Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-04-11

breakfast No; we didn't have
any this morning. forgot 70 get any
thing yesterday, and, anyway, there
isn't any more coal in the bin. Just
take a chair. Oh, never mind that
dress; throw il in the orner Jack
took his breakfast somewhere, | sup
pose, and I've been eating this candy.
| forgot who sent it. I've eaten half
the box already"-thus the placid, Inn
p~erturbable. the always handsome
Maud, sitting sideways OF her feet
rosy, smiling. indolent, her hair hang
ina in lank locks over her shoulders.
She could do anything but keep the
fat in order. On winter afternoons
she skated. on summer afternoons she
swan. No one could dive as grace
fully as Maud from the boathouse float.
No one could dance as well as Maud OF
keep il up for such a length Of time,
and her manner Of conducting a con-
v~ersation on the stairs was something
mastery. When she laughed you could
neal her two blocks of, and when she
served" at tennis the boldest held his
breath for a time. Add 10 these charms
that she was the finest looking girl in
the world, nearly six feet high, with a
waist Of eighteen inches. a splendid
carriage and a dark, spirited head, and
small wonder that Mortimer the sus
ceptible. Mortimer the bachelor, the
longing 70 be wed, melted before her
like snow before thaw.
The filtration advanced with giant
strides-it had on ~17-league boots. By
the second time he had seen her, Nor
timer said, like Prince Geraint, Now,
by Gods rood, this is the one maid for
mein He was : o elated by the thought
that he was once more in love that he
could not forbear confessing the soft
secret 10 some one, and he was indis-
Greet enough-but. Of course. being
Mortimer. no one was surprised-to con
tess it 70 a distant female relative.
Il love her distractedly, said Morti-
mer, sitting on the stone wall and
swinging his leE-they were lettering
in the garden after dinner, watching
the inset from the red brick WALL
love her d~istractedly, and ! mean 70
marry her. he added, with bridling
pride.
The female relative did what all fe-
male relatives would have done under
the circumstances. She hied her away,
painting. wild eyed, pallid, 70 tell an.
other female relative. a family pow.
WOW was Immediately convened. and
several Of the male relatives were let in
on oaths Of secrecy. The presence Of
the male relatives was not a brilliant
inspiration. They would not see the
enOrmity Of Mortimer's crime. They
said they had not supposed he had -
much sense. They said they did not
see why he should not marry her If he
wanted. She j. a. handsome a. q
picture. said one: Il. for m thinh
the family should welcome her witt
open arms.
There was a murmur Of assent from
the male relatives, but the female rela
tives sat as silent and unrespOnsive a
the avenue Of sphinXes at harnak
After all. the male relatives could no
be expected 70 realize the full horror o
the situation They had never seeI
Maud beratt Of the white cashmer
shawl. or entered the kitchen Of tn
fiat where the sOiled dishes were pile
as high as Pelion on Ossa- They some
what reluctantly acquiesced with thei
wives, but for some time afterwar'
there wa noticeable IN their manne
toward Mortimer an unusual respect
almost amounting 70 Difference.
During the pow WOW one female rela
tive came 70 the conclusion that tn
proper thing 20 do was 10 tell Aun
Mary. a high power in the family. Fo
some days Aunt Mary reflected on tn
impending social suicide Of Mortimer
undecided whether 10 rush 10 the re-
cue Of her nephew Z 20 await turtle
developments. But day, in ia
garish light Of noon, she saw Man
with her mortal eyes tand finging eau
ton 70 the winds. Aunt Mary took IN
field. At one fell swOOp she banishe
all Maud's claims 70 beauty. In truth
the day was an unbecoming one-ver
warm-and Maud was flushed The
she woe no gloves, and the amazin
} %tenuity ~ her waist. the naughty pos
Of her head. the challenging glance {
her narrow eyes and the impudeI
manner in which her sailor hat WI
tilted to one side displeased AuI
Mary. who described these ~peculiariti'
with a wealth Of diction of which II
family had never before suspected b.
capable.
MOrtimers papa heard her story an
= be waxed exceeding wroth- If the
was a person on earth to be feared
was Mortimer's papa He wa a fer
looking old gentleman, with beetliI
> bnows and a taste for collecting o
coins and gems. He was a determin'
z as he was rich, and Mortimer, wi
would have patronized the great kh'
( of Tartary and patted the grand Ian
+ of Tibet on the shoulder, trembl'