The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-19
richest chief In British North Amerioa
at that moment by %. 900 or So
CHAPTER VIII.

It was the CLOSE Of the season. Many
people hsA left town. but festivities
were still ON. To stranger the season
might have seemed st its height. The
Armours were giving . large party in
Cavendish square before going back
again to Greyhope. where. for the sake OF
| Lali and her child, they intended to re-
main during the rest of the summer In
preference to going on the continent or
to Scotland. The only unsatisfactory
feature OF Lali's season was the absence
OF her husband. Naturally there were
those who said strange things regarding
Frank Armour's stay in America, but it
was pretty generally known that he was
engaged in land speoulations, and his
club friends, who perhaps took the
pleasantest view Of the matter, said that
he was very wise indeed, II little cow
ardly, in staying abroad until his wife
was educated and ready to take her po-
sition in society. There was one thing
on which they all agreed-Mrs. Frank
Armour either had mind superior to
the charms Of their sex or was incapa-
BILE OF that vanity which hath many
suitors and says, $50 far shalt thou 60
The fact is, Mrs. Frank Armour's
mind was superior. She had only one
object-to triumph over her husband
grandly, as a awoman righteously might.
She had vanity, Of course, but it was
not ignoble. She kept one thing in
view; she lived for it. Her translation
had been successful. There were times
when she remembered her father, the
wild days on the prairies, the buffalo
hunt, tracking the deer, tribal battles,
the long silent hours OF the winter and
the warm summer nightswhen she slept
in the prairie grass or camped with her
people in the trough of a great land
wave. Sometimes the hunger for its
freedom, and its idleness, and its sport
came to her greatly, but she thought Of
her child, and she put it from her. She
was ambitious for him; she was keen to
prove her worth as wife against her
husbands unworthiness. This perhaps
saved her. She might have lost had her
life been without this motive.
The very morning Of this notable re-
ception General Armour had received
note from Frank Arinour's solicitor say
ing that his son was likely to arrive in |
London from America that day or the |
next. Frank had written to his people no |
word of his coming. To his wife, as we |
have said he had not written for months,
and before he started back he would |
not write, because he wished to make
what amends he could in person. He
expected to find her improved, of course,
but still he could only think Of her as
an Indian, showing her common prairie
origin. His knowledge of her before
their marriage had been particularly
brief. She was little more in his eyes
than thousand other Indian women.
save that she was better looking, was
whittier than most and had finer features.
He could not very clearly remember the
tones OF her voice. because after mar
riage and before he had sent her to Eng
land he had seen little OF nothing of
her.
When General Armour received the
news of Franks return, he told his wife
and Marion, and they consulted together
whether 1T were good to let Lali know
at once. He might arrive that evening.
Ii so, the position would be awkward,
because it was impossible to tell how it
might affect her. If they did tell her,
and Frank happened not to arrive, it
might unnerve her SO as to make her
appearance in the evening doubtful.
Richard, the wiseacre, the inexhausti-
BILE Richard, was caring for his cottagers
and cutting the leaves of new books
his chief pleasure-at Greyhope They
felt it was a matter they ought to
be able TO decide for themselves, but
still 1t was the last evening of Lali's
stay in town, and they did not care to
take any risk. Strange to say, they had
come TO take pride in their sons wife, for
even General and Mrs. Armour, high
minded and Of serene social status as
they were, seemed not quite insensible
TO the pleasure Of being an axle on
which system Of social notoriety re-
volved.
AT the opportune moment Captain
Vidall was announced, and because he
and Marion were soon to carry but one
name between them he was called into
family consultation. 1t is somewhat ,
singular that in this case the women
we're quite wrong and the men were
quite right, for General Armour and ,
,aptain Vidal were for silence until
Frank came, If he came that day, or for
elling her the following morning, when
he function was over. And the men
'revailed
Marion was much excited all day. She
lad given orders that Franks room
hould be made ready, but for whom
he gave no information. While Lali
vas dressing for the evening, somewhat
xcited and nervous, she entered her
oom. They were now the best OF
riends. The years had seen many shift.
lg scenes in their companionship.
hey had been as often at war as at
eace, but they had respected each
ther, each after her own fashion, and
ow they had real and mutual regard.
Iall's WAS "a Slim litba 61,~a x.o.. |