New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
CHAPTER XXXV.

came home 10 near MS dNCOu"''
They could have had this at their leisure III
the morning, for though the factor was ol'e"
out late on his rounds. he rarely started early
and breakfast was with him yhe most ieisureiy
rooal Of the day. but Jean and Marianne could
not walt for the morning.
They were simple old children who wanted to
eat their cake off-hand, and having oeguiled the
,i,,o of their brothers absence by eking out all
the information they had previously been ao'e
to gather concerning The festivity-and supple
menting it by conjectures and suppoS''ioi'
they would be far too impatient about the time
the rcveller might be expected back 10 thihN u
going to bed and to sleep.
At 10 o'clock they would trim the lamp ana
stir the fire afresh.
Summer though It was. fires were rarey
droDped after dark either at the castle or the
factors house; for however strong the sun Hilsnt
be in the daytime. the evening were pretty sure
70 be sufficiently cool to make the kndhHe Vi
a CHEEKY blaze welcome TO all. :,
Between 10 and II pretty close watch "ouiu
bc kept from the front door 49,
In the silence without an approaching step
could be heard some way off; and again ana
again Marianne. who was the principal listener
would cry aloud Il hear him.! mistaking the
tread Of some wandering animal Tor tnat OF nel
brother before the sharp click OF the lltte gate
at the bottom Of the garden, and It's 5uDsequenl
unrntstakabe clang, would make her run Joy.
mi ann With her Eth John, is that YOU?
which told for certain That the watcn was at d"
end ,, ....,,
In their eaCerness to hear John would scarcely
be allowed 10 speak. Each sister YOU'D I'm.
p'orc the other to "Whsht," and would declare
that the tale would never be told LOT an 'Hc
intorp0sit!on and opportunities; and would her-
sell demand of John. and clamor ana inter- "P'
John, until finally reduced to silence ior very
lack Of breath and intensity Of curiosity
on the present occasion curiosity, when as a
rule had thus to wait its turn, actually tled the
good ladies' tongues from the first.
They had learned more beforehand about this
Glnuer-partv than they were in the haDl Oh
doing i, being one OF Lad Carnousties pre-
cepts no, to say too much to the Misses Soutter
about such affairs. because although the Misses
Souttcr knew their place far TOO wen % expo
10 be invited. still ii would be hardly poHte %
dilate o. them upon festivities In when they
were to have no share The Misses o9u,.er n"a
never been promoted to anything beyond
luncheon with the family.
The principle was just. but had Lady Car
n0ustie been more closely acquainted with inc
feelings Of the two humble-minded women. she
would have seen that she might have talked ana
let any one else talk = any extent on the SUD
iect not only without fear Of giving offence. but
with the absolute certainty OF bestowing ENJOY
mcnt They would have reJo!ced to have been
taken into confidence to arrangements and
preparations and desired nothing more.
u wish you two were coming. feneiope nau
said when informing her friends OF the AHsHe
"Pendlope. What an idea, What would two
plain old bodies like us Do at your grand dinner
marty? We have never dined at the castle In
nt,r uvos even when there was nobody there.
let alone when Lord and Lady Carnoustie had
company
nut Why shouldn't you? Mr.. soutter is COM
ing" This wanting III tact, out neltheF
speaker nor hearers saw 1t SO
John goes a. Lord Carnoustle's FACTOR. eX-
planel Miss Jean. with dignity. The factor al
vays dimes at the great house. my dear. II Is
understood. our Their used 70 dine regularly
every few months az the dukes. and our mother
was occasionally asked when they were quite
hv themselves for the duke and duchess were so
kind and the duke liked To play A game OF chess
with our mother and said he once. ! never have
4 better antagonist than Mrs. Soutter' Indeed,
have heard our mother say that ne was no
very great hand at chess for all he was duke.
and that sometimes she found 1t dhcult 10 let
him beat at Just the right time Tor though she
would play him very even I'LL near the enu OF the
game Of course she never would have presumed
~ Civ, him checkmate He would not have liked
that AZ all"
There, Your mother dincd with the duke and
duchess where your father was factor. So don
s.c why YOU and Miss Marianne should not. come
with Mr. Soutter on Tuesday
That's very nice OF you. Penelope. and I'm sure
We feel. both Marianne and me, that you would
b, glad to have us: but my dear we are not quite
like our mother not yet Is Lady Carnousue JUST
the kind the duchess was. The duchess was the
frces,-spoken peasantest-voiced creature: one
ured t. pick us BARNS out of the road ana take
Us for a drive in her pony carriage If she caught
sight Of us as she went by, and we always ended
At the swcctic shop Not but what Lady car
nouste is pleasant enough I'm sure we nave
mo- reason to complain. nor yet has John, and
never can make out what people mean by saying
she IS prohd and naughty. but II Is not every
body who has the way Of being free without be-
ing overly. Penelope my dear" Miss Jean
stroked her young visitors hand and looked
fondly into her face. Il think know one per-
son who has IT,.
Me. Miss JEAN"
LAY. my dear. you
The next moment Penelope's arms were round
her neck You to say that to me! II 1t had not
been for you-and Miss Marianne-I don't know
what should have done sometimes. was So
miserable here. | am not miserable now. but
am often dull. ana sometimes things don't seem
very real to me- and ii is all puzzle" her hold
relaxing and "A cloud stealing over her young
brow "Do you know what 1t Is to feel like that!
| want help, and yet | don't want IL. uont
know what | want. 1t Will come right IN tlme
suppose But anyhow. am always happy when
| am here with you. and thought that perhaps
should not be very happy on Tuesday night
and that partly why | wanted you to come
| hoped You had been asked
.Niy dear we haven't clothes II were ever
SO much asked"
I'm sure you have quite good enough clothes"-
Deed and we have not and Lady Carnous-
tie knows 1t. John had to get a dress suit as
soon as ever he got the factors situation, but
we just waited TO see.
"Oh. then you did think there was chance?"
Miss Jean coughed dscreety.
mo, my dear, no; not chance to call A
chance To be sure, Marianne had learned crib
bage thinking 1t was easier than chess, and that
Lord Carnoustie. having been In the army when
he was a young man. would likely have been fond
Of cards but you directly We came to the
place and got 10 knew the sort of person Lady
Carnoustle was. we saw Marianne might have
spared her pains Lady Carnoustie won't have A
pack OF cards in the house. and very right too.
only Marianne was just little disappointed.
for she had been at some pains learning. and
neither John nor | can play so 1t was all TO no
good"
Perhaps Miss Marianne would teach me?
There. now. Penelope. II that isn't like you.
Well. II she remember but doubt she has
forgotten. | know she used to get quite in n way
with her fifteen twos as it was We ask
her and what she says
And I'll tell you all about the dinner party.
though. after ALL II can't be very much ~ a din
erparty, you know. Only seven strangers-that
is. the four Ainslies. Mr.. Redwood and his friend,
and Mr.. Soutter Then We are six In the house
that makes thirteen altogether. Oh. but know
thirinAn III, L.