The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-01-07

Estelle managed TO convey her opin-
ion of him to Mary by a rapid little
grimace and shrug of the shoulders before
he came up to them.
"How do you do, Mary? How do you do,
Mademoiselle- really forget your
name"
He put out his hand in an unthinking
way, much TO her displeasure. He ought
only To have bowed; and how dared he 10
forget her name! Her reluctant little fingers
just touched his.
Rivers saw now, and his lips twitched
| with amusement.
"Beg Your pardon, I'm sure. I'll only
bow another. time, he said, bluntly. "Hate
| shaking hands myself; it's barbarous GUS
tom. l suppose you are bound, like me, for
Charlesworth's, Nary"
On her asserting, he turned and walked
beside her, without asking whether his COM
pany was desired or not.
IF you were polite, Arthur, you would
offer to carry my racquet and shoes, OBJ
served Mary, laughing. "You can't imagine
what a bad opinion Mademoiselle Verries is
| forming of you"
He took the things from her, rapidly
| CHANGING up and down Estelle, who looked
bewitchingly pretty under her rose-lined
parasol.
1
smile. 'You see, Mademoiselle, I've no
sisters to lick me into shape"
Estelle was not sufficiently well up IN
English slang to understand quite what he
meant by this; but gathering from the
pleasantness of his smile that it could not
have been anything rude, she condescended
| to answer
"Ive no sisters, or brothers, either" she
said naively.
"Ah i thought So"
"Why?"
Rivers had guessed it from her manner,
which was very much that of spoilt only
child, but he managed to escape blunder-
ingly from telling her so. BY this time
they had reached Mrs. Charlesworth' s
lawn, and with short, "Oh, can't say; in
tuition, suppose, he hastily crossed over
to where the fair, slender Eva Charles
worth was standing, racquet in hand, talk
ing TO the favorite and scapegrace of the
place, Hal Armitage. Neither of these two
particularly wanted him, and after little
while Eva gracefully sent him back to Es-
telle. who did not play tennis. and who had
been left stranded on garden chair, while
the rest of the guests were occupied with
the game. She felt SO neglected and un-
comfortable that it was quite relief when
Rivers came and sat down beside her.
1--WE ought to fraternize, he said, draw
ing his chair rather forward, so as to get a
good view of her face, "since we neither of
us play this all engrossing game. Are you
over in England for long?"
Estelle allowed herself to be gradually
! drawn into conversation, and was getting
quite interested in comparing notes with
him about the Riviera, when an amused,
approving little nod and smile from Mary
| hrnt la 70, ha,. no IN
complete child in many respects, and her
vexation at finding herself blushing was SO
great that the tears started to her eyes.
Rivers wondered what on earth had hap
| pened, but If his manners were abrupt,
his good feeling was rarely ut fault, and
| he SLOWED tact now.
Il brought home no end of memen-
tos," he continued quietly, "and among
them some flowers from Mentone-roots, |
mean-which planted in the garden here
! for Miss Charlesworth. Would you like
TO see them?"
Estelle sprang up, ready to go anywhere
rather than continue to sit with her face
in full view of all the players. She was
sure every one must be looking at her.
But III n very few minutes, thanks 10
Rivers tactics, she was herself again, and
| inwardly determined to pay Mary ont.
dislike to the young engineer, and before
the evening was over her feelings had
undergone further revulsion. She and
Mary were asked, with some of the other
guests, to stay to the eight o'clock supper
ut Mrs. Charlesworth's, and later on there
was a general vote for music. Estelle was
known TO have a beautiful voice, but she
was exceedingly nervous, and could not be
prevailed upon to sing till Eva suggested
that she should be supported by violin
obligdto.
"That would give me courage" Estelle
admitted, land / know this song for voice
and violin; but who is the virtuoso?"
"Oh, my fiddle and / are at home in
this drawing ROOM" said Rivers, coming up
quickly, and drawing-out the case from
under a low settee.
Estelle regarded him doubtfully, max
ing up her mind that she should stop
singing at once if his playing did not
please her. She need not have been
alarmed. He was thorough musician.
and soon she confessed TO herself that
she had never been accompanied with
such instructive sympathy. Her mellow
voice gathered strength and evenness as
she felt she could rely on the response of
his violin to its faintest infections, and at
the end of the song their eyes met in
glance of mutual understanding and ad-
miration.
Hal Armitage turned to Eva Charles
worth with significant chuckle.
"Our good Arthur is smitten," he said
settled and done for"
Eva followed the direction of his eyes,
and appraised Estelle critically.
II hope it may be So" she answered
gently.
CHAPTER H.
For week or two Estelle went about in
frame of mind which is apt to upset the
calmest natures, and which, in girl of her
excitable temperament, took the shape of