San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-05
M ONA'S CHOICE.
BY MRS. ALEXANDER.

perhaps! do not think it likely. |
believe my uncle is already in treaty with
someone else for the shooting, so there will
be nothing to< me for"
"NothingSo co.l.e forl' repeated War
ing, as if to himself; and Mona suddenly
thought-"Does he imagine that am the
attraction to st. John Lisle, and does his
friendliness incline him to rejoice at the
prospect of good marriage for me?"
She rose, and went into the next room
to find a book, for an excuse not to talk
any more. AS she returned, she met War
ing, who had followed her
Goodnight" he said. 81 am rather
tired. Miss Black is booked for chess, and
you are going to read, so had better go to
bed"
''lf you would like me to read to you"
began Mona, for there was something de-
spending in his tone.
mo, mol exact too much" he inter-
rupted. Il will leave you in peace"
You know you erGCt nothing"
THAT is true. You all give freely.
Nevertheless, will say goodnight"
1t seemed strange to Mona that Uncle
Sandy-whO, though on the whole ex
tremely indifferent to things which did not
affect himself, was, when his attention was
aroused, keen observer-did not notice
the complete understanding which existed
between Kenneth and Mary, nor the very
lover-ike attentions which, as he grew
more at ease i'll his new home, the young
Highlander could not refrain from be-
slowing on the lady of his heart. But, as
many strong-willed persons do, Uncle
Sandy was very apt to make plans with
out taking into account the individual lik-
ings or dislikings of the persons affected
by them.
She rather dreaded the moment when
the ruler of CraigdarrOch would awake to
the knowledge that the bit lad and las
sie' as he considered them, had taken
their lives into their own hands, irrespec-
tive of his consent If he was angry and
unreasonable on the subject, it might be
terribly bad for both young creatures
though his evident liking for Mary was a
great point in their favor. Indeed, Mona
wished to turn her thoughts from the pain
the dull aching which oppressed her, to
pros and cons Of her friends fortunes.
1t was few days after the above record
ed converse tion, Mona was i'll the library,
entering sundry items in an account-book,
which her uncle had great pride and pleas
ure in teaching her to keep in the most
orthodox fashion.
1t was a lovely day stolen from May to
beautify the last hours of March. The
blue sky, the glittering loch, the balmy air
which stole like a caresS round cheek and
throat, seemed to promise that gloomy
winter was AVA"
Kenneth had taken holiday from the
spring operations of field and byre, and
proposed to take Warning and Mary for a
drive through Strathairlie and Balmuir,
that the former might see some of the fine
views in the neighbOrhoOd, as his time was
now growing short.
Mona volunteered to remain with her
uncle, and-with a degree of unreasOna-
bleness, for which she scOrned herself
felt hurt that Warning had made no at
tempt to persuade her to come with them.
Mr.. Craig had been pOttering about the
garden, and Mona thought she had heard
the tap-tapping of his stick in the hall just
before the eXcursionistS had driven off.
The sound of the wheels had hardly died
away, when Uncle Sandy came into the
room and threw himself into his arm
chair, upsetting the fire-irOns with an un.
Usual amount of clatter.
'Guid preserve usp' was his first eXcla-
nation. They're game clean daft! Whad