The Red Cloud chief., 1884-12-05
LADY MARY MINK.
Ter Agency in Thwarting the
ScEomo Of q Fortune Hunter.

ScEomo Of q Fortune Hunter.
Lady Mary Mink was clever, strong
rlindcd and bad tempered, and She
imagined she held her good-naturcd,
vain old mother. the Counties, Dow
aver Of S"illy. in complete subordina-
tiom. When, Therefore, one morning
ri breakfast the latter informed her
that she had on the previous evening
become engaged To the able youur
actor, Mr.. ~. George ConingSbv. her
IadN>hlp was both surprised and indin-
nant. and expressed her opinion Of the
Countess and the Countess betrothcI
with great vi@or and little cquiyocaiion.
A. long aS the remarks were applied
only Ia herself, the Countess bore them
in her usual meek and submissive man
,~icnouncc Mr.. Coningsbv in all the
terms of her varied and powerful
vocabulary, she suddenly became so
exceedingly wrOth. and used such
strong language. that her daughter
found herself, Ia her ama7rmcnt. com
plrtcly eclipScd. She then felt that she
had zone too far, and that ii would be
wise To Withdraw her observations and
oNprc>s her regret for them. This she
accordingly did. As soon rs her
mothers eloqucnce allowed her an OPP
%portunity. But the effect of her re-
marks WAS not cilaced. Ilenccforth
the Countess bore herself towards her
daughter with 4 GOODNESS and hautcur
10 which that Young lady was not ac-
cua,tomed. and which she did not like.
Lady Mary knew well the handsome
Young actor tn whom the Countess had
become engaged: and. before that event
took place. she had admired him very
much. and even liked him. But since
his engagement she absolutely detestcd
him. His presence was 10 her almost
intolerablc: and when he came. as he
now frequently did. to lunch at the
DowagcrS house, she usually found
some excuse for being from home. De-
c~aSionally she had To meet him; and
then she watched lis behavior very
closely. As far As mere bearing vas
concerned. she had to admit To herself
that he WAS a perfect gentleman. He
was easy. polished in his manners, and
there WAS about him 4 certain statcli-
ness of mein which. though to an I'M
friendly critic like herself, might SAVIOR
Of the stage. sat well on one of his no
BILE and distinguished appearance. But
though in these respects he WAS all that
one could desire. every time Lady Mary
saw him she disliked him more and
more. To her keen eyes ii WAS clear he
was inSincere in his profesSed affection
fD. ia, fond Dnuyounr Araip and
again she saw in the smile he cast upon
his betrothed something which seemed
to her very like a Sneer. She noticed
As everybody but the Countess did
that in company his attentions were di-
rected. not TO the younger and more at
t~ractive ladies. but TO the wealthy. To
another widow of very homely looks.
but of great fortune, Mrs. Blunt, he was
almost as affectionate in his manner rs
towards his betrothed. Before she had
watched him long. therefore. Lady Mary
became convinced (f she had ever
doubted it) that he was nothing more
nor less than an unprincipled fortune
hunter.
Under these circumstances. since she
wished TO believe it. she had little diff
iicultv in p%ersuading herself that il was
not merely her interest. but her duty. to
break off the engagement: and she was
resolved il should be broken off. As to
the means, she felt no scrupleS. If she
find any. be they fair or foul, she
would willingly Use them.
For some time all her observation and
her ingenuity were unsuccessful.
r course of the engaged couples love
on the whole, running very
pth. The Dowager was as warm
eonstant in her affection for Mr.. |
gsby as ever: and if he seemed
han As attentive Is at first. he could |
be considered negligent. For
he came almost every day to
nd not i~nfrequently after he left
ter he would sup with them:
he thought two or three visits
e of the week quite sufficient.
tion (Which Lady Mary at
by TO his feeling secure in
s affections) evidently an
rmed the Countess. She
pect that some one else |
ivances to him, and she |
tturally anxious TO nave |
lrried on. So it was
Mary wanted to pre-
axe some decisive step
regular in visiting as
Iingsby was still very
Rg to his betrothed.
sure as the sun,
to her from him.
es in her mothers
kges of discovery
in order to study