Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-02-08
Through Santa C!agaWleat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTE

g IT was here tint Mrs. eandolnb I,+s
y reAct OF the late Scipion LHomma,;sr,
2 geNo'ed herself TO bringing up her chill.
D uren after the EXTREMIST of Frs,,oi,
H tnethods and in reSurrectins a de" frD,,,
3 her own family to give a distinct arS
3 -r1iS'ocEauc -, character to their name
3 Inc de Fontages L'Hommadiens,,
4 were however, only known 10 their
neishoors after the western fashion Inv.
.neir stepfather's name, when they wera
z known at all, which was seldom For
the boy was unpleasantly conceited ne n
precocious wording and the girl nc nm
pleasantly complacent in her roIa Of i,
J genue. The household was completely
J dominated by Mrs. Randolph. A pnnc.
} tihous Catholic, she attended ali tba
) functions of the adjacent mission, and
the shadow of black soutane at tr,-;
night gliding through the wild oat fields
behind the rancho had often been mis-.
taken for coyote. The peace loving
major did not object to a pietv wbicb
while it left his own conscience free
impaired respectable religious air 70
MS household and kept him from the
equally distasteful approaches of the
rnrltanlsm OF his neighbors, and was
bhssfully unconscious that he was
strengthening the antagonistic foreien
element in his family with an alien
church. "AieH
Meantime, as the repaired buggy was
slowly making its way toward his house,
MAJ Randolph entered his wifes boudoir
with letter which the San Francisco
post had just brought him. A look of
embarrassment on his good humored face
Strengthened the hard lines of hers, She
felt some momentary weakness of her
natural enemy and prepared to give
battle.
"Pm afraid here's something OF n
muddle, Josephine" he began with a
deprecating smile; Mallory, who was
coming down here with his darchtar
you know
"This is the first intimation | have
had that anything has been settled
upon," interrupted the lady with ap-
paling deliberation.
However, my dear, you know told
you last week that he thought of bring
ing her here while he went south on
business. You know, being widower.
he has no one to leave her with"
And | suppose it is the American
fashion to intrust ones daughters to any
old boon companion?"
"Malloryis an old friend" INTERRUPTED
the major impatiently. HE knows I'm
married, and although he has never seen
you he is quite willing to leave his
daughter here"
THANK your
Come, you know what mean. The
man naturally believes that my wife
will be proper chaperon for his daugh-
ter. But that is not the present ques-
ton. He intended to call here; | ex-
pected to take you over to San Jose to
see her and all that you know, but the
fact of it is-that is-it seems from this
letter that-he's been called away sooner
than he expected, and that-well-hang
it! The girl is actually on her way here
now"
"Alone?"
81 suppose so. You know one thinks
nothing of that here"
Cor any other propriety for that mat
ter"
"For heavens sake, Josephine, don't
be ridiculous OF course it's stupid her
coming in this way, and Mallory ought
to have brought her, but she's coming
and we must receive her. By Jove! Here
she is now" he added, starting up after
a hurried glance through the window.
but what kind of a d-d turn out is
that, anyhow"
1t certainly was an odd looking con-
veyance that had entered the gates and
was now slowly coming up the drive to-
ward the house: A large draught horse,
harnessed to dust covered buggy, whose
strained foreaxle, bent by the last mile
of heavy road, had slanted the tops Of
che forewheels toward each other at an
alarming angle. The light, graceful
dress and elegant parasol of the young
girl who occupied half of its single seat
looked ludicrously pronounced by the
side Of the slouching figure and grimy
duster of the driver. who occupied the
other half
Mrs. Randolph gave gritty laugh. 81
thought you said she was alone. Is that
an escort she has picked up. American
fashion. on the roadr'
That's her hired driver, no doubt.
Hang It'll she can't drive here by her
SELF" retorted the major, impatiently,
hurrying to the door and down the stair.
case. But he was instantly followed by
his wife. She had no idea of permitting
. possible understanding to be exchanged
in their first greeting. The late NJ.
L'Hommadieu had been able to inpart
. whole plan Of intrigue in single word
and glance.
Happily Rose Mallory, already in the
hall, In few words detailed the acci-
dent that had befallen her TO the hon
est sympathy Of the major and the cold.
ly polite concern of Mrs. Randolph, who
in deliberately chosen sentences man
aged to convey to the young girl the
conviction that accidents Of any kind to
young ladies were to be regarded as
only a shade removed from indiscre-
tons Rose was impressed and even
fattered by the fastidiousness Of this
foreign appearing woman, and after the
fashion of youthful natures accorded TO
her the respect due TO recognized au-
thority. When to this authority, which
was evident, she added depreciation Of
tho major faar that gonna cornrnon in. |