The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-12-14
THE LAST
THE NUGENTS.
ny rHE AUTHOR OF "swEkruEAKrs.

sOh, I know what they've come forl''
he answered, reddening \ little. aBut
then, you know,motheD / don't wish Jolly
to be worried about it. She seems so
thoroughly impressed with the fact that
We Culverton's are unlucky in our mar
riages, and the story of her aunt's love for
my father, has taken such n hold upon her
that q very little attention to me on Miss
Fox's part will, / am afraid, make Dolly
very restless and unhappy. 1 suggested
this morning that we should be married
at once-in n week or SO; bur she was ut-
willing TODD that-afraid Of tsalhg laughed
at, | fancy. So / have promised her that
if she is at all Uneasy in regard to these
peoples behavior, | will go to the Lodge
and stay there until the end Of Septem-
Der"
"You are a good boy, Bertie,S said Mre'
Nugent with tears IN her eyes.
C~uleeitoh possessed himseifof her hand
and went on with his story, at the point Of
which he was Just arriving.
'.Bht, you know, mother dear, it's very
hard upon me to have to go to a lonely
house in the Highlands for some two
months. Now don't you honestly think ii
isl"
"Well. yes; it is-very hard,' she ad-
mitted.
Then don't you think you might per-
suade the Squire to bring Dolly up there
for a few weeks! / am sure you could if
you tried" s
ut might be managed, she answered,
smiling at the roundabout way in which
he had reached his point. I'll do the best
l a for you. BERTHE; only take care of
my darling. Your father was very much
in love with Dolly's aunt"
"But he was six years younger than l
am; and l have the result of his love-
match before me. / wonder how many
times he wished for his first love back
again7 Besides that, l have seen Her.
mione constantly during the past three
years. / have not seen Dolly for five"
II do not doubt you for n moment" cried
Mrs. Nugent hastily-'not for e momentl
You must not think that"
.Thank you" scid Culverton gratefully.
In the excitement of Jasper's return the
newcomers were almost forgotten; and
so three days passed, until Sunday once
more came round. 1t happened that Mrs.
Nugent, keeping in mind that Mrs. and
Miss Cave-Fox had come to Dean Ella for
the sole purpose of securing that splendid
matrimonial prize the Earl of Culverton.
if it was possible for them to do so. had
not been outside her own gardens on foot,
in order that she might put off the evil
day of me ting them as long as possible.
In furtherance of the same project, she
suggested to the Squire that, since the
morning was so fine, she should really
like to drive over to Allathoipe to hear
Mr.. lPaget p~reach--she could trust Dolly,
she knew, to keep out of their way. And
cN ,,,c{ ~ hale ,>nct NV, s,lnnl ,ct,u %ln
bells had ceased chiming-Dolly with Gull
verton and Jasper, went up the narrow
c~hurch-yard path and entered the edifice
by the little door which led into the chan
Gel.
Now, although the church at Dean Ella
was so compete that it possessed q chancel
with carvedoak stalls at either side,which
is somewhat unusual in a little country
village. there was not Il supplied choir
Therefore the row of stalls on either side
the chancel were occupied, the one by the
House people, the other by those from the
Vicarage.
Dolly in q white dress, and with a little
white bonnet upon her golden hair, walked
in first, and took the third seat from the
congregation-the ono she usually occu-
pied; Jasper followed her, and Culyerton
came last.
Miss Cave-FoS. watching the whole par
ty from the front pew with keen black
eyes, saw Culverton whisper something to
Jasper, who half laughed, and, passing
Dolly, seated himself in the end stall,
Culverton taking possession of that next
to Dolly, who gave a grave little smile at
the change. 1t was with that grave smile
which indeed was hardly n smile-upon
her face that she turned her head towards
the congregation and met the full gaze of
Hermione Cave-Fox's dark eyes.
Does she always veal yellowr was
Dolly's first thought.
She looked at Jasper and saw that he
was staring at the new arrival with so fas-
cinated q gaze that it was almost rude.
HAS he too fallen in love with herr"
Dolly asked herself rebelliously, and very
unjustly, seeing that Culverton had dis
tinctly declared he had never been in love
with her at all.
She turned her head in the opposite di-
I%ectlon, quite expecting to find his eyes
liked on Miss Fox, as were Jasper's; but
Cnlverton was calmly fastening his sleeve
link. which had come loose; and looking
up as she glanced at him. he met her
frightened eyes with so Loving and stead
fast a gaze, that she could not resist slip
ping her hand into his and glancing round
again at Miss Fox, almost detiantly this
time.
AS soon a. the service was ended Dolly
whispered to Culvelton to make haste
home, never doubtiug that Jasper would
follow them. Jasper however, did not stir
from his seat until Mrs. Carruthers had
moved out of her stall opposite, when he
immediately went up to her and asked who
the strangers We're.
Dear me, have you not heard7" she
said in some surprise. "Isi il possible that
your mother has not heard that the Villa
is lett / should think they have beenex-
pecting her to call"
"But who are they2 Oh, here they are!
Do introduce me"
Mrs. Carlnthels rather pleased to have
the task OF introducing q very beautiful
young lady to the Squirc's son. did so with
some empressement,; and Jasper informed
the two ladies that he had been in Dean
Ella three days and had not heard of the
charming addition to Deane Ella society.
But" he added, "nly mother will be
delighted to hear of it and l shall bring
her to call upon you Tomorrow"
Miss Fox scarcely spoke; but she smiled
"A smile which showed her fine teeth.
but which had but little amusement On.
mlrth in it; while Mrs. Fox certainly
talked enough for them all put together.
Jasper thought so.
He had no excuse togo fartherthan the
gate of the Vicaragc with them, where
the two ladies parted from Mrs. Carruth-
ere; but Jasper and Mrs. Carruthers stood
for a moment md watched them out of
sight.
"What a lovely creaturew said Jasper
impulsively.
Every" responded the Wears wife;
'but, my dear Jasper, I know nothing
about them. They have come here with.
out ~introductions of any kind. Mrs. Cave
Fox says she was a great friend of tho
Countess"
"By Jovew muttered Jasper, almost in
a whisper, partly from surprise and part
iy out of respect for Mrs. Carruthers' con-
nection with the church. "Well, I don't
care much for the MEMBERSHIPS too plau-
sible; but the daughter is A IN
He raised his hat then and turned back
towards the House, Mrs. Carruthers stood
with her hand upon the handle of the gar
den.door, watching him with a smile on
her lips and laughter in her eyes. If she
could have looked forward to the next
time when she should watch Jasper NJ
gent pass up to the home Of his ancestors.