Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-02-06
MONA SCULLY:
Or,
Thu fish Bride CT an EngIishman.
A STORY OF THESE TIMES.
CHAPTER AxIIT.


"What a wretched EVENING"" says
Violet, with little SILVER. "Geoffrey,
draw the curtains closer"
"a fit ending to a miserable day,
says Lady Rodney, glOomily.
''Night has always the effect Of max
ing bad look worse. says DOatle- with
a sad attempt at cheerfulness. Never
mind: morning viii soon be here again"
but why should night produce mel
anchOiyl" says Nicholas, dreamlly. 1T
is but a reflection of the greater light,
after all What does Richter call it?-
The great shadow and profile of day.
1t is our own morbid fancieS that make
US dread it,"
Nevertheless, close the curtains,
Godfrey, and ask Lady Rodney if she
would not like tea nOw," says Violet,
soto UOce.
Somebody polles the fire, until Grim
son light streams through the room.
The huge logs are gOOd-naturedly in
clined, and burst their great sides III an
endeaYOr to promote more soothing
thought.
What amiserable day we have had!'
says Molly, rousing himself. Its been
raining since early dawn. | feel right
down cheap,-vcry nearly as depressed
as last night when Nicholas stuck me
to dance with the HIsthetic."
Lady Lilias Eaton, you mean?' asks
Lady Rodney. THAT reminds me, we
are bound to go over there tomorrow.
AT least, some Of u.s."
Mona must CO." says Nicholas,
quickly. Lady Iilias made point OF
it. You will go, Mona2n
81 should very much like TO go, says
Mona, gently, and with some eagerness.
She has been sitting very quietly with
her hands before her, hardly hearing
what is passing around her-lost, buried
in thought.
Poor infant! 1t is her first essay"
says Molly, pitifully. "Wait till tO-mOr-
row evening, and see if you will feel as
you do now. Your cheerful COM
plaisance in this matter is much to be
admired. And Nicholas should be
grateful. But think you will find one
dose of Lady Lilias and her ancient
Britons sufficient for your lifetime"
you used 10 be tremendous friends
there at one time" says Godfrey;
'neyer out of the house"
Il used to stay there occasionally
when old Lord Daintree was alive, if
you mean that" says Molly, meekIy.
''As far as | can TecOllect, | was always
shipped there when naughty, or trouble
some, or in the way at home; and as a
rule | was always in the way. There is
a connection between the Eatons and
my mother, and Anadale saw a good
deal of me off and on during the hOli-
days. 1t was n sort of rod III pickle, or
dark closet. that used to be held over
my head when in disgrace
Dorothy from her corner laughs gay
ly. Poor old Noll, she says, 1T was
his unhappy childhood that blighted his
later years, and made him the meIan-
choly object he is. ="
We'll, you know, it was much too
mUch,-it was really" says Mr.. Oar
ling, very earnestly. Mrs. Godfrey,
won't you come to my rescue?'
Mrs. Godfrey, thus addressed, rouses
herself, and says, "What can | do for
you?' in PARKWAY tone that proves
she has been in thOught-land miles
away from every one.
Through her brain some words are
surging. Her mind has gone back to
that scene in the conservatory last night
when she and Paul Rodney had been to-
gcthcr. What was it he had said?
What were the exact words he had used?
She lays two fingers on her smooth
white brow, and let's a little i"Own, born
only of bewildered thought, contract its
fairness.
~ scheme" he had said, and then in
n moment the right words flash across
her brain. "A brilliant chance, a SPLEEN
did scheme" What words for an hon
est maH to use, Could he he honest?
Was there amy flaw, amy damnmg clause
anywhere in all this careful plot, SO
cleyrrIy constructed to bring ruin upon
the heads of these people who have
CIept into her tender heart?
where are You now. MOma?' asks
fnnAfIrn,. ..igltltr,1N- l.,rinrr hDY,I
with a loving pressure ON her shoulder.
in Afghauistan, or TimbuctoO? Far
from us, at least" There is little
vague rcproach md measinesS III his
tone.
mo; very near you, nearer than yOu
think" says Mona, quick to notice any
variation i'll his tone, aWaking from her
reverie with a start, and LAYING one Of
her hands oyerAhis. "Geollrcy,n ear
neStly, what is the exact meaning of
the word scheme Wuald an honest
man lsurely he would not) talk of
schemmgp"
"Well that is rather a difficult ques-
ton to answer says Godfrey. "AIOn-
sieur de Lesseps, when dreaming out
the Suez Canal, called it a scheme; and
he, l presume, is an homes man.
Whereas, on the other side, if . burglar
silver, | suppose he would cali that q
scheme too. What have you CT the
brain now, darling? You are not going
to defraud your neighbOr, hOpe?n
ut is very strange says Mona. with
a dissatisfied sigh; but I'll tell you all
about it by and by"
Instinct warns her of treachery; COM
mon sense bellies the warning. To
which shall she give ear?
shall we ask the CarsOus to our
dance, Methodist" asks his mother, ut
this moment.
Ask any one you like,-ary one, l
mean, that is not quite impossible"
says Nicholas.
Edith Carson is very nearly so. l
lis that the girl who spoke to you.
Godfrey, at the tea-rOom dOor?' asks
Mona, with some animation.
Yes. Girl with light frizzy hair and
green eyes,
"A strange girl, [ thought. hut very
pretty. Yet, was it English she talked?'
OF the purcSt, says Godfrey.
what did she say, Mona?' inquired
Doatie
y am not sure that I can tell you,-at
least not exactly as she said it." saws
Mona, with hesitation. Il didn't quite
understand her; but Godfrey asked her
how she was enjoying herself, and she
said it WAS fun all thrOugh;' and that
she was amusing herself inst then hv
hluitiE lIuut uer pdTJner. tapJdiu ITuu>-
cOmbe, who was hunting for her all
over the shop, it was shop she said.
wasn't it, Geof? And that it did her
good to see him in tearing rage. in
fact, on a regular champ. because it
VeXed TriCkSy Newcombe, whose own
particular he was in the way of pals. -
Everybody laughs. In fact, Molly
rOarS.
Did she stop there?" he says; "that
was unworthy of her. Breath for once
must have failed her, as nothing so
trivial rs want of words could have in
fiuenced Miss Carson"
~ on should have seen Mona" saws
Godfrey. "She opened her eyes and
her lips, and gazpd fiXedly upon the
lively Edith. Curiosity largely mingled
with awe depicted itself upon her eX-
preSSive countenance. She was Won
dering whether she should have to con-
quer that extraordinary jargon before
being pronounced tit for polite society"
No, indeed" says Mona, laughing.
But 1t surely wasn't English. was it,
That Is not the way everybody talks.
SURELY"
Everybody" SAYS GeofTrev, "that is.
all specially nice people. You won't be
IN the swim at all, unless you take TO
that sort of thing"
Then you are not a nice person your