The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-12-12

women are disgustingly jealous ot ore
another. If Mrs. Douglas were not
the beautiful high-bred creature she is,
there would not be a word uttered
against her p'-and he left the room,
too indignant 10 say more.
"Dear, dear" said Mrs. Stapleton,
''the boy is completely infatuated by
that woman The mistress Of Barnas-
cone may arrive at any time now /; and
Fred is quite capable Of taking up the
cudgeIs for this disreputable foreigner,
and then alas for his chances with Dor
othea ~
In the quiet grounds of Barnascone
Fred Stapleton sought balm for his in
jured feelings in the company of Mrs.
Douglas, and the scene he had just
passed through inclined him a special
tenderness of manner. Never before
had she seemed so lovely and desirable
or so gentle and confiding. She was
sitting under a wide-spreading OAK,
making a cowslip ball. Fred, lying on
the grass at her feet, watched her def
fingers and the changing expression OF
her lovely face, conscious that he could
know no happier hour than the one
that was passing.
\ sudden breeze sprang up, and was
the cause of a painful interruption to
their tete-a-tete. \ gardener had care
lessly left hanging in the branches of
the oak a sharp toothed-rake, which
was blown down, and in its fall would
have dealt Fred serious blow had not
his companion seen the danger in time
to divert the course of the iron teeth.
The handle of the rake struck Mrs.
Douglas plump white wrist, inflicting
bruise.
"Iou have hurt yourself, and for my
unworthy sake ~ the young man ex-
claimed, impulsively seizing tine wound
ed wrist and kissing it tenderly. He
then bound il up in his silk hand ker-
chief and, full Of solicitude, escorted
the fair sufferer through the park, final
ly leaving her in the hands of her faith
ful attendant Eliza.
Having once worn her pretty bene-
factIess' clothes with fine effect TriXie
was emboldened 10 repeat the perform
ance, particularly Is the fascinating
Larry commented warmly on her dis
tinguished appearance.
Mrs. Douglas bruised wrist kept her
a prisoner in the house on the day after
the mishap with the rake; and Trixie
took advantage Of this fact to don the
black robes again. At nigEtfall she
ventured forth on her second escapade,
and betook hcrselfto the Laurel Walk
at BarnascOne.
II was not until dusk that day that
Fred Stapleton was at liberty TO go To
inquire a TO the extent of Mrs. Doug
lass injuri ,s then he plunged through
u portion Of the shrubbery at Barnas-
cone at the shortest way 10 his destina
ton. IL the Laurel Walk he caught
glimpse Of two slOwl y-retreating fig
ures-thOse Of a woman and a man.
The appearance Of the woman immedi-
ateIy arrested mis- attention and set his
heart beating rapidly. Unseen, he
drew few yards nearer.
Were his eyes playing hima trick? ?
No ; he saw clearly and Enthusiastically
the black draperies and nun-like bon
net Of the lovely woman who filed all
his thoughts. 1t was impossible TO fail
to recognize the costume of chdste ele-
gance and the graceful slender tigIre.
Her companion was none other than
the village repTobate, Larry Whelan.
Why was she talking with such a
fellow at nightiaIl in the retirement OF
Barnascone? Fred watched the pair
narrowly, with jealous distrust rising
in his heart. Pilley's story of the scene
in Granny McClory's cIbin ASSUMED "A
hateful aspect Gradually the mans
arm stole round the black robed-waist,
and then the widows bonnet found
resting-place on her rcomp1nion's shoul-
der.
Stapleton was fully satisfied; with
al imprecation, he dashed back by
the way he had come, uttering TO him
self
"Arrant fool that am, | may at
least spare myself the trouble of max
ing any kindly inquiries about her
health her presence here speaks FOR
her recovery. If it had been any other
man, / might have bore it; but Larry
Whelan, that vulgar fellow given to
glass jewelry-amazing"
Mrs. Douglas lay on her couch, with
Eliza attending To her wounded wrist.
The day had been long, and the fair
sufferer was disappointed bscluse m
one had CONE To- ask about her welfare.
ale might have shown little COM
passion, when | was injured in shield
him." she said to herself, with CULVER
ing lips
The elite of Sorby Were on their way
to and returning from garden party
at Mrs. Clegg's, and Mrs. Hawson's
lO1g,r found a qualified pleasure in
watching them until Fred Stapleton
saunt red past with Miss Branson,
W len the pleasure gave place to some
tlins akin 70 pain.
LIcy Braason was pretty girl, and,
next to the stranger heir1ss of Barnas-
cone, the b,st matrimonial catch in
Sorby, judged froma pom nls-shillings-
and-pence point of view. Fred looked
unusually handsome and seemed in the
best of spirits. The pretty sufferer on
the sofa turned away her face with a
sigh.
people are not very hospitable here,
are they, Eliza"
''Indeel and they're not, ma'am-a
stuck-up, stiff, underbred lot J Its
hot with rage | am, watchin' them
dow ~ women goin' to their tea-parties
and tennis-playin's without havin' the
decency 70 ask you, as if the worst o
the likes o. you wasn't better than the
b.st o. them. Not one o. them even
had the civility to call on you
''.Still, Eliza, we must remember that
we have not been quite straightforward
with them. We are here under false
colors, you know"