The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-06
MRS. LEIGn's GovERNEss.

MRS. lEIGh'S G0vERnESS.
It was a cruel moment when Miss
Grace Courtenay, after her change Of
fortune, first met her former rival, the
rich and naughty Miss Marion. They
had been leading bellies, two years
ago, in society, and, rumor had said,
we're competitors for the hand OF
young Stuyvesant Mortimer, the sole
heir o! the banker OF that name. lat
Grace's father had failed, then died,
leaving his family destitute. She was
glad in this emergency to accept sit
uation as nursery.governess i'll the
pretty village OF Seaverge. on the
shore OF Long Island Sound. TO 20
out, in this half-mcnial condition in
New York, where so many knew her,
she felt to be impossible; but here, in
this quiet and secluded place, she was
was not likely to meet former ac-
quaintanccs, she thought. "ln time l
shall forget" she said to herself, "as l
shall be forgotten"
"But, the very summer after she
went to SeaverGc, an cnterprising inn.
keeper put up IL spacious hotel, direct
~ by the water, and laid out around
it some fifty acres OF ornamental
ground. Immediately. Scaversc be.
came not only Il fashionable resort,
but an arostrocratic one Us we'll, for
the two are not always the ST. me
And here, one morning, when ont ON
an errand, Grace came suddenly on
her rival who was driving along one OF
the country roads, i'll ~ phaeton, be-
hind pair OF handsome ponies, and
with a footman, inlivery and cock;tde,
in the rumble.
81 wonder i she will vi spe9,akk, to me-,
to turn away. But she had IL brave
soul; and so after q moments hcsiia-
tion, she looked full at Miss Marlton.
The latter saw Grace, and evident
ly recognized her, for her face flushed,
even through it's abundant coat Of
powder; but she did not bow; on the
contrary, she stared as il the two
had never met before.
81 might have known it," said Grace
bitterly; "our worlds now are differ
ent. But what an insolent stan
am sure if she had been IL poor :.ovrr
ness and ] tho heiress could no,
have treated her So"
She had known, always. that Miss
Marlton hated her. Nor was tn,
reason far to seek. The latter had
gone out a year earlier than Grace
and young Mortimer. during that
nrst winter, had been quite ATTENTIVE
But, when Grace took society by
storm, a twelve month inter MIS-
Marion lost her half.won conouest
'.She is having her revenge now ;;
Thought Grace with renewed bitter
ness. 81 don't suppose lie ovnr
thinks of me. All, well. IT, r whv
should he? am only poor govern
ness, and. since his tather is dead. lie
is one OF the richest young men. they
say, in America" She ended with a
sigh, that broke, Il moment after, in.
to a halfcontemptuous laugh.
''What do you think hear,l?" said
Mrs. Leigh to her husband the next
day at luncheon. cit is that younr
Stuyycsant Mortimer is TO marry
Miss Marlton."
What! the daughter OF the urcat
railroad OPERATOR" replied MIR. I.eirh,
Well, it's great catch, even for her
railroad shares, you know, my dear
have a queer habit often OF bccomin.
next door to worthless; but the Nor
timer fortune, made III railroads ha,
been transferred government bond.
ana other iirst-clasS securities, is "a,
good as gold itself"
"Ihey say" returned the wife
that this young Mortimer is one o
the handsomest OF men and IL urca,
swell"
"Ah!" replied her husband DWELL
don't know him, even in business
In fact, socially, the NIor,imers have
moved i'll 81 higher circle than Tn,
Lelshs. He's been in Europe, you
Know, for q ye;tr or more, hand in
glove. I'm told, with the best pcople
there" 'N'''e
Grace heard this conversation with
beating heart, for she ALWAYS lunch.
ed with Mr.. and Mrs Leigh; their
lunch was, in fact, her dinner. She
had not heard before of her old 10y.
er's absence in Europe, and onlyknrw
OF his fathers death from ~ para.
graph in the newspaper. Naturallv
she could not help being moved at
this news. But her lips c,,rlr,l with
contempt rs she recalled the fact TINT
he had deserted her the moment She
became poor.
She slept but little that night,
naturally. The children we're
especially trying the next day,
for the prolonged heat was
telling on their tcmpers. So, after
lessons were over, Grace started Tor %
walk, following the little brook, on it's
shady side. rs it wound to the sea-.
1t was pretty streamlet, widening
at places to quite % small river.
Turning the corner, Grace came sud.
denly on Miss Marlton, sitting in ~
boat, pretending to fish, but looking
up every moment us if she expected
come one.
A pet dog was in the front OF the
boat. Hearing Grace's step, the
pampered plaything sprans up and
began TO bark furiously at her. At
the same instant Miss Marlton
detected our heroine, and opening her
large, lazy eyes, stared again, this
time even more susplciously than the
day before. Craze hurried on as fast
asshe could, her cheeks hot with NOR
tltiCatiOn and anger. BIT her hast,
was not sufficient to carry her out of
sight and hearing, before she saw Il,
manly which she knew too
well-aDd heard II voice that made
every pulse OF her body thrill. 1t was
Stuyvesant Mortimer, who had sud.
denly appeared from the grove on
the other side OF the stream, and to
whom Miss Marton called to come
and row her home, turning her boat,
as she spoke, toward him.
How Grace got back to the house,
that afternoon, she never knew. She
must almost have flown, for she was
out OF breath when she arrived. She
was glad when night enabled her to
escape from the children again. She
spent long hours III fighting down her
misery. eyes, there was no doubt"
she said to herself. "Only the closest
intimacy. only an approaching mar.
rage could explain her tone and man
ner; 1t was that OF ownership; and his
was that OF only too willing service"
And again she said to herself: "Oh.
how despise himW And then: GLOW
ldespise myself for being Affected bv