The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-21

perfect information, precisian in all things
Trained too fine, thought the Colonel.
just then light. swift figure fitted across the
lawn, and bounded in at the window figure all
in white soft white wooden stuff, bordered with
pale blue, the most charming thing in tennis
frocks. This was Grace Darnel, tall slip Of
girl, with sunny. hazel eyes and ripping auburn
hair, lovely mouth, and perfect teeth; other
features inoffensive; true English type.
Oracle said the Colonel, after he had taken
both her hands and shaken them heartily for
minute or so, contemplating the fair young face
with satherly affection, Oracle, they. tell me
you have grown into young lady, and that my
little ROBIN Goodfellow is gone"
s'Then they have not told you the truth, god
father. shall always be Robin Goodfellow for
you, answered the girl, smiling at him.
And then after little pause she said
II am so glad you are come home, more glad
than can tell you"
She said this with an earnestness which half
suggested some hidden meaning The Colonel
looked at her scrutinizingly with his Keen, kind
eyes-eyes that had looked just as steadily in
were gone.
Miss Darnel had glded from the room, and
they two were alone together
why, Grace, that sounds as if you were not
quite happy" he said anxiously.
"Who is quite happy in this worldl' retorted
Grace, with a touch Of petulance ut is an i'm
possible condition We are told in church every
Sunday that we are not intended to be happy
though why we should be born for the express
purpose of being miserable is more than 1 am
able to understand. But am very happy at
having you back again, godfather. There is no
alloy to that gold"
my dearest child, do you not suppose that
am just as glad to return? And now tell me
place since last saw Darnel, and that come
back to you a stranger in knowledge OF your
domestic affairs, though no stranger in feeling.
Tell me about the stepmother."
:. Hush, godfather, we never use the quailhca-
ton step before the word mother. call Lady
Darnei my mother, and by no other name. She
is the first woman who ever gave me a mothers
love You know that my own dear mother died
when was baby, and that have only her
picture to love- There is no disloyalty to her in
being fond of my new mother"
.'Then Lady Darnel is nice; that is a grand
point"
Lady Darnel is simply perfect as wife and
mother; and before you have been in this house
in love with her. Father won't be angry. He is
too proud of seeing her admired"
Il am charmed to hear such an account; and
yet Miss Darnel spoke Of her just now with
certain reservation"
''When did you ever hear Aunt Dora speak of
anyone or anything without certain reserva-
tionl"
But, Oracle. with such mother, and such
father, you ought to be supremely happy"
Grace blushed, and looked up at him shyly
time in every girls life when even father and
mother are not quite all the world to her."
IT understand" said Weldon Stukely; ''there
is a lover in the case"
point-plank in the soldiers hearty voice. seemed
to appal Grace Darnel. She glanced at the
window.
''Not one word; not one BREATH she whisp-
cred, clasping her hands entreatingly 1T is a
secret Nobody knows. My father would never
forgive Hank! there is the carriage. and /
must rush off to dress for dinner"
She was gone before he could say another
word. He went out after her. and met Sir Allan
and his wife in the hall.
Sir Allan had retired from the army ten years
ago, upon the death of his father, from whom he
inherited Darnel Manor and half dozen of the
best farms in the vale of the White Horse. He
had retired invaded, and he was slightly lame
even now from the effects of bullet in Cabul.
Weldon Stukely and he had been together at
Elton, as brother officers had fought side by side
in the Crimea and had borne the heat and bur-
den of the Indian mutiny. They had been COM
rades and friends in the golden days of youth,
and they loved each other like brothers. Their
meeting was full of quiet tenderness, undemon-
strative, as became two Englishmen.
''Weldon, my wife," said Sir Allan, and the
Colonel turned to greet Lady Darnel.
She beautiful woman, in the prime of
womanhoOd, just eleven years Sir Allans junior
The tall, graceful figure the finely cut features,
low, broad brow, and dark gray eyes, had look
of quiet dignity which well became the mistress
of Darnel Manor Not a woman this for the
country to cut, thought Weldon Stuckey. Not
a woman to awaken suspicion in the minds of
the most punctilious of village rectors or the
most prejudiced of squres. She looked like
woman born to command homage, to inspire
affection; an ideal wife and mother.
She was simply dressed; more plainly than
women of her station are won't to dress upon
public occasions; but the fnely-molded figure,
the beautiful face gave Importance to the black
foulard gown and neat little black chip bonnet.
People at Darnel had an idea that everything
Lady Darnel wore came direct from Paris, and
that this simple attire of hers was more costly
than other peoples fnery.
"Catch a woman of that stamp saving her hus-
bands money" they said to each other, over
their afternoon teacupS
Nobody had ever explained what particular
stamp or character of person was meant by this
vague phrase; but it was an understood thing
that Sir Allen Darnel had married nobody, and
that twas in the nature of things he should
come to rue his marriage. The county had not
been taken into Sir Aliens confidence when he
married; the favors of the county had not been
solicited for the new firm; and the county was
therefore of one opinion, expressed freely among
the feminine portion of the community
There is evidently something" said the
county.
''It will all come out before long," said the
county.
Everyone was sorry-laboriously sorry-for
Sir Allan; all the more so because Sir Allan per-
sisted in not being sorry for himself. He went
up and down the village beaming with content.
His voice was the cheeriest in the hunting field.
He was in excellent spirits at Quarter Sessions,
and inclined to let offenders off lightly, from
very joyousness of heart.
''Why should we be hard upon these poor
dev;lsl" he would plead. 'Their lives are so
miserable and ours are so happy"
There will be some painful scenes at the
manor before we are many years older" said the
county. "Poor Sir Allan is an absolute fool;
and wife of that kind will naturally take ad-
vantage of such husbands weak indulgence"
II am told that Mason charges fve-and thirty
pounds for fouard gown like that she wore on
Tuesday" said the Dowager Lady Brumpus
The foulard gown was made by little dress
maker in Pimlico, who had worked for Lady
Darnel when she was Mrs. Stuart; but the
county had its own sources of information, which
were almost always false.