Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-11-03

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Sies and s III tho lilies 81 tons, md
OF the strange ncanny whispers while.
IS wasrecovering from tho shock. and
of the curious scene in Mr.. Beaufoy's
little room, to bring back ia my mind
the assurance that Twas not the COM
panion merely Of 3 stately and grac-
ious woman, but dangerously enthrall-
ed by mysterious and decidedly
unwholes0me influence. Still, the
situation had its charms. not the least
Of which was the notion that in this
strange fashion / had actuallymet 1T
last the woman who had been SO Curl
ously and so disastrously impressed
upon my youthful imagination. .
The music and the conversation were
interrupted at last by the opening Of
one of the French-windovs.
''Here is Mary said Miss Beaufoy,
still playing, but striking into ) less
dreamy and poetical vein than she had
previously been pursuing.
Irose, and took one look at the girl.
who was fastening the window. It
was very much what l had seen before.
She seemed to be q slender, golden
haired girl, with face as sweet Is the
voice that had struck with such COM
fort to my heart. :~ =. .sz.. e.. .:- ...
She came to me and shook hands.
II am so glad you are able. to come
down, Mr.. Coplestone, she said. We
were afraid you might be seriously in
iured.'' 1, \ II
II think I ought to have been,''
said; ''and I ought to have apologised
before coming up to the door in flash
of lightning: It's fortunate. the cab
did not come up the drive, perhaps. y
my uncle is SO particular about
having the gravel kept neat. We have
so few visitors that Hardy did not uso
his discretion about your cab. 1t must
have seemed dreadfully rude.''
. : I was about to defy all the claims
of veracity, and protest that thought
it the most natural and proper thing
in the world, when Miss Beaufoy broke
in:
''Hardy was perfectly right, Mary"
she said, in the manner of an exasper-
ating governess to q naughty child,
"He was obeying orders. There is no
place for discretion in the matter"
Mary was standing close to me. I
looked at her, and saw q bright spot
burning in either cheek. But she
said nothing.
l felt angry. Why should sho take
this kind of reproof so tamelye The
situation was little strained. 1 en-
deavored to put matters on pleasant
footing by reverting to the music. The
ladies sang few duets, and Miss For
tesque, at my earnest request played a
little. But there was no pleasure fol-
me now. Miss Beaufoy was singular
~ exasperating, and took and made
opportunities for saying unkind and
unpleasant things in way which
aroused every feeling of chivalry with.
in me to stand by the patient, gentle
girl, who seemed under some sort OF
terrorism which prevented her resent
ing these verbal cruelties and Sights.
Once or twice Miss Beaufoy threw
out very broad hints that Miss For.
tescue should betake herself TO the gar.
den to cut fresh flowers for the vases.
But when she was about to meekly
adopt the suggestion, struck in with
some musical proposal which kept bel
with us, till at last Miss Beaufoy, ap.
parently vexed at the presence of q
third person, moved away from thu
piano, saying that she had had enough
of the instrument for that morning.
II can go and cut flowers now, il
you like, Giulia," said Mary Fortescue
alphabetically.
eyes, it GU ght to have been done be-
fore," was all the answer she received
MAY I come with you, Miss For
tescueP'' I asked: IF it will not be
troubling you too much to be my guide
once more"
Il shall be very glad if you will,'
she said, so kindly and sisterly.
"Oh, Mr.. Coplestone," said Giulia
"Iwant to show you the harmonium il
the drawing-room. It's a very fine
toned harmonlum, and we must have
some pianoforte and harmoniuu
| duets"
Il am afraid must beg you to LEI
me postpone the harmonium," said
was thoroughly annoyed by her dom
ineering tone towards her cousin. 81
have just asked Miss Fortescue to LEI
me accompany her into the garden. >
The Basilisk evidently had temper
saw her flash look of fury upon hel
cousin who seemed quite overwhelmed
at being pitted against her.
"Oh, never mind" she said timidly
/ lit doesn't matter at all. ="
IF you will excuse me-" I said, 81
would rather 20 into the garden; thu
air will do me good"
All my distrust came back hundred
fold, for at this very sensible ane
moderate request Miss Beaufoy, I OBJ
served, became as hard and fierce as q
Gorgon.
''You are making a very uncompli
mentary CHOICE" she half whispered K
me. ''rhat is because you are blind,
and Oh, how cruelty she said it!
TO BE CONTINUED.
Small selnshnesses.
Harper's Bazaar: Selfshnesses as ir
ritating as the grasping of the best sea
| and best light and best novel and frs