Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-02
turn her full attention on the far more ,mnorf.


ant work of reforming Arthur"
Lady Best was, however, too much OF dplo-
matist 10 let her thoughts appear in words no
| she must act. maeeuver. watch
of course the first thing next morning Han
nan expressed wish to 20 over the farm and
accompanied by Agatha, she and Lady Best
started on tour Of inspection. Arthur had
| seen the farm dd nduseum he said aud it did
not amuse him; he preferred remaining in the
house till luncheon-time
| With the explanations and discussions which
TINS farming pilgrimage entailed, Lady Bests
| spirits rose and she became thoroughly absorbed
In her subject, rejoicing that she had found SO
congenlal companion and able co-worker as
Hannah. On sudden. however, her spirits fell
to zero-Agatha had disappeared. 'Of course
she had gone to join Arthur; it was q pre-
concerted plan between them," and the mother
as she thought OF it, became perfectly misera-
Bile.
No more talk about gallons of milk, London
market, home consumption. &c. She was tired,
she said, and. ii Hannah did not mind, they
would return to the house They reached the
bottom OF the garden, which lay in front Of the
drawing-room windows. Just as Agatha. accom-
panied by Arthur, strolled up the terrace to-
wards the wood.
The sight was past bearing; this then was to
be the end Of all her loving care for Arthur; he
was TO marry Hannah's pennless companion.
nor dld Hannahs remark as she too perceived
them. tend to calm the excited mothers fears
''Oh. ther are going to have a little chat. l
told Aggy the sooner it was over the better"
"A chat with my son? Has this-this Miss
Burghley met Arthur before?"
Hannah laughed ibid you not know? Oh,
then must not tell the secrets of the prison.
house. But pray don't look so ruetul aunty
mine The secret is not very dreadful
nature"
Lady Best was; however, by no means COM
1Orted Dy this intelligence. arthur had been
carrying on with this girl unknown to her and
hence the reason Of his detection and listless-
ness. Of course the neighbors were right; love
was the root of the evil. And to think of the
ilttle mink forcing herself in here under Han
nah's auspices. Oh. it was too bad-very much
too bad: she had been treated shamefulE!"
And, her heart too full to speak without COM
uniting herself, which pride prevented when she
remembered that this niece had been conniving
to deceive her, she went indoors. up into her
own room, of which she locked the door, and
then INDUCED in the luxury Of tempestuous
burst of tears.
For more than an hour she remained there.
sOb6ing and composing herself by turns, till at
last she heard voices under the window. Care
fully concealing herself, she peeped from behind
the curtain.
There they were, all three talking and laugh
ing, ''wOke-up'' look on Arthur's face which
she had not seen there for months
1t was strange very strange; and as she stood
and watched them she could not make up her
mind whether she had or had not made mis-
take in asking these people to come After all.
II his love for Agatha saved Arthur from de-
spondency and made man of him. she ought
to consider her object gained.
anyway, she made up her mind to be silent
Ior the present and take notes, and so deciding
she washed her face smoothed her silyering
hair, set her cap daintily on her head and went
down stairs, where the luncheon was decidedly
far more CHEEKY than the dinner had been on the
previous evening.
And the days passed on-life at the Cottage
seemed n n Init c mis-
could not reconcile herself to the fact that she
had been deceived; not even though it glad
dened her heart to hear Arthur laughing mer-
rlly, as he sometimes did at his cousins sallies
or to see him take an interest he never took be-
fore in the farm and its workings -z
Agatna's pale beautiful face would come be-
tween the mother and the change her presence
seemed to have effected, and Lady Best felt that
she could never love Agatha. even though Ar
thurs whole happiness was conferred in her.
But II she had lost son she had gained
daughter. for, approaching Hannah's merits as
she did to the fullest, she felt that she was each
day learning to love her more and more MANY
times was it on her lips to tell her how greved
she was at the direction Arthur's fancy seemed
to have taken, but pride held her back.
At last, almost before they could believe in it's
approach, ST. Partridge arrived, and with it a
letter from Mr.. Milton. saying he should be back
IN less than week; that he would take the Cot
tage on his way, see his sister and escort his
daughter home.
What tears and heartburnngs did this letter
produce. Hannah was evidently in despair at
leaving the Cottage. Arthur became as despon-
dent as he was two months ago; only Agatha
seemed to have no regret.
''Oi course not. since she expeces to stay here
always; not with me. though. She will not live
here with me, ragged Lady Best TO herself -"
And in this mood Arthur found her one mornr
ing. when he sought her in the little morning
room she called her den.
He broke the ice without any preliminary
skating over it.
Mother, will it not be a pleasure to you il l
bring you daughter to welcOme!'
Ion, Arthur, if you only knew how 1 have
dreaded this question:
dreaded it; mother? I thought you would
be delighted. =
"How could you? A penniless lackadaisical
intriguing" the rest of her sentence was a
SOB interrupted, however, by an exclamation
from Arthur.
'Penniless-Hannah? Why, her only fault in
my eyes is that she has money, and my uncle
may think"
Hannah! You don't mean to say it Is Hannah
you love! Oh. you dear Arthur-my own bow"
You did not think it was Agatha? Why, she
has been engaged to my old college chum,
Laurence Wlilnot. for the last year They had
little breeze just before she came here. which
l had the pleasure Of making up. | could not
tell you. because the whole thing was secret
on account or his uncle. The old gentleman
however has given in, and they are to be mar
ried very soon"
Lady Best soon forgot all her anxiety and the
unhapplness of the last few weeks in her present
10y; and OF course she promised to negotiate
matters with Mr.. Milton when he should arrive
and she did so most effectualy for he seemed
as pleased as she was; and from the day that
the marriage was finally settled, she began to
unbend and find a place for Agatha in her
capacous heart, showering upon the girl--n
very gratitude for finding that her love for
Arthur was all a mistake-as MANY kindpcsses
and presents as she bestowed on her well-beloyed
Hannah
And when, at last, the two marriages took
place at Milton Hall on the same day, the unin-
i n would almost have thought that Lady
Best was the mother of both the brides.