Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-02-27


cess of her letter, aud wrote again to
say that both she and Arthur were par
ticulary fond of pets.
Arthur had read Miss MiltoE's letter,
and merely said that he hoped the dogs,
if they were dogs, were thoroughbred;
he hated everything that was not perfect.
So, till the 9Th of July, the cottage,
whenever Arthur went out-for 1T could
not be expected that he should endure
fuss and clatter-was convulsed with
preparations for the arrival OF the
heiress- niece and her retinue, A bed
room was turned into d bOudoir for her
private use. and two bedrooms adioin-
ing were set aside for herself and her
maid.
The cottage was one of those elastic
establishments with countless small
rooms, capable of taking ia far larger
number of people than its exterior
would lead you to imagine.
Hannah Millions home was in the
north. It would be quite evening be-
fore she would arrive, and Lady Best
passed all the day in a state of feverish
excitement, wandering from room to
room. She seemed to feel that there
was destiny at stake; while Arthur,
the individual who in all probability
the most concerned, was perfectly cool
and collected and passed the hours IN
his habitual placid enjoyment of book.
The mystic shade of twilight was al
ready creeping up the valley when
wheels were heard approaching the cot
tage, and Lady Best went out into the
porch to receive her guest. Fain would
she have persuaded Arthur to accom-
pany her, but he preferred an armchair
| by the window.
At last the carriage is at the door,
and Hannah Milton, having sprung out,
is DANGEROUSLY kissing her aunt.
There is nothing aesthetic or dreamy
about her. She has a broad, plain,
honest, open face, with fine eyes and a
large mouth full of strengthening white
teeth-not the slightest pretension to
beauty, but you can see at a glance that
Hannah Milton is thoroughly good,
kind, sincere woman. Her voice is very
loud, but it has the ring of a true heart.
1t frightens Lady Best, however, as she
thinks, "What will Arthur say? Will
he run away from Hannah, or allow
himself to be subdued by her ?"
In the carriage beside Hannah, half
concealed by bird-cages, Persian cat
and three small dogs of different breeds,
there is a girl-the maid, of course.
The dogs and the cat spring out after
Hannah and the footman takes the bird
cages. Just as the unnoticed occupant
of the carriage is stepping out Hannah
turns round.
sob! | forgot; let me introduce my
dearest friend, Agatha Burghley. OF
course you expected her; she never
leaves me, you know"
Lady Best held out her hand in a
welcome to which her heart did not
respond; nor did she speak, except to
say:
"And your maid, Hannah?"
Miss Milton burst out laughing.
"That is a luxury in which we don't in
dulge-do wo, Aggy? We arrange our
toilets ourselves, and very effective they
are sometimes, eh?''
Lady Best looked again at this COM
panion of whom she had never heard
before. No, decidedly; if she had
known of her existence she would
not have asked Hannah to the cottage.
For Agatha was beautiful, of that re-
fined spiritualized beauty about which
poets rave.
For an indefinite period she had in
vited Hannah, and this companion, this
Agatha, was she also to be their daily
associate for weeks?
The meeting with Arthur, however,
could not be deferred, and Lady Best
led the way into the drawing room.
He was as cordial as it was in his
nature to be in his reception of his cous-
in, but when the same formula sof in
PRODUCTION with which Lady Best had
been greeted was gone through. and
Agatha, dragged forward by her ener-
getic friend, stood before him, with the
pale CLEAN of the rising moonlight on
her face, he started back as though he
had seen a spectre, more in fear than
admiration, as it seemed to his anxious
watching mother.
There was no time, however, for
speculation as to what feeling Agatha
had awaked In Arthur's breast, the
necessities were asserting themselves
and Hannah in her blunt way declared
herself furnishing.
''A rapid toilet and dinner. Come on
Agatha, we shall not keep Lady Best
waiting long," and the two girls went
quickly up into the rooms that had been
prepared for them.
In less than a quarter of an hour they
came back, looking as spic-and-span as
if they had made no long journey. It
was very obvious that the services of
a maid were unnece ssary.
The evening however, was
scarcely merry one. Arthur was more
than usually silent and meditative,
Agatha very tired; she was not sorobust
as Hannah, who was the lively one of
the party and chartered ceaselessly to
Lady Best, who for once in her life was
not good listener. All her attention
was ri7eted on ''that young person." as
she already, in her mind, designated
the somewhat lackadaisical Agatha.
Hannah was very full of the projected
dairy reforms. She loved. everything
that gave her practical tendencies full
vent; but Lady Best was by no means
as keen as she was.
'While they were reforming what
would Arthur and this beautiful Agatha
be doing?" she asked herself. ooh,
If Hannah would ONLY turn her full atten-