Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-13

slowly past saltwater. In n corner Of
the carriage sat Mrs. Coventry, opposite
her was Bah, at the far end Colonel Sey-
mour.
The usual civilities had been exchanged,
and since then the Colonel had been in
trenched behind his paper, keeping it up
as a screen, under shelter of which he was
taking stock of his fair neighbor.
"~Uncommonly fine young woman; re-
". a too pretty to be a governess. If
they have some of Mr.. Bob's chums down
there to stay, there'u be the very deuce to
pay at Ashridge Manor"
AT this moment Bah took possession of a
seat whtch Mrs. Coventry had offered next
to her. The movement attracted her
fathers attention. What a big girl that
child was growing! She would be old
enough to have a governess herself soon.
Pshaw! What nonsense next? and a single
man like him, too! hat would indeed set
people talking. Colonel Seymour laid
was observing and began:
81 hope you are not feeling the cold.
That's a famously warm cloak you have
on"
The cloak was a handsome sealskin dol
man. Good gracious! His voice seemed
some for q governess to wear?: To allay
his suspicious, If he had any, she said:
: at is Mrs. Coventry's cloak; she was
afraid I might feel cold, and lent it to me-"
OF course, he remembered who Mrs. Gov.
entry was; her great friend Kitty had
told him that it was she who had recon-
mended her.
Mrs. Coventry rose full fifty feet in tho
Colonel's estimation. "Ah,1 he thought,
''now that's a very kind action" and he
smiled approvingly, as he said:
''My sister tells me that Mrs. Coventry
is charming-very nice?" and he looked rs
il he expected al emphatic affirmation.
"Yes-oh-I have known her so long that
1 am hardly able to say. She has a great
many friends" In what a sad voice she
said that. Poor girl! The Colonel felt
| quite touched, and drew nearer still, and,
to explain his reason for doing so, said he
felt n draught from the window.
won't you havesyour rug?" she said,
taking one from Bah, and wrapping her in
half her own "Your little girl and I will
share this one"
Colonel Seymour protested, but allowed
his scruples to be overcome.
~ don't him you now Mrs. Lambton,
my sister, do you?"
s.ls she at ali like you?' asked Mrs. Cow
entry, e~vasiveIy. The Colonel smiled.
''Some people think So" he said. He
was not at all displeased at the way she
had asked the question; there was a look
in her face which gave point to the in
quiry.
Mrs. Coventry thinks Mrs. Lambton is
so handsome," she said, naiyely.
"Mrs. Coventry. herself is very good
looking, isn't she?"
cob, she has q lot ol'monev, you know"
and she smiled rather meaningly.
"Not o tenth part SO pretty us you are,
Pile take odds" thought the Colonel, but
aloud he said: 81 nominate women with
money"
mo, really; do your and she sighed
audibly. 81 thought that was ali men
cared women to have"
Pm sure you're not speaking from ex-
perieace now said the Colonel, gallantly.
.'How do you lsnow:' She spoke Sharp
lv, and looked the Colonel SO straight in
the face that he stamulered:
"Oh [ am-juaslns from appearances"
every unsounl policy. People often are
not in the least what they seem to be-"
and she opened a paper as il she intended
to read. ' -..-
ooh, oh! we lave claws under our vel
vety paws, have WEI" thought the Colonel;
and then he betook himself to his paper,
and on they wentin silence.
"Dear me, the train seems TO have come
to a standstill"!' 1t was past three O'Clock
they had been due a5 Ashridge an hour
ago; Mrs. Coventry felt her couragerapid-
ly'ebbing.
"We've chosen a cheerful day to make
our Journey on" Colonel Seymour said.
with u vain attempt to seq the cause of
the obstruction. The windows were
blocked with snow; the carriage was all
but dark.
"What can it be-" she asked %anxiously.
81 really wish we We're all back at home
again"
'.Well, 1 don't fancy that would mend
matters much in my case. My house at
present is all SKIES and sevens; they're
having q general scrimmage there to see
| who shall be master"
sis that why Mrs. Lambton wants you
to" She stopped; her eyes had fallen
on Bah.
"Quite right-little pitchers sometimes
have long ears. So my sister acquainted
Mrs. Coventry, did she, with her philan-
tl1ropic views concerning my future?"
eyes, and she told you thai Mrs. Coven-
try had lots of money, didn't she"
7'Certainly. Oh, the whole thing is ar
ranged charmingly. You will be asked to
witness u tableau Uivant we shall play to-
gether."
1--WE! What, you and Mrs. Coventry?
Disqualification I ask it, which, with all
due respect to the lady, l ave not the
slightest intention Of doing"
"No?I thought that it was because you
had made up your mind to marry that she
| had been asked to meet YOU"
son the contrary, my sister seems to
think that the fair widow intends taking
to herself another husband, and has so ar.
ranged that l should meet her. Wicked
little intriguer, it was only at the eleventh
hour she permitted her hand to be seen,
and then it was too late to change my
plans, or L should not have had the felicity,
| of making this journey in your company"
III.
"Upon my word, you are the very piack :,
Colonel Seymour said, enthusiastically.
He. Bah and Mrs. Coventry were getting
thawed before IL roaring fire in the watt
ing-room of Yoebury Station. Although
it hud struck eight o'clock, they mad
reached no further; and consiaerlns ~ I hae
hurled in u snow drift, from which with
difficulty they had been dug out, Thankful!
;,.d..ad diI they feel that they had reacaeA1