Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-02-10

watched tai> fair SRI, who somehow reminded
him OF a r.c. rosebud bursting into bloom,
how long il would be possible to live in the
same house with her without falling under
the spell of her charm and beauty. And
then he began to think of jess, and what
strange contrast the two were.
"Where is your sister, he asked presently.
"Jess, Oh, think that she has gone to
the Lion kloof, reading or sketching, don't
know which, You see, in this establishment
represent labor and jess represents intel
lect," and she nodded her head prettily ut
him. and added, "There is a mistake some
where; she got all the brains"
All" said John, quietly. and looking up at
her, Il don't think that you are entitled to
complain of the way that nature has treated
You"
Sine FLUSHED little, more at the tone of his
voice than the words, and went on hastily:
"Jess is the dearest, best and cleverest woman
Ill the Whole worid-taere, l believe that she
has only one fault, and that is that she thinks
too much about me- Uncle told HE that he
had told you how We came here first when l
was 8 years old. Well, | remember that
when We lost our way on thu veldt that
night, and it rained SO and was SO cold, jess
took off her own shawl and wrapped it round
me over my own. Well, it has been just like
that with her always. l am always to have
the shawl-everything is to give way to me.
But there, that is jess all over; she is very
cold, cold as a stone, sometimes think, but
when she does care for anybody it is enough
to brighten one. l don't know great num-
Der of women, but somehow l don't think
that there can be many in the world like jess.
She is too good for this wild place, she ought
to go away to England, write books and be-
come famous woman, only" she added, re-
flectively, 81 am afraid that Jess books
would all be sad ones"
Just then Bessie stopped and suddenly
changed color, the bunch of lank, wet
feathers she held in her hand dropping from
it with little splash back into the bath. Fol-
lowing her glance, John looked down the
avenue of blue gum trees and perceived q big
man with a broad hat and mounted on q
splendid black horse, cantering leisurely to-
ward the house.
"Who is that, Miss Croftr he asked
at is man don't like" she said, with a
little stamp of her foot "His name is Frank
Muller, and he is half a Doer and half an
Englishman. He is very rich and very
clever, and owns all the land round this place,
so uncle has to be civil to him, though he
does not like him either. / wonder what he
wants now"
On came the horse. and John thought that
its rider was going to pass without seeing
them, when suddenly the movement Of Bes-
sizes dress between the 'naatche" trees caught
lis eye, and he pulled up and looked round.
He was large and exceedingly handsome
man, apparently about 40 years old, with
clear cut features, cold, light blue eyes and
remarkable golden beard that hung right
down over his chest. For Boer he was rather
smarsly dressed, in English made tweed
clothes and tall riding boots.
"Ah, Miss Bessie" he called out in English,
"there you are with your pretty arms all bare.
I'm in luck to como just in time to see them.
Shall come and help you to wash the feath-
ersl Only say the word, now