The Dickinson press., 1894-01-06

NV uul u AZ
y HUNTINGDON.
spoke again. Oh! the terrible days and
weeks that followed, during which poor
, Nelly wandered about In an AgOny Of
misery and remorse, %upbraiding herself
bitterly that she had not been q bet
ter or more loving daughter to the
dead a Poor little soul! she had
not much for self-reproach. since
al her little efforts. Of Kindness and
goodwill had been received with cold.
ness, and Of late doys even repealed.
Mr.. Huntingdon left no will; his
brother zane into the property, and
Nelly was but poorly provided for.
OF course you will live with Va,
my dear?" her uncle said kindly, land
I hope you and your cousins will be
great friends" And the poor sorrow
stricken Child acQuiesced family, and
Looked forward with some pleasure to
the coming Of the two girls, the young.
est of whom, was her own age. 1t
vas arranged that Nelly should remaln
at the Hall with Wilson until July,
when Mr.. and Mrs. Huntingdon
and their family would come down from
town to take possession. But their
arrival did not bring much ameliora-
ton of Nclly's fate. Her cousins were
fashionable young ladies. with their
heads full of vanity and frivolity, and
they affected to despise the country.
bred girl who had enjoyed fewer nd
vantages, but who, they were forced
to acknowledge in their Jealous hearts,
was sweetly pretty, and q lady to the
tips of her dainty fingers.
Mr.. Huntingdon was much more easy.
going and less stern than his dead
brother, and his wife was IL fashionable
woman with but n view in life, which
was the establishment Of her daugh.
tiers. She had been an heiress; so the
Huntingdon property was likely to be
considerably benefited by the change
Of hands.
"Of course, my dear Stanley" she
said to her husband the day after their
arrival-''of course we shall make things
very different from what they were
In the most absurd seclusion; but we
must let it be known at once that we
intend to visit all the county; and as
for the ridiculous quarrel between your
family and the Laneholmes, the sooner
it is made up the better. The idea Of
carrying on q traditional feud with
such a parti as Lord Ii Egholme would
he too absurd. I hope you will take
the first opportunity of asking him over
to dinner"
And Mr.. Huntingdon, being a sensible
man, made NO demur to the sage coun-
sci of his wife. OF course they had not
the faintest idea Of the episode be.
tween the handsome young earl anl
poor little pale Nelly.
So when a decent time had elapsed
the Huntingdons visited and entertain
ed; but the little country cousin never
shared their gayety. In her shyness,
at first she had declined entering into
society with them, and afterward they
utterly ceased to include her in any Of
their arrangements. 1t was quite
enough taking out two girls. Mrs. Hunt
ingdon said, and inwardly in her heart
she "a well content to leave such q
dangerous rival at home.
One day, when they were all sitting
at breakfast, Mabel said to her mother:
Mamma, what shall I wear to-
night?"
1t vas a simple remark; Nelly heard
many such; and it PASSED u%nheeded;
but the answer sent the blood thrilling
to her face and neck, so that she was
fain to rise from the table and walk
away to the wind.iw.
"You must be- ure and look your
best, dear; Lord Langholme is coming
tonight"
Nelly wandered away into the garden,
with a surging brain. What should she
do? Should she confide in her aunt,
and ask her to let her come down to
I-:.Lghclmc had ceased to think of her
land there was a bitter consciousness
in Nelly's heart that he had never sent
her a line or word since her fathers
death to prove that he remembered
herr. she would incur the sneers and
contempts of her cousins, and that
would make her die of shame. And
they were SO handsome, SO accomplish
ed, so well dressed; she, in her dowdi.
ness, would make q mean contrast to
them. Perhaps-and her heart thrObbed
with sore pain at the thought-perhaps
he would fall III love with one Of them,
and then-"I hope l shall diet" she cried
to herself with exceeding bitterness
"Oh, Adrian, my love, you should moi
be so cruel!"
She had not courage to go into the
drawing-room, but wandered about mis-
erably all the summer evening, pictur
Ing his blue eyes beaming on Other
| faces, and his frank kind voice making
music in otner ears. Poor little Nelly
CHAPTER VII.
And Lord Langholme! had he really
forgotten her all this time? When hi
entered the Hall drawing.rs ON, his frs
, glance was for the lovely face that wa
SO well engraven on his memory; bu
> 1t was missing. He was introduced II
Mrs. Huntingdon and her handsome
. daughters; then he spoke to all til,
: other people in the m - ant
: onOn looking toward the door thu
OpeEed frequently, but never admitted
the slight, childish figure his eye
} sought. He sat next Mabel Mt dinner
and she talked to him snd looked a
! him, and he replied always courteous
ly, but somehow as IL his heart was no
. in the matter.
Does your cousin still live here?'
do you mean Eleanor-my poor I'M
cle's daughtery"
"Yes."
ooh, yes, she lives with us, poo
thing!"
Il do not see her here tonight"
"Oh, no! she never sees any one
1t is just as Well she does not care abou
society, for of course, poor little thing
her education has been rather neglect
ed, and she isn't quite-quite-"
"Quite wha+y' aske,l Lord Langholm,
with a strcngc flash in his eyes, ant
such a curious ring in his voice tina
Mabel glanced up quickly at him.
"Quite-well, what shall ! sayy' sh,
neutrality-suspicious. is hardly til,
word" =.
Hardly" repeated Lord Langholme
suppressing with some difficulty tn
rage that took possession of him.
do you know herr" Mabel asket
with quick surprise.