The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1893-12-08
CHAPTER I.


~ when poor Jack Lilly died He 4
q Kind, sailing, good-lool,ing fellow, i;
year Or two over thirty, and he WAS
taken Off by fever after q short i'll
ness leaving young widow OF three
and-twcnty and an infant child Eie
was a surgeon. and was getting to be
quite formidable rival to old DR.
Dummy, when death removed him out
Of tho way Of that old-fasAioaed prac-
titioner
Jack thought he was going to live for
the next forty years, at least, and SO
did most people who knew him 81,
instead OF saving out Of bis professional
earnings. lie lived up to his income y
as the phrase goes. In fact he die4, 4
trifie in debt; and his debts had To be
paid by his father Mr.. John Lilly. coal
merchant aud barge ownar. and twice
mayor OF his native city. The son WIS
always called Jack" Lilly, partly to
distinguish him from his father. ard
partly because he was one OF those iaea
whom all the world would be SURF 10
address by familiar abbreviation OF
his name, whatever 1t might be.
80 1t came TO pass that his wife was
known as Mrs. Jack by all the friends
and acGuaintances Of the family; and
when her husband died there was 4
good deal OF sympathy expressed for
Mrs. Jack and her father,ess little Girl
r0t that she WAS as popular rs her hus-
band had been. by no manner or
means. She was not a native Cooling
tonian. She was young She was pret
" She was-at least they said SO ii
Codlinston-fighty. l do not mean 10
say that youth and good looks were an
absolute barrier against sympathy on
the part OF the inhabitants OF the little
town; but the ''1iightiness' was I'M
uonhIediy considered the more objec-
uonable In Mrs. Jack because OF its
con mDnation with sparkling prettiness
and tWenty-three years
Anu then, with her late hEsnarC's
parents, Mrs. Jack did not get on veil
at Al. It was preat pity, neopie
saia, tnat she could not conform her
eeAi iittie 10 persons so much cider
ana wiser than herself, and who stood
1ti the place OF parents to her-a greet
pity! But, there, she was lust one ~
uose Hlghfy creatures who couldn't lie
guided Poor young woman, Thpv
dared to say there was no harm il
her-not bit OF harm. But sha hat,
such wild, giday way with her. And
with such a model before her "a A,rs
Lilly, senior.! It did seem strange.
Poor Jack Lilly lad been t,ead j year
ara half when his widow uaI<al ~ |
the shady side of the High street oaA |
me summer day to the residence OF Lar
Iatner-ln-laW. Although the aay was |
not, and she was loaded with heavy |
Dlack stuifs, and half-stifTel undar |
great Grape veil, she was walking fast
Ars JACK had q way OF walking fast
Win light eager. inpatient sten
Whicn seemed very girlisll and imDylis-
I've In contrast with her widows weeds
How She do scud along, Mrs. Jack
Lily. was the comment of the gro
6trs foreman, as he looked admi1iap,y
after her tall graceful figure.
Scud. indeed!' said Mrs. Hogg. the
grocer wife, with a shake Of the head.
An. there's more than enough Of scud
ding. | think. Up and down, IN and
down the High street, every day. md
all day. Wei, Mrs. Lilly has handful
OF her, that's certain"
Mrs. Jack went Oh her way nneon-
sclous OF the comments Of hnr nsi.hl,acs
one was not given to consider much
WHAT people were thinking about her
nor whether they were thinking abort
ner aI aiI-an Indifference to nub,ic
opinion which lnjuriously affected her
popularity in Codlington.
I,ercival HeOse was the name OF Ar
lAilys residence. 1t was a large, solid.
rtu DficA building, some hundred and
nIty years old. It had once stood
none. surrounded by large pleasure
grounds. But tie city had crept up ard
1t round, and II was now on,v
numbered 93 High street Eut Mr. Iii
y chose to retain the old name. and bad
{ engraved over the front door on \ !
stone panel The lower part OF the
1ouse was occupied by the offices OF
'oDn Lilly L Son. coal merchants. as
'et forth II hoErishiny letters on the !,
sFOund glass windows CT the front par
OTIS. Inc Hfing rCclns " ere upstairs.
MIS- Jack turned the polished brass
.snula or the front door. and went III .
knocking OF ringing She .
,as seq through long flagged passage.
cnTed and sanded and with a nlr- $
oV path OF green Giug.et .T,nnin.r {
iccg The middle Cf it. Halt way across
he passage which divided the bass $
Of nt story into two equal parts, was !
double door OF green baize. and on
his was brass plate. baarin: Tie 9
ame Of Mr.. Lilly Behind the baiza I
oor you came uIon Il fine oak Stair &
ase. blachcned With age and pol,sh.l
rith friction. And up this staircase t
frs. Jack ran as lightly and as swiftly y
8 child G
Come in" said n woman's voice in I
nsWer to her tap ut door on the first I
cor; and she walked into room f,,ll p
the smell OF dinner, and where five v
efsons were at table finishing their I
leal Il
OH! I'm sorry to disturb you," said G
lrS. Jack. pauSing In the doorway. Il a
n0ught dinner would have been over Iol
y this time" q
And - chn roaa a. I. | :,