WAS made uncomfortable by the idea
which flashed upon him that Maurice
had by this act lost all the favor he
had gained in Miss Cuthhert's ewes
How un %ortunatci'' she "a 4, scarce
" psnsing IN her conversation with Sir
Frederick Powell. the young baronet Of
w oodstow.
The latter gentleman became a source
OF anxiety 10 Mr.. Calthorpe. for he sat
beside the heiress at dinner. and lin.
gered near her in the drawing room.
fro M coNrIsuEnl