The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-09-12

remain to the end Of the chapter.
But for all her apparent devotion to
Hervey and unprotesting scanctiop Of
his mode of life, Miss Jane. in her secret
soul, was not satisfied. She Thought it
q sin and shame that her grand, hand
some, clever brother should nope away
the best years Of his life in gloomy
library, surrounded by musty folios, and
dusty dead bats and beetles, and other
hateful debris of animal life. She longed
to see him married and filling his
proper place in society, and, not ven
turing to openly express her wishes, set
numerous little traps to catch his un-
suspecting and unwary affections. But
though Miss Jane fancied that she ar
ranged her plans with Machiavellian
diplomacy, they were as transparent as
water to the keen perception Of the in
tended victim. Hervey seemed to know
by intuition when an ambuscade was
prepared, and always managed to cover
his retreat, if not with dignity, at least
with security TO himself and defeat to
the enemy.
But Miss Jane was an inveterate
matchmaker, and pursued her designs
year after year, very hopeful of ultimate
success. despite repeated failure; though
the ninety-ninth matrimonial bait for
Hervey failed, she set the hundredth
with unshaken faith. Miss Treherne
she meant to take the citadel by storm.
Never before had she gone so op enly
and undisguisedly to work; and her
plan would at least have the advantage
Of novelty.
A lady visitor at Davenant Hall the
misanthrope regarded as simple nuisance
which necessitated his leaving home for
as long period as she chose to remain ;
but, as he could generally contrive to
make himself tolerably comfortable in
a hotel somewhere, he did not regard
the arrival of one of James friends as a
very serious disaster. But that there
should be visitor, and that he would
have to remain at home, meet her, and
help to entertain her, was quite anoth-
er thing; how to set about such q task
exercised his mind good deal. Still,
he reflected. Jane was very good
creature, who seldom troubled him in
any way; doubtless her friend was a
very dear old one, or she would not be
SO anxious that he should show her
some attention. She was not dan
gerous from . matrimonial point
Of view-on that head he was
quite satisfed-or she would have
been introduced surreptitiously, and
made known to him without warning.
In all probability she was prim, anti
quated lady, in lace mittens and specta.
cles, probably with extremely religious
views, and perhaps chronic bronchitis.
She would he bore, however-of that
he was morally certain; still, to oblige
Jane, he could, if it were necessary, be
civil to any six of tho most objections
bic of her schoolfellows, for in his se-
cret heart, far down below tho cynical
and misantlropical strata, Hervey Dav-
enant dearly loved his sister.
"This is Miss Treherne, Hervey.
Efie, my love, this is my brother, /"
Miss Jane said hurriedly, inverting the
usual order of introduction in her blind
belief that in Mr.. Davenant's absolute
supremacy.
'How do you do, Mr.. Davenant2"
The misanthrope was stan ding on
the white deecy hearthrug in the draw
ing-room. looking down curiously at q
young girl who knelt there, warming
her hands before blazing fre-a very
slight girl dressed in black, with pale,
golden wavy hair fastened carelessly
with o black ribbon low down on her
neck, bright hazel eyes, delicate col
orous complexion, and sweet, happy
smile. She looked little more than q
child as she knclt in the freight and
glanced up half curiously. half fear
fully at Hcrvey, who after making a
formal bow and muttering some unin-
telligible commonplace on the pleasure
of meeting his sisters friend, stood SOL
enmly silent.
A bright, imperlous, winning little
girl, with half pleading, half-com-
manding voice and wholly fascinat-
ing manner, Effie Treherne rub
bed her delicate little white hands,
and prattled about her journey,
her Impressions of the country,
of Davenant Hall, and every object that
CHANGED to catch her observant eye rs
she was driven from Hailsham. In a
few moments dinner was announced,
and, silent still, with a gravity that was
more sad than grim, Hervey took the
young lady to the dining-room, and,
with politcness which Lord Chester
field himself might have envied, antici-
pated all her wants and wishes. In
her widest flights of imagination, Miss
Jane never pictured such metamor-
phosis in her NOR ose brother; and yet
she was not satisfied. All through din
ncr she was nervous and unhappy /;
there was look of sad reproach
and positive pain in Hervey's eyes
which she could not at all comprehend.
He looked ct Eftie Treherne in . astrange,
thoughtful way, as though he were en-.
deavoring to recollect an old rather
than study new face. Miss Jane was
very unhappy; she feared she had made
some terrible mistake without having
the faintest idea what it was; SO that
between her anxiety and Heryey's 81
lence, the dinner was but q dull affair,
in spite of Effie's lively chatter and flow
of eager, childish questions.
At length it was over. Hervey held
the door open for his sister and her vis-
itor topass, promised to join them very
soon, and then made dash up to his
room, crammed some miscellaneous ar.
ticles into portmanteau, rang his bell
violently, and by the time it was an
swered, forgot what he rang for. kicked
the portmanteau out of sight, and.
returning to the dining. room, rested his
elbows on the table, his head upon his
hands, and indulged in along reflection.
His forty years sat more heavily on him
that night than he ever remembered to
have felt them before; his brow seemed
marked with deeper lines, his very hail
appeared to him to have grown grsyer
and q look of suffering had come intt
his eyes since they rested, three hour
before, on Eflie Trcherne's face in th.
freight. The misanthrope had re-
ceived shock for which Miss Janei
philosophy could in no way account
there wis something at the bottom Of i
she felt confident and so, indeed, ther,
was!
The romance q Hervey Davanent'
somswhat unrc cilntic life, the .
cRek Of his gnmy miaanthropdc
q nptions, nd ~ Lat cosns 4
q eIsprfaes d RON - hiain1