Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-04-13
Through Clara Wheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTR


dren after the EXTREMIST of French
methods and in resurrecting "de" from
her own family to give distinct an6
aristocratic character to their name
The "de Fontages L'Hommadieus'
were, however, only known to theil
neighbors after the western fashion, by
their stepfather's name, when they were
known at all, which was seldom. Fol-
the boy was unpleasantly conceited as
precocious wording and the girl az un-
pleasantly complacent in her role of in
genue. The household was completely
dominated by Mrs. Randolph. A pune
hlious Catholic, she attended all the
functions of the adjacent mission, and
the shadow of black soutane at twi-
light gliding through the wild oat fields
behind the rancho had often been mis-
taken for coyote. The peace loving
major did not object to piety which,
while it left his own conscience free.
impaired respectable religious air to
his household and kept him from the
equally distasteful approaches of the
Puritanism of his neighbors, and was
blissfully unconscious that he was
strengthening the antagonistic foreign
element in his family with an alien
church.
Meantime, as the repaired buggy was
slowly making its way toward his house,
Maj. Randolph entered his wife's boudoir
with letter which the San Francisco
post had just brought him. A look of
embarrassment on his good humored face
| Oh fhn or1 -
felt some momentary weakness of her
natural enemy and prepared to give
battle.
"Pm afraid here's something of a
middle, Josephine" he began with a
deprecating smile; MALLORY, who was
coming down here with his daughter.
you know
"This is the first intimation 1 have
had that anything has been settled
upon," interrupted the lady with ap-
palling deliberation.
However, my dear, you know l 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 l 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 you'll"
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; I 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 id 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
the 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 road?'
"That's her hired driver, no doubt.
Hang it! 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
a possible understanding to be exchanged |
in their first greeting. The late M. |
LHommadieu had been able to impart |
a whole plan Of intrigue in single word |
and glance.
Happily Rose Mallory, already in the |
hall, in few words detailed the acct |
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
flattered 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
the major, fear that some common in
stinct of feminine tyranny responded in
Roses heart, and that on the very thresh-
old of the honest soldiers home she tao
lily agreed with the wife to look down
upon him. Mrs. Randolph departed to
inform her son and daughter of their
guests arrival. AS a matter of fact,
however, they had already observed her
to the house through the Sits
of their drawn window blinds and those
even narrower prejudices and limited
comprehensions which their education
had fostered. The girl, Adele, had only
grasped the fact that Rose had come to
their house in fine clothes, alone with
all 1